Buddha statue found in Egypt pointing to ancient links

An ancient statue of Buddha has been discovered in Egypt’s ancient seaport of Berenice on the Red Sea, this discovery shows trade ties between Egypt and India during the Roman Empire.

The discovery was carried out by a Polish-US mission which said that the statue dates back to the Roman era, according to a statement by the antiquities ministry on Wednesday.

Head of Egypt’s Supreme Antiquities Council Moustafa al-Waziri said that the discovery is “important indications over the presence of trade ties between Egypt and India during the Roman era.”

The statue is missing a part of its right side and a part of its right legs, and is around 71 centimeters in height. It portrays Buddha with a halo around his head and a lotus flower by his side.

According to Waziri, Berenice was one of the largest seaports in Roman-era Egypt, and was often the destination for ships coming from India with spices, semi-precious stones, textiles and ivory.

In recent years, Egypt has unearthed and uncovered major archaeological discoveries, to revive its vital tourism industry after years of unrest.

The government is aiming to attract 30 million tourists per year by 2028, up from 13 million before the pandemic.