10 Ancient Egyptian Discoveries That Amazed Us in 2022!

From mummies with gilded tongues to a pyramid built for a previously unknown queen, here are 10 amazing discoveries about ancient Egypt made in 2022.

Ancient Egypt hides many secrets, and archaeologists have made some exciting discoveries in 2022, including the tomb of a previously unknown queen, a falcon sanctuary with a mysterious message, and a huge tunnel under the temple.

Here are some of the most amazing discoveries at this year’s ancient Egyptian archaeological site.

1. Realistic portraits of mummies

When excavating a tomb in the ancient Egyptian city of Philadelphia, archaeologists discovered two complete portraits of a mummy, as well as several incomplete portraits of people buried in the tomb. The researchers believe that the deceased most likely belonged to the middle or elite class, since it was expensive to have special images of their figures. Because of looting, it is very rare for archaeologists to find mummy portraits, with the last recorded examples being found in the 1880s.

2. Temple dedicated to the god Zeus Cassius.

At Tell el-Farama in the Sinai Peninsula, archaeologists have discovered the remains of a temple dedicated to Zeus Cassius, a god who was a cross between Zeus and the weather god Cassius. The researchers discovered the temple after they noticed parts of two pink granite columns sticking out of the ground, which they believe supported the front gate of the temple and probably collapsed in ancient times during a strong earthquake.

3. Mummies with golden tongues

In the Greco-Roman period, mummies were often buried with golden tongues.

The ancient Egyptians believed that it would help turn the dead into divine beings in the afterlife.

A team of archaeologists have unearthed several examples of private burial practice at an excavation site at an ancient necropolis near Qena, north of Cairo. The tombs also contained a large amount of grave goods such as necklaces and pottery.

4The Falcon Sanctuary And The Mysterious Boiling Head Message

Archaeologists have found a 1700-year-old mausoleum with 15 decapitated falcons on a pedestal and a stone monument depicting two unknown deities in the Red Sea port of Berenice. An iron spear was found near the base of the statue, but what really stunned the researchers was a Greek inscription they noticed in one of the back rooms of the shrine that reads: “Head is not to be boiled here.”

5. Golden ring with the image of the “God of fun”

While exploring the burial site in the city of Akhetaten (modern Amarna), south of Cairo, archaeologists came across a treasure trove of gold artifacts, including a necklace and three rings. On one of the decorations was the inscription of Bes, “the god of fun.” Ancient images of the merry deity can be found throughout Egypt.

6. Protective tattoos during childbirth

Before giving birth, some ancient Egyptian women got tattoos as protection during childbirth.

Archaeologists have discovered six examples of this practice while studying mummies buried at Deir el-Medina, an archaeological site located on the banks of the Nile River. Finding old tattoos is rare, as the skin will need to be preserved.

In this case, however, body parts were exposed, including the woman’s lower back, whose ancient ink included black lines and an image of a deity protecting women during childbirth.

7. Wide water tunnel

Archaeologists have discovered a 1,305-meter-long tunnel under a temple in Taposiris Magna, an ancient city west of Alexandria, Egypt.

It is believed that once a huge tunnel was used to deliver water to the townspeople and is a replica of the Eupalinos tunnel on the Greek island of Samos, which is considered an engineering marvel.

8. Birds in the Egyptian “masterpiece”.

The depiction of birds flying and standing next to a swamp is so detailed that modern researchers have used a version of it to name the exact species depicted in the 3,300-year-old piece.

Archaeologists found the “masterpiece” a century ago on the walls of a palace in the ancient Egyptian capital of Amarna, but only recently have researchers identified the species depicted on the piece, including the bipedal kingfisher (Ceryle rudis).

9. New understanding of mummification

Archaeologists have turned what they taught in school about mummification.

The ancient Egyptians used the practice of burial not to preserve the bodies of the dead, but as a way to bring them to the divine. The new flag, referred to by archaeologists as ‘180 all the way’, is the focus of an exhibition titled ‘Golden Mummies of Egypt’, which opens in early 2023 at the Manchester Museum at the University of Manchester in England.

10. Tomb of an unknown queen

On the centenary of the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, a team of archaeologists have discovered the tomb of a previously unknown queen: Queen Neith.

The discovery was made at Saqqara, the archaeological site of Giza, and is the first mention of it in the archaeological record. In addition to the cemetery, the researchers found many coffins and mummies, some of which belonged to Tutankhamun’s closest generals and advisers.

Source: Living Science