Egyptian digs reveal Roman basilica, Aphrodite marble head

Archaeologists in Egypt have announced a series of significant discoveries at two major historical sites, unearthing artifacts that span from the Middle Kingdom to the Roman period. The finds include a rare marble head of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, extensions of a Roman basilica, and a nearly complete set of funerary furniture.

The discoveries were made by separate Egyptian missions from the Supreme Council of Antiquities working at the ancient city of Ihnasya El-Medina in Beni Suef Governorate and at the Panhesy cemetery in the Matariya area of Cairo, part of ancient Heliopolis. Officials said the finds provide new insights into the cultural, religious, and economic life of these important centers across multiple eras.

At Ihnasya El-Medina, also known in antiquity as Heracleopolis Magna, the mission uncovered a reused stone block bearing a raised inscription of King Senusret III, a prominent ruler of Egypt's Middle Kingdom. The inscription includes both his throne and birth names. A second cartouche bearing the name of the deity Osiris-Naref, a principal god worshipped at the site during the Pharaonic and Ptolemaic periods, was also found.

The team also discovered extensions...