15 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

46 Eagles in vivid color revealed on Ancient Egyptian temple ceiling

A joint German/Egyptian archaeological mission at the Temple of Esna on the west bank of the Nile, 35 miles south of Luxor in Egypt, has revealed some original colors and patterns in the part of the temple complex during restoration work.

Sand dust, filth, salt efflorescence, and bird and bat guano and bones had collected on the walls, ceilings, and columns over the ages, obscuring the inscriptions to the point that they were almost invisible to the human eye.

The construction of the Esna Temple dates from Ptolemaic times, however, most of the parts that survive today are from the Roman period.

The Esna Temple is dedicated to the Ancient Egyptian god, Khnum, and his consorts Menhit and Nebtu, their son, Heka, and the goddess Neith.

46 eagle in vivid color revealed on Ancient Egyptian temple ceiling Photo: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

The restoration project found the original colours and patterns under the middle ceiling above the entrance to the temple. A careful process of cleaning revealed a painting that depicts 46 eagles in a row, 20 of which have an eagle head (representing Upper Egypt), whilst the remainder the head of a cobra (representing Lower Egypt).



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



The murals on the middle ceiling over the entry hall are particularly noteworthy. The ceiling is more than 45 feet high and decorated with 46 eagles in two rows. The goddess Nekhbet and Upper Egypt are represented by twenty-four of them, which have eagle heads. Wajit, the goddess of Lower Egypt, is represented with twenty-two cobra heads. Between 1963 and 1975, French Egyptologist Serge Soniron studied and photographed the temple inscriptions, but the ceiling with the 46 eagles was never recorded or published.

Photo: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Dr. Hisham El-Lithy, head of the Central Administration for Egyptian Archaeology Registration and Head of the Egyptian Archaeological Mission said: “The colourful inscriptions have suffered over the past centuries from the accumulation of thick layers and impurities.”

Researchers also discovered Greek inscriptions written in red ink while cleaning the western wall of the temple. It was discovered in the temple axis’ western wall frieze, totally buried in layers of black soot. The inscription specifies the date and month, Epiphi 5, which corresponds to late June or early July during Emperor Domitian’s reign (81-96 A.D.) Archaeologists think that this is the date when the Esna Temple was finished.

Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities 

Related Articles

A First in Denmark: Rare 4th Century Roman Helmet and Chainmail Found

3 February 2025

3 February 2025

Archaeologists have recently unearthed a massive stockpile of weapons near Hedensted, Denmark, buried 1,500 years ago by an ancient chief....

Rare waka unearthed from New Zealand River, after being hidden for 153 years

16 June 2023

16 June 2023

A waka -the traditional canoe of the Maori people- believed to be over 150 years old has been salvaged from...

4,000-year-old settlement found during Balasore town India

9 July 2021

9 July 2021

A 4,000-year-old settlement and ancient artifacts have been discovered in the Balasore district, India. The Odisha Institute for Maritime and...

6th-Century BC Houses and Earthquake Evidence Discovered in Davti Blur, an Urartian Fortress City in Armenia

28 January 2025

28 January 2025

An Armenian-Polish archaeological team has uncovered remnants of 6th-century BC houses, a cremation cemetery, and signs of a significant earthquake...

2,000-Year-Old Siberian Funerary Masks Reveal Secrets of the Tashtyk People

20 August 2025

20 August 2025

In Moscow, researchers at the State Historical Museum, in collaboration with technology experts from a leading innovation center, have successfully...

Madagascar’s Enigmatic Rock-Cut Architecture may have been of Zoroastrian origin

13 September 2024

13 September 2024

An international team of researchers found an enigmatic rock-cut architecture at Teniky, a site in the remote Isalo Massif in...

Archaeologists have discovered the origins a Herefordshire Stone Age monument

22 August 2021

22 August 2021

Archaeologists have finally uncovered the mysterious origins of Arthur’s Stone, named after the mysterious legends of King Arthur, who inspired...

Archaeologists made a remarkable discovery in Kosovo: Evidence that the great Byzantine Emperor was of Dardanian origin

19 August 2023

19 August 2023

A mixed team of international and local experts led by Professor Christophe J. Goddard has unearthed a monumental inscription of...

Archaeologists Discover Hidden Roman Hoard in Romania’s Oldest City

18 September 2025

18 September 2025

The National Museum of Romanian History (MNIR) has announced groundbreaking archaeological findings at the ancient site of Histria, one of...

A still life fresco discovered in new excavations of Pompeii Regio IX

28 June 2023

28 June 2023

Archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Pompeii have uncovered a gorgeous still-life fresco depicting a platter covered in food and...

An Interesting Ottoman Tradition Resembling Christmas tree: “NAHIL” OR WISHING TREE

28 December 2022

28 December 2022

Nahıl, a word of Arabic origin, means date palm. This word was later used by the people to mean the...

3,000-year-old Treasure on the Iberian Peninsula made with material from a meteorite

7 February 2024

7 February 2024

Scientists have recently discovered that some of the pieces in the amazing Bronze Age collection known as the Villena Treasure,...

Research Uncovers a Long-Isolated North African Human Lineage in the Central Sahara from Over 7,000 Years Ago

4 April 2025

4 April 2025

A recent study conducted by a team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, including senior author...

Archaeological Dig at Jerusalem’s Holy Sepulchre Corroborates New Testament Account of Garden

3 May 2025

3 May 2025

A significant archaeological excavation nearing its conclusion at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem’s Old City has yielded...

The Egyptian Gynecologist Metrodora

1 May 2021

1 May 2021

Metrodora, an Egyptian gynecologist, was a notable figure in the world of medicine. Her work as a gynecology researcher and...