Marble Aphrodite, Pharaoh's Cartouche, Roman Basilica Unearthed in Egyptian City

Archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered a marble head of Aphrodite, a pharaoh's cartouche, and a Roman basilica at the site of Ehnasiya el Medina, the ancient city of Heracleópolis Magna. The discoveries span Greek, Roman, and Egyptian civilizations. The marble head, about 10 inches tall, depicts the Greek goddess of love in Classical style, according to Mohamed Abdel-Badie of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. A stone block bears the cartouche of Pharaoh Senusret III, who reigned from around 1837 to 1819 B.C.E., along with his coronation date and the cartouche of the deity Osiris Na Rief. The Roman-era finds include remains of a basilica used for public assemblies, wall statues, and ceramic molds for coin minting. Ehnasiya served as Egypt's capital during the 9th and 10th dynasties (c. 2118–1980 B.C.E.) and later became Heracleópolis Magna under Roman rule after Octavian annexed Egypt in 30 B.C.E. The artifacts highlight the city's significance across millennia.