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Abusir (Lake Mariout)
Encyclopedia
Abusir, or Abousir is a seaside town on the shore of Lake Mariout
on the western extremity of Egypt's Nile delta
. It is situated about 48 kilometres (30 mi) SW of Alexandria
. Ruins of an ancient temple and an ancient replica of the Lighthouse of Alexandria
are to be seen here. As of 2009, it is also suspected to be the burial place of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony
.
A series of tombs and the remains of a temple are found on a stony kurkar ridge, wedged between the lake and the sea.
temple in Doric style
. It was however replaced by a church in the fourth century. Today only the walled enclosure remains standing. 30°56′46"N 29°31′07"E
and Kathleen Martinez have excavated the vicinity of the Temple of Isis since 2006. They found a carved male head and a partial mask, showing cleft chin reminiscent of Mark Antony
, besides a stash of coins bearing the image of Cleopatra VII. Relying on these and the account of Plutarch
, they believe that Cleopatra and Mark Antony are both buried in the vicinity, most likely below the Temple of Isis.
Lake Mariout
Lake Mariout Buhayrat Mariyyut is a brackish lake in northern Egypt. The lake area covered 200 km² at the beginning of the 20th century, but at the beginning of the 21th century it coveres only about 50 km². It is separated from the Mediterranean Sea by the narrow isthmus on which the...
on the western extremity of Egypt's Nile delta
Nile Delta
The Nile Delta is the delta formed in Northern Egypt where the Nile River spreads out and drains into the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the world's largest river deltas—from Alexandria in the west to Port Said in the east, it covers some 240 km of Mediterranean coastline—and is a rich...
. It is situated about 48 kilometres (30 mi) SW of Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
. Ruins of an ancient temple and an ancient replica of the Lighthouse of Alexandria
Lighthouse of Alexandria
The Lighthouse of Alexandria, also known as the Pharos of Alexandria , was a tower built between 280 and 247 BC on the island of Pharos at Alexandria, Egypt...
are to be seen here. As of 2009, it is also suspected to be the burial place of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
.
Ancient relics
Ancient tomb
A well-preserved ancient tomb is thought to be a scaled-down model of the Alexandria Pharos. Known colloquially under various names — the Pharos of Abusir, the Abusir funerary monument and Burg al-Arab (Arab's Tower) — it consists of a 3-story tower, approximately 20 metres (65.6 ft) in height, with a square base, a hexagonal midsection and cylindrical upper section, like the building upon which it was apparently modeled. It dates to the reign of Ptolemy II (285–246 BC), and is therefore likely to have been built at about the same time as the Alexandria Pharos. 30°56′53"N 29°31′24"ETemple of Isis
Based on remains of columns it seems to have been a PtolemaicPtolemaic Kingdom
The Ptolemaic Kingdom in and around Egypt began following Alexander the Great's conquest in 332 BC and ended with the death of Cleopatra VII and the Roman conquest in 30 BC. It was founded when Ptolemy I Soter declared himself Pharaoh of Egypt, creating a powerful Hellenistic state stretching from...
temple in Doric style
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
. It was however replaced by a church in the fourth century. Today only the walled enclosure remains standing. 30°56′46"N 29°31′07"E
Recent excavations
Zahi HawassZahi Hawass
Zahi Hawass is an Egyptian archaeologist, an Egyptologist, and former Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs. He has also worked at archaeological sites in the Nile Delta, the Western Desert, and the Upper Nile Valley....
and Kathleen Martinez have excavated the vicinity of the Temple of Isis since 2006. They found a carved male head and a partial mask, showing cleft chin reminiscent of Mark Antony
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
, besides a stash of coins bearing the image of Cleopatra VII. Relying on these and the account of Plutarch
Plutarch
Plutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
, they believe that Cleopatra and Mark Antony are both buried in the vicinity, most likely below the Temple of Isis.
See also
- Abu QirAbu QirAbū Qīr is a village on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, northeast of Alexandria by rail, containing a castle used as a state prison by Muhammad Ali of Egypt....
(ancient CanopusCanopus, EgyptCanopus was an Ancient Egyptian coastal town, located in the Nile Delta. Its site is in the eastern outskirts of modern-day Alexandria, around 25 kilometres from the centre of that city....
), similarly named, but east of Alexandria - BusirisBusiris (Lower Egypt)Busiris was an ancient city of Lower Egypt, located at the modern Abu Sir Bana...
of the central delta, likewise dedicated to Isis