In Luxor, southern Egypt, a joint archaeological mission between Egyptian and Chinese researchers has unearthed a previously unknown sacred lake in the heart of the famous Karnak complex.
This discovery was made within the grounds of the Montou temple, a major site in ancient Egypt, excavated jointly by the two countries since 2018.
The lake, located to the west of the temple of Maat, extends over more than fifty square meters. Dug by man in Antiquity, it is very well preserved and had never been mentioned in the archaeological archives. Its discovery brings to two the number of sacred lakes identified in the temple of Montu, a rare arrangement inside the walls of Karnak.
In ancient Egypt, sacred lakes played an essential role in religious life. Their water, considered pure, was exclusively reserved for rituals practiced by priests inside temples. According to archaeologists, the discovery of this lake sheds new light on the religious organization of the site.
The excavations also uncovered other remains, including animal remains, and reused stone blocks bearing inscriptions associated with kings and Divine Worshipers.
In a chapel dedicated to the god Osiris, three sanctuaries and several statuettes were found, offering new information on the history of Thebes in the 25th and 26th dynasties.
For Mohamed Abdel-Badie, head of the Egyptian antiquities sector, this discovery illustrates the success of cooperation between Egypt and China. He emphasizes that this partnership between two ancient civilizations promotes the sharing of knowledge and contributes to the development of world heritage.
The mission, led by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, continues at the site of the Montou Temple, which covers more than 100,000 square meters. Archaeologists hope that future excavations will provide even new information on the history and religious practices of ancient Egypt.
