New secrets revealed in discovery at Heliopolis, Egypt's most ancient capital
Egyptian and German archaeologists have been working for 15 years to uncover the ruins of a city, the center of sun worship, in the Matariyyah region east of Cairo. This month, they revealed the remains of one of its temples belonging to King Nectanebo I.
CAIRO — The Egyptian-German archaeological mission operating at Matariyyah archaeological area announced Nov. 5 a new archaeological discovery. It consists of parts of the western and northern facade of the temple of King Nectanebo I (380-363 B.C.) located at the center of the Great Temple of Heliopolis at Matariyyah, east of Cairo.
Archaeologists say that the new archaeological discovery sheds light on more secrets related to the City of the Sun, Heliopolis, which is the most ancient capital in the world and most ancient religious, scientific and philosophical center, before Egypt coalesced around 3100 B.C.
The mission, which has been working in this archaeological area for about 15 years, found many basalt blocks engraved with the names of parts of Lower Egypt, including blocks that represent the nomes of Heliopolis, in addition to blocks of the other nomes in Lower Egypt, the secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mustafa Waziri, said in a statement.
According to the statement, Dietrich Rau, head of the German team, said that the western part of the main axis of Nectanebo’s Temple was studied. Different evidence point to buildings dating back to the Middle Kingdom, the 22nd Dynasty of Egypt (Osorkon I, 925-890 B.C.) and a shrine to god Shu and goddess Tefnut commissioned by Psamtik II (595-589 B.C.).
