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Archaeologists have uncovered a cache of ancient treasure at the site of Heliopolis, the storied Egyptian city mentioned in the biblical story of Joseph.
The artifacts were found at the Panhesy tomb site in the Matariya archaeological section of Ain Shams, within the Heliopolis necropolis.
Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the find on May 31.
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The cemetery was used from Egypt’s Late Period through the Roman era and into the Christian period, though officials did not provide a specific date for the newly discovered cache.
Heliopolis, known in the Bible as “On,” makes multiple appearances in Genesis, the Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Ezekiel.
Genesis 41:45 notes that Joseph’s wife, Asenath, was the daughter of Potipherah, a priest of the city.
The cache, found beneath a burial structure containing human remains, included five pairs of yellow-colored metal earrings that archaeologists believe may be made of gold.
Pictures released by officials show the earrings along with carved scarabs and other small artifacts, as well as cosmetic containers and a copper mirror.
Archaeologists uncovered two alabaster kohl containers with traces of ancient eye makeup and a third kohl container crafted from black obsidian.
Excavators also found four stones, two of which are believed to be agate, a semi-precious gemstone that was widely used in the ancient world.
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Officials noted that the cache was the “first nearly complete funerary assemblage ever discovered in the area.”
The discovery “builds upon earlier findings at the site during the current excavation season, including mudbrick and limestone funerary structures and two coffins found in fragmented condition,” said the tourism ministry.
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“The Panhesy cemetery is particularly significant because it served as a burial ground for prominent individuals across multiple eras, from Egypt’s Late Period through the Roman era and into the Christian period,” the statement said.
The discovery is the latest in a series of archaeological finds across Egypt.
Earlier this spring, officials announced the discovery of a fragment of Homer’s “Iliad” atop a mummy in a Roman-era tomb in Al Bahnasa.
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Before that, archaeologists uncovered eight rare papyrus scrolls believed to contain writings not read in roughly 3,000 years.
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