2,500-year-old temple unearthed in Egypt’s desert
New sections of a temple dating back to the 26th Dynasty, which ruled from 664 to 525 BC, have been discovered on the site of the Al-Qasr Al-Qadim temple in the Bahariya Oasis in western Egypt, TV BRICS reports.
According to Sada El-Balad, archaeologists have found the remains of a structure built of sandstone, as well as a number of stone blocks bearing the names and titles of Pharaoh Psamtik I. Furthermore, artefacts have been discovered that will help to reconstruct the temple’s architectural appearance more accurately and trace its history.
According to Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, the new discoveries confirm the significant historical and religious importance of the temple complex, which served as one of the region’s administrative centres during various periods.
El-Leithy added that the finds bear witness to the country’s unique archaeological heritage, which still holds many undiscovered treasures. He highlighted the high level of professionalism among Egyptian archaeologists, whose work plays a vital role in the development of cultural tourism.
Research into the temple complex in the Bahariya Oasis has been ongoing since 2014. Among the most significant discoveries are the main collonaded hall with 16 sandstone columns and several adjoining rooms and sanctuaries, as well as fragments of reliefs and hieroglyphic inscriptions bearing the names of ancient Egyptian deities, foremost among them Amun-Ra, Amunet and Khonsu.
Earlier, it was reported that archeologists had unearthed a 18th-century city, Byzantine-era Coptic necropolis in Egypt.
