Ancient temple in Esna reveals zodiac frescoes and revisited sky lore

Researchers from the University of Tübingen report the discovery of 12 relief tablets bearing zodiac signs within an ancient Egyptian temple. The finding adds a new layer to our understanding of how celestial symbolism circulated in the region during antiquity, as noted by the university’s team after careful excavation and analysis. The temple sits in Esna, a city situated roughly 60 kilometers south of Luxor, and its construction spans a long period beginning in the Ptolemaic era and stretching through successive generations of builders. Today, only the entrance hall remains largely intact, yet it preserves a striking panorama: ornate frescoes that depict Nekhbet, the vulture-headed goddess, and Wadjet, the cobra-headed deity, alongside a full set of 12 zodiac signs that occupy a central place in the artwork. The sight is a window into how temple decoration blended religious imagery with astronomical iconography across centuries. The frescoes themselves, though weathered, reveal a vivid palette beneath layers of accumulated grime, a testament to the artisans who painted them and the climatic conditions that preserved their work for millennia. Researchers undertook a painstaking cleaning process, removing two millennia of accumulated dirt so the original colors could be studied anew. Amazingly, the pigments survived the test of time and, once revealed, displayed a richness that surprised many specialists. The zodiac signs are now understood to reflect a fusion of Babylonian astronomical practices with Egyptian ritual and calendrical life. Scholars note that while Babylonian astronomy reached Egypt, the signs did not find expression in Egyptian art until the later Hellenistic-influenced periods that followed the conquests of the Ptolemaic rulers. In recent years, additional finds at the temple have helped scholars connect the ancient Egyptian names for the constellations with the signs recognized today. Names such as Mesehtiu, representing the Great Dipper, and Sakh, corresponding to Orion, point to a sophisticated system of sky-watching and mythmaking that spanned cultures and eras. The current excavation campaign began in 2018 and has already unlocked a portion of the ceiling, eight of the eighteen columns, and two architraves that support the ceiling’s weight. The work continues with renewed momentum as the team aims to uncover further depictions and inscriptions that may illuminate how celestial knowledge influenced daily life, ritual practice, and temple governance in this region. As the exploration proceeds, researchers anticipate that additional artworks will emerge, revealing more about the confluence of astronomy, religion, and artistry in Esna’s ancient temple complex. The ongoing project underscores how such discoveries reshape our understanding of cross-cultural exchange in the ancient Mediterranean world and highlight the enduring interest in how ancient peoples observed the heavens and wove that knowledge into sacred spaces.