An Egyptian archaeological team has discovered a limestone sphinx and a stele dating back to the Roman era in Qena province, southern Egypt, according to a statement by the country’s Antiquity Ministry on Monday. The sphinx-shaped statue depicts one of the Roman emperors wearing a Nemes headdress and a cobra on the forehead. After examining its face, the statue is believed to be for Claudius, the fourth Roman emperor, who ruled from 41 to 54 AD.
The team also found a stele with hieroglyphs and demotics, an ancient Egyptian writing system used from roughly 650 BC to the fifth century AD, beneath the statue.
The discoveries were made during excavation work at the eastern Dendera Temple, which was built for Hathor, the ancient Egyptian goddess of love, beauty, music, dancing, fertility, and pleasure. The statue was found inside a two-level compartment that also contained a Byzantine-era sink for preserving water.