Archaeologists have discovered the first and largest astronomical observatory of the 6th century BC in the temple of Buto at the archaeological site of Tel el-Fara’in in the Egyptian province of Kafr el-Sheikh.
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt announced the opening on its page in social networks. The observatory was built of raw bricks to observe the movement of the sun and stars. This discovery demonstrates the deep astronomical knowledge of the ancient Egyptians.
Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt (SCA), emphasized the importance of the discovery:
«It demonstrates the advanced astronomical knowledge of the ancient Egyptians, including their ability to determine the solar calendar and important religious and agricultural dates».
Ayman Ashmawy, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, described the structure of the observatory. According to him, the building covers an area of approximately 850 square meters. It includes an east-facing entrance, a central columned hall in the shape of the letter «L», and a massive high wall of raw brick with an inward slope, reminiscent of the style of Egyptian construction known in the entrances to temples.
Among the key finds is a rare inclined stone device known as a shadow clock. It consists of a series of straight limestone slabs 4.80 meters long. On top were five flat limestone blocks — two horizontal and three vertical. These slabs probably had inclined lines that were used to measure the shadow and angle of the sun, which made it possible to track the sun’s movement during the day.
The archaeologists also found a stone fixed to the floor of a circular chamber inside the observatory and two additional round stones to measure the sun’s inclination. In addition, they found a 26th Dynasty statue, a measuring tool called a merkhet, various religious objects, and ceramics related to daily life and rituals.
Source: Arkeonews