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- Egypt discovers statue of smiling sphinx from Roman era
Egypt discovers statue of smiling sphinx from Roman era
Archaeologists believe the statue's smiling features may be those of Roman Emperor Claudius
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![A sphinx statue in the image of a Roman emperor discovered at an archaeological site in Qena, Egypt.](https://cdn.i24news.tv/uploads/7f/7c/79/0e/d7/6b/b2/19/4c/19/92/e1/5a/d5/58/db/7f7c790ed76bb2194c1992e15ad558db.jpg?width=1000)
Archaeologists have unearthed a sphinx-like statue and the remains of a shrine at an ancient temple in southern Egypt, antiquities authorities said Monday.
The artifacts were discovered in the temple of Dendera in the Qena Governorate, 280 miles south of the capital of Cairo, the antiquities ministry said in a statement.
![Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities via AP](https://cdn.i24news.tv/uploads/76/55/45/58/45/d4/8f/48/5e/37/1b/e5/f6/94/5e/44/7655455845d48f485e371be5f6945e44.png?width=750)
“During excavation work in the area east of the Dendera Temple in Qena Governorate, archaeologists have unearthed a statue of one of the Roman emperors in the form of a Sphinx. The team also found remains of a chapel and a limestone offering table, all from the Roman Period,” the statement said.
Archaeologists believe the statue's smiling features may be those of Roman Emperor Claudius, who extended Rome's rule into north Africa between 41 and 54 AD.
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The ministry added that archaeologists would conduct further studies of the stone slab markings, which could reveal more information about the identity of the statue and the region. The statue is much smaller than the famous Sphinx of the Giza Pyramids complex, which is over 65 ft. high.
Archaeologists also found a Roman-era stone slab bearing demotic and hieroglyphic inscriptions. The limestone shrine features a two-tiered platform and a Byzantine-era mudbrick basin, the ministry said.