Unearthing the 'master key'
Nevine El-Aref reports on a major archaeological discovery at Tel-Basta near Zagazig
As with many archaeological finds, this one happened by accident. During a routine clean up of a dig site in Tel-Basta -- some 80 kilometres northeast of Cairo -- workers came across a large limestone statue of Kakar, the Amun- Re temple high priest, as well as several octagonal pillars that may be from the temple's open court.
The Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities' (SCA) team that made the find said it represented significant new evidence that another Amun-Re temple lies in the ruins of the ancient city of Tel-Basta.
"It is the master key to a greater discovery," said Culture Minister Farouk Hosni. Hosni said the find could lead the team to either an extension of the already existing 14th century BC Amun-Re temple built by Ramses II, or to another temple also dedicated to Amun-Re.
Mohamed Abdel- Maqsoud, head of the SCA's Lower Egypt antiquities department, said the new discovery adds even more historical significance to Tel-Basta, which was once Egypt's ancient capital as well as the main cult centre of the cat goddess Bastet, the deity of joy and happiness.
According to Abdel-Maqsoud, the SCA has allocated LE100,000 for further excavations in the area. In January, a German excavation team will join the Egyptian mission there as well.
Tel-Basta is a major tourist attraction, thanks to the red granite temple of the cat goddess Bastet, which was originally documented by the historian Herodotus in the 5th century BC. The site also features several burial grounds belonging to important 19th dynasty officials, king Amenemhat III's palace, Pepi I's temple, as well as a series of vaulted mud brick cat necropolises and adjacent ateliers.
Abdel-Maqsoud said an open-air museum was also established a year ago, featuring 45 granite pieces, including life size statues of kings Ramsess II and VI, coloured reliefs, sarcophagi and objects from the Hyksos era.
SCA Secretary- General Zahi Hawass described the newly discovered find as "a perfectly carved piece of limestone". The 70cm statue of Kakar, the Amun-Re high priest, is decorated with images of Hathor, the deity of love and beauty, as well as the faces of other ancient Egyptian deities like Petah, Anubis, Amun- Re and Osiris. Kakar himself is seated on a pillow dressed in full temple regalia and wearing a wig. Hieroglyphic text with his different names and titles is engraved prominently on the statue's pedestal.
