Archaeologists in Egypt unearth pharaonic structures

By Hussein Qabani

CAIRO

Archaeologists have unearthed several Pharaonic structures in Egypt’s Nile Delta, the Egyptian Antiquities Ministry announced Tuesday.

According to a ministry statement, an Egyptian-German archaeological mission discovered the buildings -- one of which they believe is a palace temple -- in the village of Qantir, located some 60 miles northeast of Cairo.

Modern-day Qantir is situated on the site of 19th Dynasty Pharaoh Ramses II’s celebrated capital, Per-Ramesses ("House of Ramses").

The buildings sit on an area of 200 square meters, Mahmoud Afify, head of Egypt’s Antiquities Sector, said.

"We will soon find the location of the temple’s main gate," he said.

Henning Franzmeier, the mission’s chief German archaeologist, said more excavations were needed to unearth all the ancient city’s secrets, according to the ministry statement.

Born in 1303 BC, Ramses II was the third pharaoh of ancient Egypt’s 19th Dynasty.

He led several military campaigns into the Levant, at one point reasserting Egypt’s control over the land of Canaan. He also led expeditions south into Nubia (southern Egypt and northern Sudan).

He died in 1213 BC.