Archaeologists in Egypt Find Ptolemaic King Statue
2,000-year-old object located near what is believed to be tomb of Egyptian Queen Cleopatra
Last updated on: May 03, 2010 8:00 PM
Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered a 2,000-year-old granite statue of a Ptolemaic-era king near what is believed to be the tomb of Egyptian Queen Cleopatra.
A statement from Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities says the headless statue was discovered at the temple of Taposiris Magna, west of the coastal city of Alexandria.
The ancient Egyptian temple is believed to be the burial site of Cleopatra and her lover, Mark Antony.
The head of the Council of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass, says the statue could belong to King Ptolemy IV. Hawass says it represents the traditional shape of an ancient Egyptian king wearing a collar and kilt.
The archeology team, led by Hawass and Dominican archeologist Kathleen Martinez, has spent the last five years trying to locate Cleopatra and Mark Antony's final resting place. The Egyptian queen and her lover supposedly committed suicide after their defeat at the battle of Actium.
The archeologists say they also have discovered the original entrance to the temple of Taposiris Magna on its western side. They say there is evidence the entrance to the temple was lined with a series of sphinx statues similar to those of the pharaonic era.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.