Zahi Hawass, Egyptian archaeologist and former head of Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities, recently announced several discoveries around the mortuary temple of Egypt’s female pharaoh, Hatshepsut. The excavation team located the temple’s “foundation deposit” — a group of artifacts that the builders buried when they began construction. The foundation deposit included two stones with Hatshepsut’s cartouche (name ring) and several tools. Also discovered were almost 1,500 painted blocks that appear to have come from Hatshepsut’s nearby valley temple. Hatshepsut ruled during the 18th Dynasty in the New Kingdom period of Egyptian history. She was the stepmother of Thutmose III, who succeeded her as pharaoh. After her death, her statues and reliefs were intentionally destroyed, although Hawass claims his team has unearthed evidence that Thutmose III restored her mortuary temple. Some scholars have suggested Hatshepsut is a good candidate for Pharaoh’s daughter, who pulled baby Moses from the Nile River (Ex 2:5).
Sources:
- https://www.hawasszahi.com/news/new-discoveries-in-luxor
- https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/ancient-egyptians/excavations-at-queen-hatshepsuts-mortuary-temple-reveal-elaborate-burials-decorated-blocks-and-ancient-tools
Read more BREAKING NEWS articles here: https://biblearchaeology.org/current-events-list