A joint Egyptian-German archaeological mission has discovered a new Ptolemaic temple in Sohag

Near the Great Temple of Atribis in Sohag, a new Ptolemaic temple was discovered by a joint Egyptian-German archaeological project. According to Ahram Online, the find, which was spearheaded by the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) and the University of Tubingen, is an interesting addition to Sohag’s many ancient monuments.

The Supreme Council of Antiquities’ (SCA) Secretary-General, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, praised the new finding as a significant step toward locating an undiscovered Atribis temple.

“The newly unearthed pylon facade spans 51 metres, with two towers, each 24 metres wide, flanking a central gate,” he said. According to studies, the pylon’s initial height of 18 meters was comparable to that of the famous pylon at Luxor Temple.

The pylon is adorned with elaborate sculptures representing a Ptolemaic ruler accepting presents from the lion-headed goddess Repit and her offspring, the god Kolanthes, as well as hieroglyphic inscriptions.

The temple was built during the time of King Ptolemy VIII, according to cartouches found at the site. Some of the inscriptions may have alluded to Queen Cleopatra III, his wife.

The excavation of a southern chamber, partly discovered by British archaeologist Flinders Petrie in the early 20th century, was mentioned by Christian Leitz, the German co-leader of the project. The room is decorated with sculptures of Repit and the fertility deity Min, as well as representations of heavenly deities that are used to calculate the hours of darkness.

There was also the discovery of a new chamber with a staircase. Originally leading to an upper story, the staircase was demolished about 752 CE, according to Markus Muller, site director for the German team.

Over 30,000 ostraca in Demotic, Coptic, and Hieratic have been recovered by the excavation team, which has been working at Atribis for thirty years. They have also mapped the enormous temple of Atribis.

In order to add to Egypt’s remarkable archaeological record and reveal the temple’s remaining characteristics, excavations will continue.