Research
The archaeological mission at Coptos
info@museitorino.it
011 44 06 903
From Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Coptos:
The archaeological site of Coptos (also known as Qift) is located in Upper Egypt, along the eastern bank of the Nile, about 43 km north of Luxor and near the modern city of Qena.
This strategic location was an important crossroads in ancient times, situated along the caravan routes leading to the Red Sea and the mines of the eastern desert, such as those for gold and precious stones.
Its privileged position made it a significant religious, commercial, and political center for ancient Egypt.
The Mission:
Rich in monuments from nearly all historical periods, the site of Coptos had already been extensively damaged by looters who arrived before the archaeologists. Despite this, the archaeological mission of the Museo Egizio and IFAO will help to understand the remains of the site.
Project Details:
Current excavations are focusing on the sanctuary of a temple, known only through a textual mention. Built by Ptolemy IV, this temple was destroyed at the end of the 4th century or the beginning of the 5th century AD. The reliefs were reduced to fragments, of which around 4,000 have been uncovered so far and are being studied.
After understanding the original layout of the building, our hope is to uncover one or more missing parts of the monument in the coming seasons.
The archaeological site of Coptos (also known as Qift) is located in Upper Egypt, along the eastern bank of the Nile, about 43 km north of Luxor and near the modern city of Qena.
This strategic location was an important crossroads in ancient times, situated along the caravan routes leading to the Red Sea and the mines of the eastern desert, such as those for gold and precious stones.
Its privileged position made it a significant religious, commercial, and political center for ancient Egypt.
The Mission:
Rich in monuments from nearly all historical periods, the site of Coptos had already been extensively damaged by looters who arrived before the archaeologists. Despite this, the archaeological mission of the Museo Egizio and IFAO will help to understand the remains of the site.
Project Details:
Current excavations are focusing on the sanctuary of a temple, known only through a textual mention. Built by Ptolemy IV, this temple was destroyed at the end of the 4th century or the beginning of the 5th century AD. The reliefs were reduced to fragments, of which around 4,000 have been uncovered so far and are being studied.
After understanding the original layout of the building, our hope is to uncover one or more missing parts of the monument in the coming seasons.
info@museitorino.it
011 44 06 903
From Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
