| Egyptian Journal of Archeological and Restoration Studies

Authors:
Shebl, F. ¹ (*), Ezzat, M. ² & Saleh, M. <sup>3

1</sup> Restoration Specialist at Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Cairo,Egypt
² Housing and Building National Research Center (HBNRC), Giza, Egypt
³ Conservation dept. Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

Abstract:
The Heliopolis temple is considered one of the most important temples of ancient Egypt, as it was built at the beginning of the dynastic era and continued until the Greco-Roman era, moreover every Egyptian king during that period was keen to establish his own part inside this temple dedicated to the worship of the sun god Ra, Unfortunately, most of the features of this temple have disappeared for urban sprawl.One of the most important remaining parts of Heliopolis Temple is the remains of the stone entrance gate of King Ramses III, which was discovered by Professor Dr. Abdel Aziz Saleh during excavations at Cairo University in 1974. The site of the Heliopolis Temple is one of the most important archaeological sites that tell us an important part of the history of modern state. The site contains valuable and unique stone monuments such as a stone statue in the shape of the Sphinx and a number of unique stone pieces such as a stone pillar, two limestone cornices, and others pieces that are considered the architectural elements of the gate, and the site was called (Abo Alhol) due to the presence of a statue of the Sphinx. This study aims to determine the actual state of the remains of the stone pieces of King Ramses III's Gate as a starting point for developing a plan to restore and rebuild this gate. In addition to some examinations and analyses that were achieved through field studies such as visual examination, recording field observations, monitoring the climatic elements at the site. Furthermore, determining the nature of the soil and its relationship to the remains of the archaeological temple. Upon closer investigation with a polarizing and digital microscope, two types of limestone are discovered, Wacke stone is the first kind, mudstone is the second, and the Halite salt crystals appear on the sample surfaces. SEM investigation were used to determine the grain morphology and surface damage aspects. To identify the crystalline mineral components, calcite, quartz, gypsum, and halite, XRD analysis had been performed. The study concluded that the remains of the archaeological site were damaged as a consequence of direct contact with the soil and the saline environment. The analyses showed that the remains of the stone gate stones consist of calcite and a small percentage of gypsum and halite salts. The limestone was classified according to the petrographic study into three types: Fossiliferous limestone, packed biomicrite, and sparse biomicrite

Keywords:
Heliopolis temple Entrance gate King Ramses III Fossiliferous limestone Deterioration aspects Investigation and analysis

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