Interest is focused on the discovery of a smiling mini sphinx statue in an ancient temple in southern Egypt.
According to AFP news reports on the 6th (local time), Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities announced that a mini sphinx and Roman stone tablets with hieroglyphs were unearthed at the Temple of Hathor in Dendera, about 450 km south of Cairo, the capital.
The Sphinx, considered a symbol of Egypt, is a monster with the head of a man and the body of a lion, which means the authority of the ancient Egyptian dynasty.
In particular, the sphinx of the pyramids of Giza is representative, and the excavated this time is not only a mini sphinx statue that is much smaller than this, but also attracts more attention because it has dimples on both cheeks and a smiling face.
The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities said, “Beside the beautifully and precisely carved Sphinx, a Roman stone tablet with hieroglyphs was also found.”
Some speculate that the face is believed to depict the ancient Roman Emperor Claudius.
Emperor Claudius, who reigned from 41 to 54 AD, extended Roman rule to North Africa and made Britannia (Britain) a province.
In view of the recent discovery of ancient artifacts in Egypt, some interpret that the Egyptian government is stepping up to revive the tourism industry, which has suffered a serious crisis in the aftermath of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) pandemic.
Accordingly, it is analyzed that the announcement of the excavation of such artifacts has more political and economic meaning than scientific meaning.
The Egyptian authorities are aiming to increase the number of tourist visits from 13 million per year before the Corona 19 pandemic to 30 million per year by 2028, the media reported.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.