The discovery of ancient Mosaic floor in Alexandria

CAIRO – 14 July 2017: An Egyptian archaeological mission from the Ministry of Antiquities announced Thursday that it has discovered few days earlier a Mosaic floor dating back to the Roman period during excavation work at the Hend area in the Moharam Bek district in Alexandria.

Minister of Antiquities Khaled Anany visited the site and gave his orders to continue the excavations to find more parts of the floor.

Ayman Ashmawi, the head of Ancient Egyptian Antiquities department declared that the discovered Mosaic floor is in good condition. ‘’The discovered Roman Mosaic floor is unique in Egypt only because similar Mosaics have been found in several areas in Rome like Baths of Trajan and Hadrian’s villa,’’Ashmawi added.

Mostafa Roshdi, the director of Alexandria and West Delta Antiquities recounted that the excavation work is continuing in the site to discover more parts of the Mosaic floor and that detailed researches will be carried out on it.

‘’The recent discovered Mosaic floor bears an opus spicatum design which was prevailing during the Roman era and used in the construction of the floors of baths and fortresses,’’ Mohamed Farouk, the director of Middle Alexandria Antiquities Department, recounted.

Egyptologist Mohamed Abdel Aziz explained that the Hend area was once home to workshops, and large number of glass and ovens made from clay have been discovered.

Khaled El-Anany, Minister of Antiquities announced Monday during his visit to Damietta governorate that the coming days will witness the announcement of an important archaeological discovery that will astonish the whole world.

Anany refused to disclose what the discovery is or reveal where it was made. “I will leave it to speculations.’’ He said adding that it is a graveyard dating back to the Pharaonic era. Anany pointed out that the announcement of the discovery will be made in the presence of ambassadors in Cairo.

Year 2017, witnessed very important archaeological discoveries. The most important was on May 13 when Anany announced that archaeologists at Cairo University have discovered catacombs including 18 non-royal mummies in Tuna el-Gebel, in Minya Governorate, south of Cairo.