Finally announced by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities our latest discoveries in Abu Ghurab…… many thanks to all the mission members as well as to local authorities and workers !!!
Here the English translation of the original text in Arabic available on the official FB page of the Ministry…… more to follow soon…… stay tuned !!
“30 July 2022
The remains of a building, probably one of the four lost Sun Temples of the Fifth Dynasty kings, have been unearthed in Abusir.
The joint Italian-Polish archaeological mission working in the Sun Temple of King Niuserre at Abu Ghurab, north of Abusir, discovered the remains of a mudbrick building laying underneath the temple. The preliminary studies indicate that it might be one of the four lost temples of the Sun dating to the Fifth Dynasty and known from the historical sources. Dr Mustafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated that the excavations will be completed at the site to reveal more about this building.
Dr Mustafa Waziri also said that the remains of the discovered building are accessed through a monumental entrance built of limestone, leading to an area used as storehouses, in the north, and to a wide courtyard to the west, where there is a mud paved floor and huge blocks of quartzite, some of which have smoothed faces and are embedded in the floor below the Sun Temple of king Niuserre.
Dr Ayman Ashmawy, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that the remains of the discovered building indicate that it was built of mudbricks, and that it was partially destroyed by Niuserre to build his own temple, pointing out that many pottery vessels were discovered at the site, which may have been used in foundation rituals. Among them particularly important are those discovered inside the Sun Temple of king Niuserre, in the northeastern corner, below the stone slabs of the foundations of the temple itself.
From his side Dr Mohamed Youssef, Director of Saqqara Antiquities Inspectorate, said that the foundation deposits were found at the level of the mudbrick wall of the ancient temple, and consisted mostly of beer-jars but also of Meidum bowls and some red slip ware pots.
Dr Rosanna Pirelli, head of the mission from the University of Naples L’Orientale, said that several fragments of clay seals bearing royal names were also found, including one with the name of the Fifth Dynasty King Shepseskare, about which we do not have much information, stressing that the new discoveries may indicate his presence and activities at the site. This may change our knowledge of the history of this king as well as of the Fifth Dynasty in general.
Dr Massimiliano Nuzzolo, head of the mission from the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, confirmed that the mission will complete its work soon, in the attempt to completely unearth the ancient temple, and unveil more secrets about this building.”
WEBINAR “The Sun Temple of Niuserra at Abu Ghurab: Ten year of archaeological research on Fifth Dynasty Egypt”
On Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at 5pm CET, Massimiliano Nuzzolo and Rosanna Pirelli are discussing the latest results of the field-work at the site of Abu Ghurab, sun temple of Niuserra. The event is hosted by the Italian Archaeological Centre of the Italian Cultural Institute in Cairo in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in Cairo.
WEBINAR: “The Sun Temple of Niuserra at Abu Ghurab: latest research and recent discoveries on the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt”
On Tuesday, February 01, 2022, at 4pm CET, Massimiliano Nuzzolo will present the latest results of the field-work at the site of Abu Ghurab, sun temple of Niuserra, as well as the main outputs of the first year of his project. The event is hosted by the Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw.
Lecture: “I più antichi annali regali: la Pietra di Palermo e le sue ultime rivelazioni”
On Monday, October 4, 2021, at 6pm CET, Massimiliano Nuzzolo will present the latest results of his research on the royal annals of Ancient Egypt also known as “The Palermo Stone”. The lecture will be host by the “Museo del Papiro Corrado Basile” of Siracusa, Italy, and will be available online at the following link.
Lecture: “Massimiliano Nuzzolo: Dall’Egitto a Varsavia | Z Egiptu do Warszawy”
On Wednesday, September 15, 2021, at 6pm CET, Massimiliano Nuzzolo will present his new research project. The presentation will be hosted by Italian Cultural Institute in Warsaw in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in Poland and will be introduced by the director of the Italian Cultural Institute, Dr. Donatella Baldini
Conference: “Pols on the Nile: Season 2019-21”
On Tuesday, June 22, 2021, at 6pm CET, Massimiliano Nuzzolo will present his new research and the latest outcomes of the last field-work in Egypt within the framework of the conference “Pols on the Nile: Season 2019-21”, organized by the University of Warsaw in cooperation with the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology.
