Children’s footprints and painted murals preserved at site linked to Biblical exodus
A German-led archaeological team has made surprising finds in a mortar pit at the ancient Egyptian city of Pi-Ramesses.
Archaeologists working at the ancient city of Pi-Ramesses, near modern Qantir in Egypt’s Nile Delta, have discovered children’s footprints preserved in mortar and fragments of a large painted wall, both dated to roughly the era of Pharaoh Ramesses II.
The city is traditionally regarded as the site of the Biblical exodus.
The Art Newspaper
February 14, 2017
© Henning Franzmeier
The team, from the Roemer- und Pelizaeus Museum Hildesheim, uncovered fragments of a large painted wall that was used to fill an ancient mortar pit. Due to the size of the motifs, the scenes may originally have decorated the entrance to a temple, a chapel, or were perhaps from a nearby palace, says the field team’s director, Henning Franzmeier.
Related articles
The Art Newspaper
- Colossal kings rebuilt in Luxor (April 2014)
- Egyptian princess sculpture unearthed in Luxor (March 2014)
- Exploding volcano mural could be world's oldest landscape (January 2014)
Science Magazine
- Steep commute gave ancient Egyptian workers osteoarthritis (November 2016)
Rawi: Egypt's Heritage Review
Current World Archaeology