8 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Archaeologists in Egypt unearth Roman-era cabin and royal sphinx statue

An Egyptian archaeological mission discovered a sphinx statue inside a Roman-era limestone cabin excavated in Egypt’s south.

The artifacts were found in the temple of Dendera in Qena Province, 280 miles (450 kilometers) south of the capital of Cairo, the Antiquities Ministry said Monday in a statement.

According to the ministry, archaeologists think the statue’s smiling features may be those of the Roman emperor Claudius, who expanded the empire’s dominance into North Africa between 41 and 54 A.D.

The mission, led by Dr. Mamdouh El Damaty, a former antiquities minister and archaeology professor at Cairo’s Ain Shams University, was working east of Dendera Temple in the southern province of Qena.

A large water basin made of red brick and mortar was discovered inside the two-story cabin. The sphinx statue was found inside the basin.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



An archaeologist brushes away loose sand after the head of the sphinx had emerged. Photo: Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities
An archaeologist brushes away loose sand after the head of the sphinx had emerged. Photo: Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities

The ancient Egyptian Nemes, a striped-cloth headdress worn by pharaohs under their crowns in ancient Egypt, is depicted as a stone covering for the sphinx’s head. A flared cobra is sculpted above the sphinx’s brow, as was the custom when for royal statues.

The statue is much smaller than the towering, well-known Sphinx in the Pyramids of Giza complex, which is 66 feet (20 meters) high.

“The statue is really beautiful, its face is characterized by royal features that are depicted quite precisely,” Dr El Damaty said. “The traces of a smile can be seen on the edges of its mouth, which has a dimple on either side. There are traces of yellow and red in the face.”

A tablet inscribed with hieroglyphs and demotic was also found. Photo: Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities
A tablet inscribed with hieroglyphs and demotic was also found. Photo: Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities

A tablet dating back to Roman rule in Egypt was also discovered alongside the sphinx. It is inscribed with hieroglyphs and demotic, an ancient Egyptian script.

The archaeologist mission plans to continue its work in Dendera, where a small temple dedicated to Isis is thought to have been built by Nero, the Roman emperor who preceded Claudius.

Archaeologists believe an underground path connects the Isis temple to another temple on the complex’s eastern side dedicated to the ancient Egyptian god Horus.

Egypt Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities

Cover Photo: Egypt Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities

Related Articles

Rare Scandinavian Chain Unearthed by Archaeologists in Novorzhev District, Russia

14 August 2025

14 August 2025

Archaeologists have discovered a remarkably well-preserved Scandinavian-style chain during excavations in the southeastern part of the Gorozhane settlement in the...

Archaeologists have found a fort that the Romans built to protect their silver mines, complete with wooden spikes

23 February 2023

23 February 2023

Archaeologists have discovered wooden defenses surrounding an ancient Roman military base for the first time in Bad Ems, western Germany....

Researchers may have uncovered the ruins of one of the largest ancient cafeterias for a Buddhist temple

9 February 2025

9 February 2025

Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery at the site of the Yamashiro Kokubunji temple, revealing what is believed to be...

Britain’s Hidden Treasures: The Pieces of Rare Iron Age Helmet Found at Snettisham

19 January 2025

19 January 2025

Thanks to advanced scientific testing, the copper alloy fragments unearthed at Snettisham, Norfolk, at one of Britain’s most significant archaeological...

Women with Sart Renovate Largest Synagogue of Ancient World

4 August 2023

4 August 2023

Village women take part in the renovation works of the largest synagogue in the ancient world, located in the ancient...

From Destruction to Discovery: Ancient Greek Tombstone Discovered in Libya After Storm ‘Daniel’

2 March 2025

2 March 2025

The Libyan Antiquities Authority has officially confirmed that an ancient artifact uncovered in the torrents caused by Storm “Daniel” in...

Archaeologists have found a previously unknown Roman city with buildings of monumental proportions in Spain’s Aragon Region

17 July 2022

17 July 2022

Archaeologists from the University of Zaragoza in Spain have discovered a previously unknown Roman city with buildings of monumental proportions....

The World’s Largest Pyramid Is Hidden Within a Hill in Mexico

8 October 2022

8 October 2022

The largest and tallest pyramids in the world are incredible feats of design, engineering, and construction. The Great Pyramid of...

Ancient Warrior Vessel Discovered at Chankillo, The Oldest Solar Observatory in the Americas

1 September 2025

1 September 2025

Archaeologists have uncovered a fragmented vessel depicting a warrior at Chankillo, the oldest solar observatory in the Americas, located in...

Researchers discover America’s oldest mine

23 May 2022

23 May 2022

Archaeological digs headed by Wyoming’s state archaeologist and including University of Wyoming experts have revealed that people began producing red...

Ancient Roman 3rd-century defensive wall found in Germany

24 March 2024

24 March 2024

An exciting archaeological discovery was made during construction work in Aachen’s city center, Germany. At the corner of Pontstrasse and...

The 3,000-Year-Old Ancient City is Under Danger

8 February 2021

8 February 2021

For the port planned to be built in Izmir’s AliaÄźa district, a part of the 3,000-year-old ancient city is in...

The Ancient City of Miletos’s “Sacred Cave” Opened to Visitors

2 October 2021

2 October 2021

In the ancient city of Miletos, which had an important place in the advancement of philosophy, art, and science in...

Academics Uncover Ancient Roman Physicians Galen’s Pharmacy Legacy in İzmir

27 February 2024

27 February 2024

As a part of research on medicinal plants in Bergama, İzmir’s historic district where Galen (129 AD -200 AD) once...

Stonehenge’s Altar Stone May Be From Scotland, Over 700 Kilometers Away

14 August 2024

14 August 2024

Recent research led by Curtin University suggests that the Altar Stone at Stonehenge may have originated in northeast Scotland, at...