Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered the first ancient Egyptian astronomical observatory dating back to the 6th century BC. It was found during excavations at Tell Al-Faraeen, an archaeological site in the city of Buto.
The discovery included the remains of an L-shaped mudbrick building over 9,000 square feet in size with markings facing east. This allowed sunlight to illuminate where a priest would stand to track the sun and stars.
Within were found artifacts like a large sundial, inscriptions related to timekeeping, and a device called a “merkhet” that were used to determine seasons and conduct rituals. This provided evidence of advanced astronomical techniques.
An engraved stone depicted seasonal sunrise and sunset views. Pillars at the entrance represented time divisions of seasons, months, and weeks. Other findings helped understand the Egyptians’ knowledge of seasonal changes.
Statues of Horus and Osiris and other artifacts symbolized the site’s spiritual side linked to observation of celestial bodies and Egyptian gods like Wadjet, the serpent goddess of Buto.
The discovery was a surprise as archaeologists initially thought it was a temple. Its unusual features and artifacts revealed it was the first ancient Egyptian astronomical observatory found to date.
Source: Live Science
