Complete Copy of the Canopus Decree Discovered in Egypt After 150 Years!
Archaeologists in Egypt have made a remarkable discovery: a previously unknown, fully intact copy of the Canopus Decree, dating back to 238 BCE. The sandstone stela was unearthed at the Tell El-Fara’in site in El-Husseiniya, Sharqia Governorate, in the eastern Nile Delta, an area long celebrated for its cultural and historical richness.
This marks the first full copy of the decree to be found in over 150 years, making it a landmark find in the study of ancient Egypt.
The Canopus Decree was first issued by King Ptolemy III Euergetes at a gathering of high priests in the ancient city of Canopus, east of modern-day Alexandria. The decree honoured the king, his wife Berenice II, and their daughter, while also celebrating their religious and political achievements.
Copies of the decree were originally distributed to temples across Egypt. Until now, only six partial or complete versions had been discovered in places such as Kom El-Hisn, San El-Hagar, and Tell Basta. Unlike those earlier examples, which were written in hieroglyphic, Demotic, and Greek, this newly discovered version is inscribed entirely in hieroglyphs. This makes it particularly valuable, offering scholars an opportunity to study Ptolemaic rule purely through an Egyptian lens.
Photo Credit: Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
The sandstone slab stands 127.5 cm high, 83 cm wide, and 48 cm thick. Its rounded top features a winged solar disk flanked by two uraei, royal cobras wearing the White and Red Crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt. Between them is the inscription “Di Ankh”, meaning He who gives life.
Beneath this are 30 lines of hieroglyphic text detailing the royal proclamation. While the quality of the carving is considered moderate, the inscriptions are clear enough to provide an invaluable resource for historians and linguists.
The decree itself sheds light on how the Ptolemaic rulers intertwined governance with religion. It records:
Royal donations to temples
Tax remissions during years of low Nile flooding
The introduction of a leap-year system, adding an extra day every four years
The creation of a new priestly title to honour the royal family
The establishment of a festival linked to the rising of Sirius
The deification of the king, queen, and their daughter
Together, these highlight the close relationship between religious devotion, royal authority, and political power in the Ptolemaic period.
Known in antiquity as Imet, Tell El-Fara’in was an important centre during both the Middle Kingdom and the Ptolemaic era. Excavations there have uncovered major temples and elite residences, including one dedicated to Wadjet, the protective goddess of Lower Egypt.
The discovery of the Canopus Decree at this site reinforces its historical significance and underscores the Nile Delta’s role as a hub of political and spiritual life.
This new find not only enriches the small but significant collection of Canopus Decree copies but also provides scholars with a rare and direct insight into language, religion, and governance during one of Egypt’s most cosmopolitan periods.
It is a discovery that connects us more closely to the complex world of the Ptolemies, a dynasty that sought to blend Greek and Egyptian traditions while leaving a lasting mark on history.