Illegal dig unearths ancient Egyptian temple

Well...this is cool! Seems it is a large temple that they have illegally unearthed. Can't wait to hear more on what was found there.

Seven men have been arrested in Egypt after digging up an ancient temple under a house in Giza, just outside Cairo.

Egyptian news website Ahram reports that the illegal excavation revealed the remains of a temple from the reign of Pharoah Tuthmose III.

The dig revealed huge limestone blocks covered in hieroglyphics, which belong to a massive temple, according to Egypt’s Antiquities Minister Mamdouh El-Damaty.

Ahram reports that two marble columns were also unearthed, along with seven reliefs and a large armless colossus of a seated person, made from red granite.

I have to say that I did find this quote from the article odd though......

The arrests were made after Egypt’s tourism and antiquities police heard about the illegal excavation. Police found diving suits, diving masks and oxygen cylinders when they raided the dig, according to Ahram.

Why would they need these things for a dig site like this? Are chambers often underwater or something?

Source

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Love to see some pics. Wondering about the "diving gear", too. One generally doesn't "dig" through water…

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Vasa Croe

Love to see some pics. Wondering about the "diving gear", too. One generally doesn't "dig" through water…

Pics are at the original source story I just found in the link.

english.ahram.org.eg...

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Same info posted earlier in this thread below

Temple found by looters

Is it really illegal to dig in your own yard?

a reply to: evc1shop

Yes. Gotta call 811 first.

originally posted by: evc1shop
Is it really illegal to dig in your own yard?

I know huh? They shouldn't arrest them they should reward them handsomely for finding what was previously undiscovered. Without their efforts it may never have. They should not only reward them and make local heroes of them, they should have to pay them to access and dig the artifacts for the museum on their property.

Then their name should be attached as the discoverers and some of the proceeds of the museum entrance fee to see the exhibit be paid into an account for them to use.

Instead they bust em and throw em all in jail.

Egypt is still land of the Pharaohs. Kings rule and everyone else sucks hind titty.

They should not only reward them and make local heroes of them, they should have to pay them to access and dig the artifacts for the museum on their property.

Yeah then every jacka$$ in Cairo will be digging up their yard or basement.

a reply to: smkymcnugget420

Then more ancient wonders may be discovered... what's wrong with that? :/

Don't think they were motivated by greed. They might have seen something shiny when they were cleaning their reservoir and just thought it was a candy bar wrapper. The Museum was immediately notified of their find when they realized. Centuries ago Tomb raiders were punished with death usually after a long torture session to identify accomplices.

Sounds like in this case the artifacts were in danger of deteriorating anyways, for example limestone can react with sulfur dioxide to ultimately produce calcium selfate. Bringing this additional new evidence will perhaps act as a catalyst for further discovery.

Maybe the diving gear was to get at that massive underground labyrinth thing.... The what's it called? "The most massively mind blowing thing in the world that no one is allowed to excavate." That thing

originally posted by: nukedog
Maybe the diving gear was to get at that massive underground labyrinth thing.... The what's it called? "The most massively mind blowing thing in the world that no one is allowed to excavate." That thing

Are you talking about Mariah Carey?

a reply to: Vasa Croe

For serious?

Those hieroglyphs are in pristine condition

a reply to: Vasa Croe

WOW! What a find - great thread.

Perhaps the diving suits are not so surprising because didn't they keep deep inside one of their temples crocodiles at some time? Perhaps they did that also at this temple and the water simply either hasn't drained away if the walls were sealed stone or evaporated. Or it could be an entrance to their 'other world'.

I know within the church I use to go to many moons ago, we suddenly went from being a staid congregation to the high jinks of people being walloped by the 'Holy Spirit' and blow me our local estate agent and some accountant were lying flat out on the ground - if it was too much and one couldn't keep a straight face, one had to leap over the strewn bodies to get out. So perhaps at different times different things attracted the religious worship ideas of the priests and they decided to keep crocs down below (just going on what happened in our church) the change was extreme and I would never have thought it possible.



I know the foundations in one of our cathedrals are deep under water and divers have to inspect but it seems strange at Giza except that perhaps an underground tributory of the Nile went to the temple and has never dried up?

a reply to: Vasa Croe

Nah this Labyrinth

Looks like it's pretty far from Giza though

a reply to: Vasa Croe

You're always supposed to have oxygen handy in confined spaces when mining or digging, especially if air is not being pumped in. I would assume that is what it was for.

I carry a mask and an oxygen canister with me when I go caving.

I can't explain the suits though...maybe it was cold and they were saving body heat?

originally posted by: smkymcnugget420

They should not only reward them and make local heroes of them, they should have to pay them to access and dig the artifacts for the museum on their property.

Yeah then every jacka$$ in Cairo will be digging up their yard or basement.

I'm sure they had some hint that there was something there before they started digging...

My thoughts: Great find, and my hats off to the guys that dug it up - presuming good intentions. I do hope that whatever society is in charge of such things, continues the dig. It would be nice to see another resurrected monument from times past.

I do believe these gentlemen should get credit for the find and have all charges dropped - an illegal dig that turns up ancient artifacts that effectively cannot be overlooked in the larger picture - Even if they were looking for 'buried loot' - resulted in a 'megalithic' archaeological find.

a reply to: evc1shop
Illegal to dig in your own back yard? Depends where you are...in Ontario, it's illegal to do archaeological investigation without a licence...not that you're gonna be busted for digging on your own property. Unless you're an arse about it.

originally posted by: JohnnyCanuck
a reply to: evc1shop
Illegal to dig in your own back yard? Depends where you are...in Ontario, it's illegal to do archaeological investigation without a licence...not that you're gonna be busted for digging on your own property. Unless you're an arse about it.

So, the purpose of the license? Is it to ensure that the government in Ontario has a clear idea of what is being sought and is then granted some sort of ability to drop in and "oversee" things? Is it strictly for safety's sake? Is there a fee involved? Are there fines to be levied for those who don't inform the government of their intent? what of the findings should one unearth an item of historical or monetary value?

Down below Canada, in the suburbs of St Paul, I had to pull permits after my neighbors (from across the street, mind you) saw me pull back all of the topsoil in my back yard, about an acre+ and re-grade it in preparation for putting in a new workshop which I was drafting plans for at the time. I had to apply for a permit and then pay a late filing fee to get approval to continue and then final inspection. I can understand some of it as I could change the topography enough to affect runoff and drain water and such, perhaps the Ontario city codes account for dig sites in order to prevent collapses and such. Just seems like a bit more control from any perspective other than a direct safety one.

I would much prefer to dig for kicks and find something under the radar, so to speak. Makes for a better story when the tourists arrive... "I was just pulling the plow over there when something went thunk and I knew I had to get my loader out there and see what it was...."

originally posted by: evc1shop
So, the purpose of the license? Is it to ensure that the government in Ontario has a clear idea of what is being sought and is then granted some sort of ability to drop in and "oversee" things? Is it strictly for safety's sake? Is there a fee involved? Are there fines to be levied for those who don't inform the government of their intent? what of the findings should one unearth an item of historical or monetary value?

Under the Ontario Heritage Act, archaeological resources are protected by the Crown. Say, if a developer encounters such things, he is obliged to cease, and hire a Cultural Resource Management professional to assess the scenario. If need be, he has to pay to have it dealt with. Conversely, municipalities tap into the provincial database of registered sites, or areas presumed to have archaeological potential. When permits are applied for, that triggers a process that requires a survey. Yes, there are fines for not complying with the Act.

But in general, the licencing system is in place to ensure that activities are noted going in, and they require a follow-up report. Strictly speaking, that which is found belongs to the Crown. Now, nobody is going to come charging in and confiscate something a farmer finds in his field...but go 'artifact hunting' and try to ebay your loot, there are laws to discourage you. And yes, the issuance of licences is pretty strictly controlled, and subject to a formidable set of Standards and Guidelines.

I would much prefer to dig for kicks and find something under the radar, so to speak. Makes for a better story when the tourists arrive... "I was just pulling the plow over there when something went thunk and I knew I had to get my loader out there and see what it was...."

Problem there, is that archaeology is more than just about the 'goodies'. Having an artifact in your hand is just a small part of the package...where it was found (geographically and within the soil matrix, what kind of soil 'features' are associated with it, all contribute to the complete story. For example, I was once handed a shoebox that contained, among other stuff, a mastodon tooth and part of a paleo point. Now, if the two items had been found in association, that's be a heck of a tale. As was, it was merely a box of rocks. As a practice, archaeology destroys its database, which is why so much attention is being paid to the excavating process. And, as is quite often the case, if there is no need to dig it up, why bother, as long as the site is not threatened.