Archaeologists revealed Wednesday the discovery of ancient stone carvings of pharaohs beneath the surface of the Nile River near Aswan, Egypt.
The French-Egyptian diving team uncovered the ancient Egyptian carvings and hieroglyphs in the south Aswan area that flooded during the construction of the Aswan High Dam between 1960 and 1970, Live Science described. Many ancient artifacts were moved prior to the damming of the Nile, but many remain under the waters.
The carvings are believed to be of “some of the kings of the modern and late age,” offering new information on the reigns of King Tatmas IV and King Amenhotab III, according to a post shared by Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism. Pharaohs Thutmose IV, Psamtik II and Apries, rulers between the 18 and 26 dynasties (roughly 1390 B.C. to 570 B.C.), were also found, Live Science noted.
This is the first time the site has been studied since the dam was built. The carvings are still in good condition, and the team was able to fully document the texts. (RELATED: 5,000-Year-Old Discovery Flips The Narrative Of Ancient Egypt)
It’s unclear whether the carvings were part of a quarry site in the Aswan area and therefore intended to be moved elsewhere. They could also be part of a temple structure in the region. Further research aims to develop 3D models and hopefully tell us a heck of a lot more about this fascinating period of human history.
