Abusir (Arabic: أبو صير, Coptic: ⲡⲟⲩⲥⲓⲣⲓ) (also spelled Abousir and Abu Seer, known in ancient times as Taposiris MagnaGreek: Ταπόσιρις Μαγνὰ) 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) southwest 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 was also suspected to be the burial place of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony.[1][2][3]
Abusir
أبو صير
The Pharos of Abusir, a likely copy of the famed lighthouse of Alexandria, adorns an ancient tomb.
A series of tombs and the remains of a temple are found on a stony kurkar ridge,[4] wedged between the lake and the sea.
Ancient tombedit
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-storey tower, approximately 20 metres (66 ft) in height, with a square base, a hexagonal midsection and cylindrical upper section, like the building upon which it was apparently modelled. 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″N29°31′24″E / 30.94806°N 29.52333°E / 30.94806; 29.52333 (Pharos of Abusir)
Recent excavationsedit
Zahi Hawass 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 believed that Cleopatra and Mark Antony were both buried in the vicinity, most likely below the Temple of Isis.[1]
See alsoedit
Abu Qir (ancient Canopus), similarly named, but east of Alexandria
Busiris of the central delta, likewise dedicated to Isis
Referencesedit
^ ab"Cleopatra dalk na slangpik hier begrawe, sê argeoloë". Beeld. SAPA-AFP. 21 April 2009.
^"Researchers may have found Cleopatra's final resting place". CNN. 17 April 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2009.
^"Dig 'may reveal' Cleopatra's tomb". BBC News. 15 April 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2009.
^"Submergence and burial of ancient coastal sites on the subsiding Nile delta margin, Egypt". Méditerranée. 104: 65–73. 2005.
abusir, lake, mariout, abusir, arabic, أبو, صير, coptic, ⲡⲟⲩⲥⲓⲣⲓ, also, spelled, abousir, seer, known, ancient, times, taposiris, magna, greek, Ταπόσιρις, Μαγνὰ, seaside, town, shore, lake, mariout, western, extremity, egypt, nile, delta, situated, about, kilo. Abusir Arabic أبو صير Coptic ⲡⲟⲩⲥⲓⲣⲓ also spelled Abousir and Abu Seer known in ancient times as Taposiris Magna Greek Taposiris Magnὰ 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 southwest 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 was also suspected to be the burial place of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony 1 2 3 Abusir أبو صيرThe Pharos of Abusir a likely copy of the famed lighthouse of Alexandria adorns an ancient tomb AbusirLocation in EgyptCoordinates 30 56 N 29 30 E 30 933 N 29 500 E 30 933 29 500Country EgyptGovernorateAlexandria GovernorateNamed forOsiris Contents 1 Ancient relics 1 1 Ancient tomb 2 Recent excavations 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksAncient relics editA series of tombs and the remains of a temple are found on a stony kurkar ridge 4 wedged between the lake and the sea Ancient tomb edit 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 storey tower approximately 20 metres 66 ft in height with a square base a hexagonal midsection and cylindrical upper section like the building upon which it was apparently modelled 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 E 30 94806 N 29 52333 E 30 94806 29 52333 Pharos of Abusir Recent excavations editZahi Hawass 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 believed that Cleopatra and Mark Antony were both buried in the vicinity most likely below the Temple of Isis 1 See also editAbu Qir ancient Canopus similarly named but east of Alexandria Busiris of the central delta likewise dedicated to IsisReferences edit a b Cleopatra dalk na slangpik hier begrawe se argeoloe Beeld SAPA AFP 21 April 2009 Researchers may have found Cleopatra s final resting place CNN 17 April 2009 Retrieved 1 June 2009 Dig may reveal Cleopatra s tomb BBC News 15 April 2009 Retrieved 24 April 2009 Submergence and burial of ancient coastal sites on the subsiding Nile delta margin Egypt Mediterranee 104 65 73 2005 External links editMap all coordinates using OpenStreetMap Download coordinates as KML GPX all coordinates GPX primary coordinates GPX secondary coordinates nbsp Media related to Taposiris Magna at Wikimedia Commons 30 56 42 N 29 30 35 E 30 94500 N 29 50972 E 30 94500 29 50972 Abusir Lake Mariout Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Abusir Lake Mariout amp oldid 1224412974, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
