An artifact believed to be used to depict an ancient Egyptian goddess has been discovered at a site dating back 2,700 years in Spain.
The gold leaf ceramic object was discovered this summer by archaeologists at the University of Salamanca. It belongs to a group of objects including amulets, painted ceramics, and other motifs with Egyptian and Mediterranean roots, discovered by experts at the Cerro de San Vicente site in Spain’s central region.
Researchers believe the inlay piece is one piece of a larger image of the goddess Hathor, daughter of the Egyptian sun god Ra, and mother of Horus, a falcon-headed deity in Egyptian mythology. In ancient Egypt, fragments of this type were laid out on flat surfaces to create images of the gods.
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The newly discovered fragment, which measures about five centimeters, depicts a lower section of the goddess’s hair. It was found in a three-room building located on the site along with other items including a shark’s tooth, necklace beads, and a piece of clay. A separate artifact depicting the same goddess in the year 2021 was found at the site.
Archaeologists have been excavating the Spanish site near the Tormes River for three decades. Researchers leading the excavations believe that the inhabitants of the ancient community deliberately destroyed the residence where the objects were found between 650 and 575 BC, to unknown ends. They also believe that it is possible that a foreign official might have brought the artifacts as gifts or trade items to the residential settlement, which may have served as a meeting place.
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