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Blocks found in Egypt bear name of famed pharaoh’s builder

This undated photo released by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, shows an archaeologist working on a block of limestone that was found in the temple of Ra, the ancient Egyptian god of the sun, in the Matariya neighborhood of Cairo, Egypt. The Antiquities Ministry said Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2018, that archaeologists digging in Cairo found two blocks of limestone with inscriptions belonging to an engineer who worked for Ramses II, one of the longest ruling pharaohs in antiquity. (AP)
Associated Press

CAIRO – Egypt says archaeologists digging in Cairo have found two blocks of limestone with inscriptions belonging to an engineer who worked for Ramses II, one of the longest ruling pharaohs in antiquity.

The Antiquities Ministry said on Wednesday that the artifacts were found in the Temple of Ra, the ancient Egyptian god of the sun, in Cairo’s Matariya neighborhood.

Egyptologist Mamdouh el-Damaty says the inscriptions show that the engineer had supervised the building of a booth with a seat used by Ramses II during celebrations and public gatherings. Ramses II ruled for more than 60 years, from roughly 1279-1213 B.C.

Egypt frequently announces archaeological discoveries, hoping to spur interest in its ancient treasures and revive tourism, which was hit hard by political turmoil following the 2011 uprising.