Egypt has announced the discovery of a series of artifacts dating to the ancient Egyptian and Greco‑Roman periods in Beni Suef Governorate, south of Cairo.
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said an archaeological mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities made the find at the Ihnasya al‑Medina site, shedding new light on the city’s religious and cultural importance across multiple eras.
Among the discoveries is a reused stone block bearing the coronation and birth names of Pharaoh Senusret III, along with a cartouche of the deity Osiris‑Naref, a major god worshipped in Ihnasya during both ancient Egyptian and Ptolemaic times. Hisham Elleithy, secretary‑general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, called the appearance of Senusret III’s cartouche a significant find, noting the pharaoh’s historical ties to major monuments at the site.
The mission also uncovered structural remains of a Roman basilica, parts of a Doric temple, fragments of wall statues and Roman‑era pottery molds used for minting coins. A rare marble statue head of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, was also found.
Ihnasya al‑Medina, known in the Greco‑Roman period as Herakleopolis Magna, is considered one of Egypt’s most important archaeological sites.
