The Temple of Esna, located on the West Bank of the Nile near Luxor, was built during the Ptolemaic period in Egypt, around 250 BC. It was dedicated to the god Khnum, who was believed to have created the Nile River. The temple is one of the best-preserved ancient Egyptian temples, but it has been hidden beneath 2,000 years of grime and soot until now.
Archaeologists from the University of Tübingen, in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, have been working on restoring the temple for the past five years. During the restoration work, they uncovered ancient Egyptian murals depicting the zodiac signs, which have been hidden for centuries. The murals were found beneath layers of soot and grime and were incredibly well-preserved.
The zodiac murals are significant because they are rare in temple decoration. The zodiac was used to decorate private tombs and sarcophagi, which was important in astrological texts. However, there are only two completely preserved versions left, both from Dendera, besides the one found in the Temple of Esna.
The zodiac was introduced to Egypt late in its history by the Greeks when they established their Ptolemaic Kingdom in the North African state. The zodiac is originally of Babylonian origin, and there is a long and diverse astrological tradition with its attendant symbols worldwide.
The Temple of Esna has a complete depiction of all twelve signs of the zodiac, though some are more recognizable than others. For example, Sagittarius, which is typically represented as a centaur with a bow and arrow in modern times, wears a lion mask, and has the tail of a scorpion, and wings in the Egyptian version.
The Temple’s other reliefs show the planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars, along with stars and constellations. There are also depictions of fantastic beasts, such as a snake with a ram’s head, a bird with a crocodile’s head, and many winged snakes.
All of the reliefs are very well-preserved, and as archaeologists have cleaned the temple, the original colors have started to shine through. The restoration work on the Temple of Esna has uncovered an incredible treasure trove of ancient Egyptian art and history, and it will continue to yield more secrets as the archaeologists delve further into the temple’s mysteries.
The discovery of the ancient Egyptian zodiac murals in the Temple of Esna is a significant archaeological find. It provides insight into the ancient Egyptians’ beliefs and their astrological traditions. The murals’ discovery demonstrates the importance of ongoing archaeological work, and the significance of restoring ancient sites for future generations.