December 13, 2022
An Egyptian archaeological mission working in the Gerza Cemetery at Fayoum have uncovered a large funerary structure dated to the Ptolemaic and the Roman periods. The team also unearthed many funerary Fayoum portraits.
Excavation work showed that the funerary structure contains colored gypsum tiled floors and a colonnade hall. The site uncovered a diverse range of mummified bodies both in quality and style. The team also found a rare terracotta statue of the goddess Isis-Aphrodite inside one of the wooden coffins. Several papyri containing demotic and Greek inscriptions were found that express the social, economic, and religious realities of the region's inhabitants.
The site of Gerza was established in the 3rd century B.C.E as part of Ptolemy II’s agricultural project in the Fayoum to secure food resources for the Egyptian state.
