Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced archaeological finds across two sites, spanning Pharaonic to Roman eras. Discovered by Egyptian archaeologists' missions, the artifacts range from 12th Dynasty royal inscriptions linked to the ruler Senusret III and Pharaonic funerary furniture to a Greco - Roman basilica, and a marble head of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, underscoring the region’s rich, overtapping ancient histories.
The discoveries, announced on 3th June 2026, were made at Ehnasiya necropolis also known as Herakleopolis Magna or Ehnasya Al - Medina, a sprawling archaeological area located in Beni Suef province, 130 kilometres south of the capital of the country, Cairo, and in the Matarriya or Matareya, a historic and densely populated district in northeast Cairo that sits on the ruins of ancient Heliopolis and known for deep historical roots, authentic street markets, and a vibrant local community.
Discoveries at Ehnasiya Necroopolis, Beni Suef Province:
• Roman Basilica: Archaeologists excavated structural extensions of a Roman basilica featuring massive 45 – tonne stone column supports, renmants of a Doric temple and terracotta molds used for minting Roman - era coins.
• The Aphrodite Head: A rare, finely detailed marble statue head of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, was unearthed, reflecting classical artistic traditions.
• Pharaonic Inscriptions: The team found a reused stone block bearing the cortonation and birth names of Pharaoh Senusret III, a prominent 12 th Dynasty ruler, alongside a cartouche of the deity “Osiris – Naref”.
Discoveries in the Cairo's Matariya Neighbourhood:
• Military Burial: The arachaeologiusts discovered a mudbrick burial with gilded coffin remains, suspected to belong to a military figure.
• Cosmetic Caches: The grave contained beautifully preserved personal and cosmetic tools, including alabaster kohl containers, gold erarrings, and a copper mirror.
• Furniture: Excavators unearthed a nearly complete set of Pharaonic and Greco - Ptolemaic funerary furniture.
The Egyptian government has positioned such discoveries as central to its broader ongoing strategy to boost the country’s tourism industry, attract international visitors, and building on the momentum of the inauguration in November 2025 of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) near the Giza Pyramids.
The announcements of these relevant discoveries come as Egypt’s tourism sector continues a strong recovery trajectory highlighted by a record 19 million tourists that visited the country last year, a 21% increase on 2024, with 6.1 million arrivals in the first four months of 2026 alone, compared with 5.7 million during the same period in the previous year.
Tourism in Egypt had previously been hampered by political instability following the 2011 uprising, the COVID - 19 pandemic, and the economic ripple effects of the Russia - Ukraine war, both countries being significant source markets for the North African country. The latest archaeological revelations are expected to further strengthen Egypt’s appeal as a world – class antiquities destination.
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