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Archaeologists have discovered a Ancient Sun god Temple in Egypt, which shows signs of being converted into a residential area after a century of use.
Excavations at Abu Ghurb, about 16 km (10 mi) to the southwest cairoAn ancient temple of the sun god Ra, built about 4,500 years ago, was discovered.
The site of the temple was first identified in 1901, but the groundwater level was high at that time, making excavation challenging.
Scientists say groundwater levels have dropped since then, prompting excavation of about half the temple in the valley.
Two parts of the temple were found, both located nearby Nile RiverAnd there was a “public calendar” and a terrace for astronomical observations, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities observed in a statement shared on Facebook.
According to Mohammed Ismail Khaled, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt, “This temple is one of the most famous sun temples ever found in ancient Egypt.”
“The mission has previously succeeded in uncovering more than half of the temple, where a massive building of more than 1,000 square meters was visible,” Dr Khalid said.
“With a unique architectural plan, it makes it one of the largest and most prominent temples in the valley,” he said.
Preliminary studies suggest that after a century of use as a royal place of worship, the valley temple became a residential area inhabited by local people.
Ongoing excavations have revealed the remains of the temple’s pillared entrance, a public calendar of religious events carved on blocks, and dozens of blocks with inscriptions that mention the name of Pharaoh Nyuserre, who ruled between 2420 BC and 2389 BC, as the one who built the temple.
Religious events mentioned in the inscriptions include feasts in honor of Sokar, the falcon-headed god associated with the Egyptian city of Memphis, the festival of Min, a fertility deity, and a procession of Ra.
A staircase leading to the roof of the valley temple has also been found, excavations indicate that it was probably used to observe the sky.
Researchers also found a slope in the ancient temple complex, which they believe may have connected the place of worship to the Nile River or one of its branches.
Archaeologists also discovered a distinctive collection of artifacts from the ancient temple site, including two wooden pieces of the ancient Egyptian game of “Sunnah”, which resembles modern chess.
Although several pieces of “Sunnah” have been discovered in Egypt, the rules of the ancient board game remain unclear.
Researchers hope that further excavations will provide new insight into the daily lives of the area’s residents.