Egyptian archeologists have discovered the remains of an ancient Greek temple dedicated to the Egyptian cat goddess Bastet. The remains were unearthed in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, according to the antiquities department. The remains of a temple of Queen Berenike were discovered in the Kom al-Dikka area in Alexandria. Queen Berenike was the wife of King Ptolemy III, who ruled Egypt between 246 and 222 BC.
Antiquities chief Zahi Hawass said “The discovered remains are 60 meters (196 feet) tall and 15 meters (49 feet) in width,” He explained that many of the temple’s stone blocks were destroyed during later eras when it was used as a quarry. Routine excavations discovered a cachette of 600 Ptolemaic statues including a big collection of icons depicting Bastet, goddess of protection and motherhood. Hawass said the discovery indicates that the goddess Bastet continued to be worshipped in Egypt, after the decline of the Egyptian era.
