Emily Chan
Below the waters of the Nile River, a collection of ancient Egyptian artwork was identified. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in Egypt, a team of Egyptian and French archaeologists found the artworks between the “Low” and “High” Aswan dams in the river.
The city of Aswan is located on the east bank of the Nile. In ancient times, the settlement that once existed there had much geographical significance, as it marked the southern frontier of pharaonic Egypt.
The archaeological mission took place in an area that was flooded during the construction of the Aswan High Dam.
The dam was built between 1960 and 1970. It is one of the largest embankment dams in the world and regulates the flow of the Nile.
The flooded land also happened to be rich with archaeological remains. Before the dam’s construction, efforts were made to excavate important artifacts, but many could not be rescued and were lost to the river.
The latest expedition involved the documentation of remains in a segment of the river known as the Aswan Reservoir.
Exploratory dives were conducted, and underwater images were captured. The team came across numerous rock carvings and inscriptions, including depictions of several ancient Egyptian pharaohs.
“For the first time, we [have] gone underwater to study the rock formations between the Asan Reservoir and the Aswan High Dam,” the ministry said in a translated statement. “Since the site remains in good condition, the mission was able to fully document it.”
Among the pharaohs were Amenhotep III, who ruled from around 1388 to 1351 B.C., as well as Thutmose IV, who reigned from roughly 1400 to 1390 B.C., and Psamtik II, who ruled from 595 to 589 B.C. Apries was also one of the pharaohs in the artwork. His reign lasted from 589 to 570 B.C.
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