Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered a small statue of a sphinx at the Dendera Temple Complex that experts believe may represent the Roman Emperor Claudius, CNN reported Tuesday.

The discovery was made by a team from the Ain Shams University led by Dr. Mamdouh Al-Damati, former minister of archaeology and a professor of archaeology at the university.

The Sphinx date back to the Roman era in the Qena Governorate of Egypt, according to a post by Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Al-Damati described the statue as "magnificent" with meticulously depicted "royal features," including a light smile across the lips framed with two dimples. A slab of stone inscribed with hieroglyphics and demotic script was found below the statue.

The archaeological team began excavation work in mid-February, starting with a radar scanning of the ministerial halls at the Temple of Dendera in southern Egypt. They also performed a magnetic scan and radar scan of the area located east of the Sur surrounding the temple in front of the Isis Gate.

The team worked in collaboration with a team from the National Institute for Astronomical and Geophysical Research.

artnews.com