Archaeologists have just made a discovery at Abusir, Egypt, where they found the ruins of a sanctuary that they believe to be the third Temple of the Sun. The discovery of the temple, which was found to be buried beneath the ruins of an earlier sanctuary, is exciting and unexpected. Pharaoh Niuserre erected it here at this location for unclear reasons.
The kings of the fifth dynasty in ancient Egypt were responsible for constructing six temples dedicated to the sun. Nobody knew for generations where they had gone after they vanished. Only two of these were discovered by researchers working in the 20th century. To this day, all four left are thought to be hopelessly misplaced and lost forever. Researchers have hailed the finding of the third temple as the most significant discovery made in the world during the past half-century.
Existing in obscurity for 50 years
The excavations in Abusir were carried out by an Italian and Polish archaeological mission working together. The experts researched the temple remnants belonging to Pharaoh Niuserre (2449-2418 BC). They were taken aback by discovering an earlier clay structure buried beneath its remnants. The archaeologists’ hopes were finally realized when they discovered that it was, in fact, one of the lost Solar Temples from the V dynasty. There were six of them, two of which have been found, and this one is the third one to be found. Scientists only know about these sanctuaries through historical sources.
It’s been more than half a century since the second Sun Temple was uncovered, and a lot has changed in that time. This is related to the excitement the scientists felt when they unintentionally discovered such an important antiquity archaeological monument.
Why Niuserre was responsible for the destruction of the Temple of the Sun
According to the experts’ opinions, the excavation will be finished very soon. A gateway carved out of limestone provides the only means of entry to the ruins of the building for the time being. It will lead you to an area between the warehouses to the north and a large courtyard to the west. Bricks made of mud pave the walkways throughout that area. There are also enormous blocks of quartz to be found, some of which have a blasted surface and are imbedded in the floor beneath the temple that is dedicated to Niuserre. This last one dismantled a portion of the building to construct his sanctuary on top of the existing one.
Many ceramic vessels, some of which may have been used in ceremonies, have been discovered by archaeologists. The shattered remnants of beer jugs and other types of ceramics were also discovered, and ancient Egyptians reserved jars similar to these for use only at the holiest of locations. The fact that archaeologists have located the third Solar Temple of the V dynasty was proven by their discovery here, in addition to the fact that certain architectural components were present.
Raw bricks were used to construct the ruins of an old temple’s foundations, which were found. Clay seals containing royal names, including the name of Horus, Pharaoh Shepseskara of the V dynasty, were found, and portions of them were retrieved by specialists from within the ruins (2463-2456 BC.) Who nearly nothing is known about from historical records. The recent discoveries can provide a lot of information on this ruler’s activities, which can change the entire understanding of history radically, not only about him as an individual but also about the V dynasty as a whole.
The solar temples all followed the same design template when they were constructed. Every one of them featured an interior courtyard, as well as a column and an obelisk. Like the pyramids, these structures were erected on the western bank of the Nile and featured different entryways and exits. They were given a divine status because they were dedicated to the pharaohs who built them. Niuserre’s goal was obviously to achieve greater success than his predecessors.
What was the purpose of the Sun Temples was
Historical documents mention six solar temples. Academics have only been successful in locating two of them so far. The one that was recently found out to be there was the third. These temples were built in honor of the god Ra, who represented the sun. This mighty god held the position of supreme authority among all of Egypt’s gods in ancient times. Pharaohs who oversaw the construction of temples were elevated to a divine status. The pyramids were constructed to preserve the bodies of the pharaohs and kings so that they may be revived in the afterlife in a divine form. These temples were constructed during the fifth dynasty by the seven pharaohs of that dynasty. Djedkare Isesi, the eighth ancient Egyptian ruler of the fifth dynasty, outlawed this practice.
At this time, the mission is ready to finish its work and finish shedding light on the strange ancient temple so that more of its secrets can be revealed.