Ptolemaic-era temple uncovered in S. Egypt

CAIRO, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) — A joint Egyptian-German archeological mission discovered a temple dating to the Ptolemaic period, which spanned from 332 BC to 30 BC, in the southern Egyptian province of Sohag, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a statement on Saturday.
“The discovery is the nucleus for unveiling more elements of the temple,” the statement said, noting the 51-meter-wide temple facade is divided into two towers separated by the entrance gate.
The inclination angle of the towers indicates the original height of the temple could be 18 meters, which is similar to the Luxor Temple, the statement added.
During the cleaning works of the main gate of the temple, some hieroglyphic texts were found adorning the exterior facade and the interior walls, in addition to engravings of scenes depicting a king receiving the goddess “Repyt,” represented by the head of a female lion, according to the statement.
Initial studies of cartouches found in the entrance and some walls indicated the temple was established during the reign of King Ptolemy VIII, who might be the founder of the temple. ■