Archaeologists have discovered a once-bustling city with buildings that had multiple storeys, and a temple of the cobra goddess was also found. It is a city built over 2.400 years ago.
The city dates back to the 4th century BC, and according to researchers, it had a successful local economy and religious traditions. Buried beneath today’s Tell el Fara’in in Egypt, the city of Imet was discovered using state-of-the-art technology.
Scientists from the University of Manchester and the University of Sadat City in Cairo made this revolutionary discovery in the Nile Delta. The team of archaeologists led by Dr. Nicky Nielsen excavated a series of extraordinary artefacts that indicate the flourishing of the economy and religious practices at this location.
Researchers said that the discovery of the forgotten city of Imet allowed them to better understand “daily life, spirituality, and urban planning in the Delta.” The incredible city dates back to the Late Period in Egypt, the last era of Egyptian rule that was destroyed by the conquest of Alexander the Great.
Archaeologists used remote research, including high-resolution satellite images. First, they noticed prehistoric mud bricks, which led them to “dense architectural remains,” which included multi-storey buildings with “extremely thick foundation walls.”
Egyptians from the 4th century built them to accommodate their growing population. Imet, like the Delta region, became an urban center, according to scientists.
“Such houses are mostly found in the Nile Delta and date from the Late Period and the Roman era, and are rare in other parts of Egypt. Their presence shows that Imet was a successful and densely built city with a complex urban infrastructure,” said Dr. Nielsen.
Scientists also discovered a large structure that dates from the middle of the Ptolemaic period, which means it is older than the Late Period. This means that the city could have even older roots. The building was constructed over a processional route that connected it to a temple dedicated to the deity and protector of the city, namely Wadjet, the cobra goddess.
The building was abandoned in the middle of the Ptolemaic period, which has sparked theories about changes in religious beliefs at that time.
Archaeologists also discovered an area for grain processing, as well as animal pens, which is evidence that Imet had a developed local economy and religious traditions. The artefacts found also support the idea that the Delta center was once a successful ancient Egyptian community.
All of the above, as well as certain artefacts, helped experts learn a lot about one of the long-lost Egyptian cities, which further sheds light on the final days of the empire, Klix.ba writes.
