Hidden Ancient Egyptian temple discovered with ‘spectacular painted ceiling’ reveals secrets behind ancient religion

RESEARCHERS have discovered “spectacular” ceiling frescoes that were previously hidden in an ancient Egyptian temple. A joint German/Egyptian archaeological mission has revealed the original colors and patterns within the Temple of Khnum at Esna in Upper Egypt. The uncovered relief images in the central section of the ceiling depict the vulture goddess Nekhbet and the serpent […]

RESEARCHERS have discovered “spectacular” ceiling frescoes that were previously hidden in an ancient Egyptian temple.

A joint German/Egyptian archaeological mission has revealed the original colors and patterns within the Temple of Khnum at Esna in Upper Egypt.

Eberhard Karls Universitat Tubingen

Researchers have uncovered the original colors previously hidden in the ceiling frescoes in the Temple of Khnum at Esna[/caption]

Eberhard Karls Universitat Tubingen

The ceiling images depict the vulture goddess Nekhbet and the serpent goddess Wadjet[/caption]

Eberhard Karls Universitat Tubingen

The goddesses are represented as vultures with outspread wings[/caption]

Eberhard Karls Universitat Tubingen

In the Temple of Khnum, the colors were covered by a coating of dirt and soot for almost 2000 years[/caption]

The uncovered relief images in the central section of the ceiling depict the vulture goddess Nekhbet and the serpent goddess Wadjet.

They are represented as vultures with outspread wings.

Nekhbet is shown with the head of a vulture and the white crown of Upper Egypt, and Wadjet bears the Lower-Egyptian crown topped with a cobra.

The temple was made to honor Khnum, a deity that was known as the god of the Nile and creator of children.

“Temples and ancient depictions of the gods were often painted in brilliant colors, but these have usually faded or even disappeared totally as a result of external influences,” said Professor Christian Leitz from the University of Tübingen.

In the Temple of Khnum, however, the colors were covered by a coating of dirt and soot for almost 2000 years, which helped conserve them.

Researchers have worked since 2018 to reveal the Temple’s original colors, which were previously unknown to experts.

“For the first time we can see all the decorative elements in relation to one another,” added Leitz.

The discovery was made by researchers from the Institute for Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the University of Tübingen and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

It’s been a good year for ancient Egyptian discoveries.

Back in March, five well-preserved”  ancient tombs were unearthed just outside of Cairo.

Confirmed as being at least 4,000 years old, the tombs date back to the Old Kingdom and the First Intermediate Period, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Also in March, archeologists finally put to bed the conspiracy theory that aliens built the pyramids when they uncovered papyri that details the mammoth effort it took to construct the Great Pyramid of Giza over 4,600 years ago.

There are an estimated 138 surviving Egyptian pyramids, the most famous being the Great Pyramid of Giza, near Cairo.

The 455ft Great Pyramid – the tallest man-made structure for 3,800 years – is the only surviving landmark of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Eberhard Karls Universitat Tubingen

Researchers have worked since 2018 to reveal the Temple’s original colors[/caption]