Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed more than 20 funerary stelae depicting human figures at Tell El-Deir, an archaeological site in the Nile Delta. The carved limestone grave markers are notable not only for their workmanship but for engravings on their lateral sides and backs, including a griffin, Agathodaemon, and Isis-Thermuthis.

The combination of these icons can be traced back to Egypt’s contact with Greek culture during the Ptolemaic (305–30 BCE) and Roman (30 BCE–642 CE) periods. Mohamed Abdel-Badie, head of the Egyptian Antiquities sector of the SCA, stated that this high cultural blend indicates the graves' occupants likely held significant status.

The excavation also uncovered pottery coffins, incense burners, oil lamps and funerary amulets. Since 2007, archaeologists have found thousands of artifacts linked mainly to the 26th Dynasty (664–525 BCE). This latest find suggests that the necropolis was in continuous use from the Late Period until the end of Roman rule.

The SCA’s secretary-general Hesham El-Leithy commented, “This discovery demonstrates that Tell El-Deir was far more than a burial ground. Instead, it served as a fully developed funerary complex reflecting a distinct social, cultural and religious identity.”