Egypt’s Antiquities Ministry has just announced the surprising discovery of two major new archaeological finds centered in both Aswan and Luxor in Upper Egypt. Recent excavations in Luxor have been centered around the tenth pylon of the Karnak Temple, which have revealed a special compartment and shrine made in dedication to the god Osiris that is still in unusually good condition, something that is quite unusual as it was constructed during the 25th Dynasty.

The Osiris shrine in Luxor still has the remains of its foundations along with its entrance, inner walls, columns and the remnants of a hall that have been found near the eastern area of the temple, as Ahram reported.

Along with stones that would have once formed a grand floor for the magnificent temple, building materials for other areas that would have been used as extensions for the shrine were also unearthed at the Luxor site.

According to Essam Nagy, one of the chief archaeologists currently excavating this location in Luxor, the importance of this find cannot be underestimated, as Egypt Independent reported. The reason for this is that the discovery of this particular compartment at the Karnak Temple was found on the southern side of the shrine, rather than the more normal northern and western locations that are usually used for such monuments.

Rare Oririan temple and marble head of Marcus Aurelius unearthed in Luxor and Aswan https://t.co/D9Gl0NfxkG#Egyptpic.twitter.com/3tWh0EbQyh — Ahram Online (@ahramonline) April 22, 2018

Other Egyptian artifacts recovered in Luxor include a frame relief with depictions of a goose and sheep being offered up at a great banquet, along with various clay pots and different statues.

The archaeological work that has been conducted at Aswan has been focusing on the Kom Ombo Temple, and it is here that the discovery of a marble head of famed Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius was found.

Aymen Ashmawi, who works with the Ministry of Antiquities, has revealed that the marble statue’s head shows Aurelius sporting a beard and curly hair, calling this remarkable find “unique,” while noting that it is quite unusual to now find relics dedicated to this great Roman ruler.

As excavation work continues at both sites at Luxor and Aswan in Egypt, Ashmawi has said that the head of Marcus Aurelius is safely tucked away for now before it undergoes work to make sure that it is safely restored.