In 2011, archaeological fieldwork was resumed at the votive zone adjacent to the main temple of Osiris at Abydos. The article focuses on new discoveries at the zone, such as a monumental structure indicating the state’s involvement in the development of the zone, and evidence for the use of a Middle Kingdom offering chapel until more than 1500 years after its erection. The article also highlights remarkable artifacts recovered – the remains of a wooden figure of a hawk’s head that likely formed the aegis of a barque-shrine, and a rare example of a royal wooden statue that may depict Hatshepsut – and discusses the ceremonial landscape and its cultural significance.
New Fieldwork at Abydos: the Toronto Abydos Votive Zone Project