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The remains of the Valley Temple from the Sun Temple complex of the Fifth Dynasty king Nyuserra (c.2445-2421 BC) have been uncovered at Abu Ghurab, in the Abusir necropolis. The location of the temple – one of only two or this type known to exist – was identified in 1901, but excavations could not be carried out at the time due to the high level of groundwater. Now an Italian team from the Universities of Turin and Naples has managed to uncover more than half of the structure, which has an area of more than 1,000 square metres. By clearing silt more than 1.2 metres deep, the team has revealed the original entrance floor and portico, fragments of stone wall from the passageway leading to the solar sanctuary, and granite lintels and doorways. The temple appears to have been connected to the Nile or one of its branches by a sloping ramp. Other finds include two wooden pieces from a senet game and a massive stone lintel inscribed with a calendar of religious ceremonies. The discovery of many pottery fragments dating from the late Old Kingdom through to the early Middle Kingdom suggest that the royal temple was transformed into a small residential area at the end of the First Intermediate Period.
Text: Sarah Griffiths / Image: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
