Discovery at Taposiris Magna Offers Glimpse Into Late Ptolemaic Era

Archaeologists have made discoveries at the Taposiris Magna Temple, west of Alexandria. Led by Dr. Kathleen Martinez in partnership with the Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña (UNPHU), the Egyptian-Dominican mission uncovered foundation deposits under the temple's southern enclosure wall. These findings include artefacts and ceremonial items from the late Ptolemaic era.

Among the most discoveries are a marble statuette of a royal woman and a limestone bust of a king wearing the Nemes headdress. While some suggest the statuette may depict Queen Cleopatra VII, many archaeologists remain skeptical due to differences from her known likenesses.

Excavations also revealed a 4th-century BCE Greek temple, believed to have been destroyed during the early Roman era, and a necropolis with 20 catacombs. One underground tomb near the ancient lighthouse of Taposiris Magna contained marble busts and other relics. Underwater exploration has further uncovered submerged man-made structures, human remains and extensive pottery, offering a glimpse into the temple’s once-thriving ecosystem.

Additional discoveries include 337 coins featuring Cleopatra VII’s image, pottery vessels, oil lamps, bronze statues, a scarab amulet, and a ring dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Hathor. Artefacts such as these not only date the temple’s construction to the 1st century BCE but also confirm its ceremonial significance.