Ancient Egyptian Temple Found Under a House in Giza

Giza has always been the centrepiece of Egypt's ancient history.

The Great Pyramid of Giza, the Great Sphinx, among a host of other ancient monuments and structures in Egypt's third largest city, all attest to the richness of its past.

Five Egyptians and two Palestinians, who seem to be familiar with Giza's "wealth" from the past, have been arrested by authorities for illegal excavation activities under their home in the Hod Zeleikha area of Al-Badrasheen district, reports Ahram. But not before the diggers found the remains of an ancient Egyptian temple and several priceless artifacts, which they found as early as two weeks ago, added the report.

Two huge limestone blocks, engraved with hieroglyphic texts, were found at the excavation site, along with seven reliefs and a large armless colossus of a seated person made from red granite, notes Fox News.

Egyptian Antiquities Minister Mamdouh El-Damaty disclosed that the artifacts are all genuine and belong to a huge Egyptian temple during the time of Pharaoh Tuthmose III, added the report.

Ahram said that the archaeological finds were indeed from the reign of New Kingdom's King Tuthmose III.

The New Kingdom of Egypt, also known as the Egyptian Empire, is the third great Era of Egyptian culture. The period lasted for almost 500 years from 1550 BC to 1070 BC, details The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Fox News also detailed that Tuthmose III was known as the "Napolean of ancient Egypt" due to his military successes. He reigned from 1479 BC to 1425 BC.

Following the apprehension of the illegal diggers, the artifacts were taken to the Saqqara site for restoration and further study, disclosed the Antiquities minister.

El Damaty also revealed that the ministry has declared the Hod Zeleikha area as an archaeological site and placed it under its control to be able to conduct more research and possibly unearth more remains of the ancient Egyptian temple, Ahram said.

The arrests on the seven illegal diggers were made after the Egyptian tourism police were tipped off on the serious excavation activities on the Hod Zeleika home.

Major General Momtaz Fathi, an aide to the interior ministry and a director in the tourism police, reported that his men found diving suits, diving masks, and oxygen cylinders when they raided the dig, cites Aram.

The diggers were obviously looking to excavate deeper and expect to reach a watery bottom. It is not clear whether the seven arrested men were merely after the artifacts from the ancient Egyptian temple or were still looking to hit paydirt underneath.