Abu ghurab: The Italian archaeological mission operating in the Abu Ghurab region of Abusir, situated south of Cairo between Saqqara and Giza, has unearthed the remains of the Valley Temple of the Sun Temples of King Nyuserre Ini from the Fifth Dynasty, as revealed by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the mission is led by Massimiliano Nuzzolo, Assistant Professor of Egyptology at the Institute for Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, and Rosanna Pirelli of the University of Naples L'Orientale. Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, underscored the importance of this discovery, highlighting that the temple is one of only two known sun temples in ancient Egypt.
Dr. Khaled stated that the mission has managed, for the first time, to uncover more than half of the temple, identifying it as a monumental structure covering over 1,000 square meters. The temple's distinctive architectural design makes it one of the largest Valley Temples in the Memphis necropolis. He also noted that although the German Egyptologist Ludwig Borchardt had identified the temple's location in 1901, a high water table had previously hindered proper excavation.
Professor Mohamed Abdel-Badie, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, reported that the excavations revealed the temple's entrance, which had been concealed under a thick layer of Nile silt approximately 1.20 meters deep. The mission also found the original entrance floor, a limestone column base, and remnants of a circular granite column, likely part of the main entrance portico.
Additional findings include fragments of the original stone cladding of the walls along the passageway between the entrance gate and the ascending causeway, as well as several architectural elements found in place, such as granite lintels and doorways.
Dr. Nuzzolo mentioned that in the previous excavation season, a well-preserved quartzite gateway was discovered, along with remains of an internal staircase leading to the roof in the temple's northwestern section, indicating a secondary entrance. The current season's work uncovered a ramp believed to have linked the temple to the Nile or one of its branches, with initial evidence suggesting that the building extends northward, consistent with the architectural style of Fifth Dynasty temples.
The mission also discovered a collection of artifacts, including two wooden pieces from the ancient Egyptian board game Senet. Dr. Rosanna Pirelli highlighted the discovery of a large stone lintel inscribed with hieroglyphic texts detailing a calendar of religious festivals specific to the temple, along with King Nyuserre's name. Other finds include inscribed fragments of fine white limestone and extensive pottery shards from the late Old Kingdom to the early Middle Kingdom, with many artifacts dating to the First Intermediate Period.
Preliminary research suggests that after the temple ceased to function as a royal cult site, it was transformed into a small residential settlement occupied by local inhabitants during the First Intermediate Period. This discovery offers a significant new source of information on daily life in the Memphis region during this less-documented period of ancient Egyptian history.
The mission plans to continue its work in future excavation seasons to investigate additional elements of this significant site and uncover further details that will enhance the understanding of the origins and development of sun temples in ancient Egypt.