The temple to Pelusius was fully excavated over the past several years in North Sinai, Egypt. (Image credit: Courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities) Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.
Become a Member in Seconds
Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Join the club
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletterArchaeologists have discovered a rare circular structure dedicated to a local Egyptian deity called Pelusius, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The 2,200-year-old religious building includes complex water infrastructure and was once connected to the Nile, which suggests the sanctuary was used for sacred water rituals.
The temple was found by archaeologists working at the site of Tell el-Farama in the ancient city of Pelusium, on the eastern edge of the Nile Delta in the North Sinai governorate, representatives from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in an April 9 translated statement. Given its strategic location near the mouth of the Nile, the bustling port city of Pelusium was used as a fortress in pharaonic times and later as a customs station during the rise of the Roman Empire. In 2022, archaeologists discovered a temple to Zeus crafted from pink granite at the site.
The sanctuary complex centered around a circular basin approximately 115 feet (35 meters) in diameter with a square pedestal in the middle. It likely once held a colossal statue of the god Pelusius, whose name comes from the ancient Greek word for "mud" or "silt." Water channels and reservoirs surrounded the basin. Within the basin, which was connected to a branch of the Nile, archaeologists found water and Nile silt, suggesting a symbolic association with Pelusius.
- Ancient Egyptian valley temple excavated — and it's connected to a massive upper temple dedicated to the sun god, Ra
- Ancient Egyptian stone monument depicting a Roman emperor as a pharaoh discovered in Luxor
- 5,000-year-old rock art from ancient Egypt depicts 'terrifying' conquest of the Sinai Peninsula
Based on the stratigraphic layers at the site, experts think the temple to Pelusius was built in the second century B.C. and was used continuously through the sixth century A.D.
The temple's unique architectural design, which blended ancient Egyptian traditions with both Greek and Roman styles, embodied the cultural exchange between Egypt and the wider world, Hisham El-Leithy, acting secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, said in the statement. El-Leithy described the discovery as "highly significant" because it shows that Pelusium was once a prominent city in an increasingly cosmopolitan ancient world.
Ancient Egypt quiz: Test your smarts about pyramids, hieroglyphs and King Tut
Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter nowContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
Kristina KillgroveStaff writerKristina Killgrove is a staff writer at Live Science with a focus on archaeology and paleoanthropology news. Her articles have also appeared in venues such as Forbes, Smithsonian, and Mental Floss. Kristina holds a Ph.D. in biological anthropology and an M.A. in classical archaeology from the University of North Carolina, as well as a B.A. in Latin from the University of Virginia, and she was formerly a university professor and researcher. She has received awards from the Society for American Archaeology and the American Anthropological Association for her science writing.
View MoreYou must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
Logout LATEST ARTICLES
1Some polar bears are adapting to their melting habitat. Will it be enough to save the iconic species?- 22 supermassive black holes may collide 100 years from now — and Earth would feel it
- 3Anglo-Saxon burial holds an older sister cradling her little brother after they both died 1,400 years ago, possibly of an infectious disease
- 4Colorado River may have pooled and spilled over to form the Grand Canyon, solving a long-standing mystery — but not everyone agrees
- 5Bright-green fireball meteor caught exploding above famous Viking raid site in UK
