At the Khnum temple in Isna, situated on the Nile’s west bank in Upper Egypt, a striking collection of ceiling frescoes has been revealed by a collaborative effort between German and Egyptian scholars. Led by Christian Leitz, a German Egyptologist from the University of Tübingen, researchers describe the central ceiling as featuring 46 relief paintings. Among these are depictions of Nekhbet, the Upper Egyptian vulture goddess, and Wajit, the Lower Egyptian cobra goddess. Nekhbet stands out with the white crown of Upper Egypt, while Wajit can be recognized by the Lower Egyptian crown topped with a cobra, according to assessments reported by the project team and summarized in contemporary releases from the temple site. (Institute for Ancient Near Eastern Studies, University of Tübingen)
Since 2018, teams from the Institute for Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the University of Tübingen and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, under the leadership of Hisham al-Leyti, have undertaken a careful program to clean the bas-reliefs, paintings, and inscriptions of the Khnum temple. The objective has been to gradually uncover the original colors hidden beneath centuries of dust and grime. Leitz notes that many ancient temples and deities were vividly painted, but over time environmental exposure, pollution, and neglect faded or erased these colors. The Isna site benefited from a protective layer of dirt and soot for more than two thousand years, which helped preserve the vibrant imagery beneath. This fortunate circumstance allowed researchers to recover a richer visual record than might otherwise have survived. (Institute for Ancient Near Eastern Studies, University of Tübingen)
Progress at the site has been steady: more than half of the ceilings and eight of the eighteen columns have undergone cleaning, preservation, and documentation under the direction of Ahmed Emam. The work has also included examination of architectural elements such as the pronaos, a sandstone extension that measures about 37 meters in length, 20 meters in width, and 15 meters in height. Located just in front of the temple entrance, this newer addition is noted for its size and central positioning within the Isna complex. The researchers point out that the pronaos provided a transitional space between the ancient temple and the daily life of a bustling ancient city, which may have influenced its prominence within the religious and civic landscape of the site. The Isna temple stands roughly 60 kilometers south of Luxor, and its strategic location on the Nile made it a focal point of activity across different eras. The study team comments that irrigation, construction practices, and resource use in the region were shaped by successive rulers and cultural exchanges, yet the core spiritual imagery of Khnum remained a steadfast symbol for generations. The project continues to document how the temple’s color schemes and inscriptions reflect a layered history of devotion, artistry, and craftsmanship that endured long after the temple first rose above the desert sands. (Institute for Ancient Near Eastern Studies, University of Tübingen)