https://sputnikglobe.com/20231020/colorful-egyptian-new-years-scene-uncovered-during-restoration-of-ancient-temple-1114341733.html
Colorful Egyptian New Years Scene Uncovered During Restoration of Ancient Temple
Colorful Egyptian New Years Scene Uncovered During Restoration of Ancient Temple
Sputnik International
Researchers who have been working to restore ceiling artwork in an ancient Egyptian temple have discovered a unique scene: the mythology depiction of the Egyptian New Year.
2023-10-20T03:54+0000
2023-10-20T03:54+0000
2023-10-20T03:54+0000
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Researchers who have been working to restore ceiling artwork in the ancient Egyptian temple of Esna have discovered a unique scene: the mythology depiction of the Egyptian New Year. The image depicts the deities Orion, Sopdet and Anuket, who are shown in boats, as the sky goddess Nut encircles the three with her body as she swallows the evening sun.Sopdet represents Sirius, a star which was not visible to those in ancient Egypt for 70 days, but whose return in the east around mid-July marked the ancient Egyptians’ New Year, said Christian Leitz, an Egyptology professor at the University of Tübingen. The goddess Anuket represents the receding of the Nile’s waters, which would flood around the same time as the return of the star.The New Year’s scene is one of seven sections that each represent a different theme, all of which are astronomical.At least 30 experts from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, in collaboration with those from the University of Tübingen in Germany, have worked to restore the ceiling of the Temple of Esna.The experts have worked tirelessly to remove thousands of years of soot, grime, and bird droppings. The process has taken longer than five years, and has revealed colorful ceiling reliefs of god, mythological figures, representations of the sun, moon, zodiac signs, and other astronomical constellations."Representations of the zodiac are very rare in Egyptian temples," Leitz says, adding "The zodiac itself is part of Babylonian astronomy and does not appear in Egypt until Ptolemaic times." Researchers explained that the zodiac system, and constellations, may have been introduced to the Egyptians by the Greeks.In addition to those exquisite images, nearly 200 ink inscriptions were also discovered which helped experts to identify the restored images, according to a release.
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temple of esna, ancient egypt, archaeology, art, ancient art
temple of esna, ancient egypt, archaeology, art, ancient art
Colorful Egyptian New Years Scene Uncovered During Restoration of Ancient Temple
The Temple of Esna, which had undergone a restoration process that lasted for five years, was originally built around 2,200 years ago but experienced a major renovation 200 years later when the Romans took control of Egypt.
Researchers who have been working to restore ceiling artwork in the ancient Egyptian temple of Esna have discovered a unique scene: the mythology depiction of the Egyptian New Year.
The image depicts the deities Orion, Sopdet and Anuket, who are shown in boats, as the sky goddess Nut encircles the three with her body as she swallows the evening sun.
Sopdet represents Sirius, a star which was not visible to those in ancient Egypt for 70 days, but whose return in the east around mid-July marked the ancient Egyptians’ New Year, said Christian Leitz, an Egyptology professor at the University of Tübingen. The goddess Anuket represents the receding of the Nile’s waters, which would flood around the same time as the return of the star.
The New Year’s scene is one of seven sections that each represent a different theme, all of which are astronomical.
"The thematic breadth of the depictions underscores the great importance that astronomy had in ancient Egypt," says Dr. Daniel von Recklinghausen, an Egyptologist from the University of Tübingen. "Images of the deities Orion, Sothis and Anukis (Anuket) play an important role in the most recently uncovered section.”
At least 30 experts from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, in collaboration with those from the University of Tübingen in Germany, have worked to restore the ceiling of the Temple of Esna.
The experts have worked tirelessly to remove thousands of years of soot, grime, and bird droppings. The process has taken longer than five years, and has revealed colorful ceiling reliefs of god, mythological figures, representations of the sun, moon, zodiac signs, and other astronomical constellations.
"Representations of the zodiac are very rare in Egyptian temples," Leitz says, adding "The zodiac itself is part of Babylonian astronomy and does not appear in Egypt until Ptolemaic times."
Researchers explained that the zodiac system, and constellations, may have been introduced to the Egyptians by the Greeks.In addition to those exquisite images, nearly 200 ink inscriptions were also discovered which helped experts to identify the restored images, according to a
release.
