Archaeologists have uncovered an ancient Egyptian temple carved into a cliff face. Dating back approximately 2,100 years, the temple was found at Athribis, an archaeological site located around 125 miles (200 kilometers) north of Luxor.
During the excavation of the stone temple, the team discovered reliefs depicting King Ptolemy VIII (reigning circa 170 to 116 B.C.) making offerings to the lion-headed goddess Repit and her son Kolanthes, according to a statement from the team.
Repit, the consort of Min-Ra, a fertility god, may have been the primary deity honoured at the temple. However, “the name of this building remains unknown,” said project leader Christian Leitz, an Egyptology professor at the University of Tübingen in Germany. He added that the team hopes to uncover more details as excavations and analysis progress.
The team also uncovered a chamber that once held temple utensils and, later, amphorae, or clay vessels with two handles and narrow necks. At the entrance to the chamber, the team found reliefs depicting Repit and Min-Ra, with one of the reliefs showing Min-Ra accompanied by two decans — stars that enable people to tell the time at night.
Archaeologists believe that the entrance to a temple carved into the rock lies beneath the untouched rubble piles behind it. Additionally, a second door on the pylon’s façade, which is considered unique in Egyptian temple architecture, was discovered. This door leads to a previously unknown staircase, consisting of at least four flights, that once provided access to an upper floor. Although the upper floor is now destroyed, it is believed to have contained additional storage rooms. The researchers have been collaborating with Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on this discovery.
Athribis, located near the modern city of Sohag, is part of a larger temple district that has been excavated since 2012. Work on this particular temple began in 2022, marking a new phase in the ongoing exploration of the site.
The discovery of this 2,100-year-old temple at Athribis provides valuable insights into ancient Egyptian religious practices and architectural advancements during the Ptolemaic era. As excavations continue, researchers hope to uncover further details about this intriguing site and its history.
