A marble head about 24 by 25 centimeters across emerged from Ihnasiya al-Madina with carved facial details and curly hair. The small sculpture fragment is tied to a much larger story about Heracleopolis Magna, an ancient city in Egypt’s Beni Suef province where archaeologists have found traces of several eras in one place.
The discovery came from an Egyptian archaeological mission working under the Supreme Council of Antiquities. The mission also found a cartouche of Senusret III, remains of a Roman basilica, parts of a Doric-style temple, wall statue fragments and ceramic molds linked to coin production, showing that the site was used in different ways across many centuries.
The site was once Egypt’s capital during the 9th and 10th Dynasties and was later known in antiquity as Heracleopolis Magna. Together, the finds show how the same city preserved traces of Pharaonic kings, Greek-style sculpture, Roman public buildings, early Christian reuse and economic activity.
Senusret III’s Name Appears on Reused Stone
One of the most important finds is a reused stone blockcarved with the name of Senusret III. The inscription includes the king’s coronation and birth titles, connecting the object to a ruler associated with construction at Ihnasiya al-Madina during the Middle Kingdom.
Hisham El-Leithy, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the cartouche supports the sacred status of the town. The find also shows the attention Middle Kingdom rulers gave to the site, which held political and religious importance in ancient Egypt.
The same block also carries another cartouche that mentions Osiris Na Rief, a god worshipped in the region during the late Pharaonic period and the Ptolemaic era. That detail makes the stone more than a royal marker, because it links different periods of religious life in one reused object.
Roman Basilica Reused Older Temple Blocks
The mission also uncovered extensions of a Roman basilica and remains of an older Doric temple. Early analysis shows that parts of the temple were reused in the sixth century A.D. as foundations and support platforms for the basilica’s pillars.
Those older architectural pieces helped support massive columns instead of being discarded. This reuse explains how later builders worked with earlier architecture and turned older materials into the base of a new public and religious structure.
Some of the support blocks weighed up to 45 tons, according to The Associated Press. Three still stand in their original positions at the site in Beni Suef, about 130 kilometers, or 80 miles, south of Cairo.
The basilica also shows how the purpose of the site changed over time. During the Roman period, basilicas were public spaces used for meetings, administration and commerce, while in the early Christian era this building became a church used for worship and ecclesiastical synods.
Aphrodite Sculpture Adds a Greek and Roman Layer
The marble head of Aphrodite adds a Greek and Roman artistic layer to the excavation. Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty, and Egyptian antiquities officials described the head as a rare artistic piece because of its classical style and careful carving.
Its carved face and curly hair reflect artistic traditions used in depictions of gods and prominent people during the Greek and Roman periods. The sculpture shows how Greek and Roman artistic forms were present in a city already known for its older Egyptian religious and political history.
Archaeologists also found fragments of wall statues in the same excavation area, adding evidence for decorated buildings or spaces at the site. The mission also recovered ceramic coin molds used for making Roman coins, pointing to craft production and economic life in Ehnasiya when Egypt was part of the Roman Empire.
Together, the Aphrodite head, statue fragments and coin molds show that the city was more than a religious or political center. It was also a place where art, trade, worship and public life overlapped, giving archaeologists a fuller view of how people used the city across different periods.
Beni Suef Finds Join Wider Egypt Discoveries
At Ihnasiya al-Madina, scientific study and dating of the newly recovered materials are still underway. The finds come from different periods, so each object and architectural feature still needs to be studied within its archaeological context.
The documented remains include a reused stone block with Senusret III’s name, a cartouche mentioning Osiris Na Rief, parts of a Roman basilica, Doric temple elements, a marble head of Aphrodite and ceramic molds used for Roman coin production.
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the discoveries highlight the historical value of Ihnasiya al-Madina and the cultural and religious diversity that marked Egypt across different periods.
