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More than 2,000 mummified rams’ heads have been discovered by an American Mission excavating near
to the Ramesses II temple at Abydos, inside a newly discovered storage room in the northern area of the temple. Alongside the rams’ heads, the team found the mummified remains of other animals, including sheep, dogs, wild goats, cows, deer, and mongoose. The animals may have been votive offerings made during the worship of rams at the site, or in honour of Ramesses II, who was revered during the Ptolemaic Period.
The team also discovered a large Sixth Dynasty building of unique architectural design, with 5-metre-thick walls, and uncovered parts of the northern wall of the Ramesside temple which indicate the shape of the temple differs from what was previously thought. Various finds at the site included pieces of papyri, remains of ancient trees, and fragments of clothing and leather shoes.
All images: copyright of the Ministry for Tourism and Antiquities
