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Egypt authorities blame destroyed archaeological sites on citizens' 'lack of cultural awareness'

The Arab Al Hosn area in Greater Cairo, known for its history and ancient relics, is being subjected to vandalism and theft by the area’s residents while authorities stand idly by.
A red granite obelisk towering above a ramshackle, squalid suburb of
northeast Cairo, is the last visible vestige of a nearly 7,000-year-old
city where ancient Egyptians believed life began. Archaeologists say
they soon expect to unearth other artefacts and unlock the secrets of
the sun-cult city of On buried beneath today's suburbs of Ain Shams,
which means "eye of the sun" in Arabic, and the adjacent area of
Matariya. Picture taken August 9, 2002. TO GO WITH FEATURE
BC-LIFE-EGYPT-ARCHAEOLOGY REUTERS/Aladi
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CAIRO — The Arab Al Hosn area in el-Matariya, in the northern region of Greater Cairo, is an archaeological site that includes the ruins of a temple of the New Kingdom that dates back to the era of the Ramesses kings. The temple was rebuilt by King Ramesses II from the 19th dynasty. Ramesses III, IV, IX and even XI also contributed to the temple.

The temple contains the remains of gates, columns made of papyrus and mud bricks, as well as a fixed gate that belonged to the high priest who was in charge of the temple of the sun in the city of Heliopolis. In addition, the painting of Neb-Ma'at-Ra, the son of King Ramesses IX, with its brightly colored carvings that remain still, is found here.

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