Complete Canopus Decree Stela Discovered in Sharqiya

The Egyptian archaeological mission of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, working at Tell el-Far‘un in the city of Husseiniya, Sharqiya Governorate, has uncovered a sandstone stela bearing a new and complete copy of the famous Canopus Decree, first issued by King Ptolemy III in 238 BC.

The decree was originally proclaimed when the high priests gathered in the city of Canopus, east of Alexandria, to venerate King Ptolemy III, his wife Queen Berenike II, and their daughter, and to distribute the text across Egypt’s major temples.

While other copies—both full and fragmentary—of the Canopus Decree have been found as recently as 2004, this is the first complete, hieroglyph-only version discovered in more than 150 years, making it one of the most significant finds relating to the Ptolemaic period.

National and Scientific Significance

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Mr. Sherif Fathy, emphasized that the continuous achievements of Egyptian archaeological teams are “adding new pages to the history of our ancient civilization.” He stressed that this discovery highlights the archaeological importance of Sharqiya Governorate, whose hidden treasures continue to astonish the world. The Minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to fully supporting all missions working in Egypt, ensuring the best environment for future groundbreaking discoveries.

Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explained that the significance of this discovery lies in the fact that it is a new, complete copy of the Canopus Decree, found after more than a century without such a discovery. This, he noted, represents a qualitative addition to our knowledge of Ptolemaic royal and religious texts, enriching our understanding of Egyptian history and language in this period.

He added that this new stela joins six previously known copies—some complete, others fragmentary—discovered in sites such as Kom el-Hisn, San el-Hagar, and Tell Basta. Unlike the well-known trilingual versions of the decree (hieroglyphic, Demotic, and Greek), the newly discovered stela is inscribed entirely in hieroglyphs, opening new horizons for the study of ancient Egyptian language and providing further insight into the content of Ptolemaic decrees and royal-religious ceremonies.

Description of the Stela

Mr. Mohamed Abdel-Badie, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, described the stela as being crafted in sandstone with a rounded top, measuring 127.5 cm in height, 83 cm in width, and approximately 48 cm in thickness. At its summit is a depiction of the winged solar disk, from which descend two royal uraei wearing the White and Red Crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt. Between them is the hieroglyph “di-ankh” (𓋹), meaning “He who is given life.”

The central field of the stela contains 30 lines of hieroglyphic text, executed in moderately fine relief.

Contents of the Text

Dr. Hesham Hussein, Head of the Central Administration for Lower Egypt, explained that the inscribed text preserves detailed accounts of the acts of King Ptolemy III and Queen Berenike II, revered as the “Beneficent Gods.” Among the royal measures recorded are:

• Donations of offerings to Egyptian temples.

• Maintaining internal peace across the Two Lands.

• Tax remissions during years of low Nile inundation.

• Elevating their veneration in the temples and establishing a new priestly rank in their honor.

• Instituting a new religious festival on the heliacal rising of the star Sirius (Sopdet).

• Introducing the system of adding a day every four years—the leap year rule—dedicated to the worship of the Beneficent Gods.

• The deification of their daughter Berenike within Egyptian temples.

The decree also stipulated that copies of the text be inscribed in hieroglyphs, Demotic, and Greek, and displayed in Egypt’s principal temples.

Historical Context of the Site

Tell el-Far‘un, identified with the ancient Egyptian city of Imet in the eastern Nile Delta, was an important urban center from the Middle Kingdom onward. Previous excavations at the site have revealed Ptolemaic-period temples and large residential complexes, including a sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Wadjet.