Beneath centuries of soot, dust, and grime, a kaleidoscope of vibrant colours and intricate imagery has been rediscovered at the Temple of Esna, a jewel of ancient Egypt located around 50 km south of Luxor in Upper Egypt.

Restoration efforts have revealed the temple’s original painted splendour and uncovered previously unseen scenes on its walls that provide fresh insights into the religious and artistic heritage of this archaeological site.

This extraordinary unveiling not only brings new life to the Esna Temple but also deepens its significance as a cultural and archaeological treasure.

For centuries, the temple’s true beauty was concealed under layers of dirt and smoke residue, accumulated during periods when the site was used for purposes far removed from its original sacred role.

Meticulous cleaning and restoration work carried out by a joint Egyptian-German mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) and the University of Tübingen has meant that the vibrant hues that originally adorned the temple’s sandstone walls and ceilings have been brought back to light.

Through careful cleaning, the restoration has revealed stunning shades of red, blue, green, and gold that illuminate the temple’s intricate carvings, depicting deities, offerings, and celestial motifs. These colours, preserved through ancient techniques and materials, showcase the craftsmanship and artistic sophistication of ancient Egyptian artisans.

Cleaning the inscriptions on the southern inner wall and part of the western rear wall of the temple has uncovered for the first time detailed depictions of royal garments, crowns, and thrones of the gods.

These provide insights into the design and symbolism of the attire worn by the ancient rulers, enhancing the understanding of the temple’s rich iconography.

Several inscriptions have been uncovered for the first time offering fresh perspectives on one of Egypt’s most significant ancient temples. “The vibrancy of these pigments is breathtaking,” said Mohamed Azam, a conservator on the project. “It’s as though the temple is speaking to us anew, telling stories that had been hidden for centuries.”

One of the most exciting discoveries made during the restoration work is the unveiling of previously obscured scenes carved into the walls and ceiling. “These include a scene depicting the priests of Esna carrying the sacred boat of the god Khnum in a ceremonial procession,” said Secretary-General of the SCA Mohamed Ismail Khaled.

Khaled explained that this sacred event showed city residents a rare glimpse of the god’s shrine, manifesting the religious rituals practised at the temple during the Ptolemaic era in Egypt.

The throne decorations, which carry significant meaning, have been unveiled along with images depicting the king’s apron decorated with papyrus and lily symbols, signifying his rule over both Lower and Upper Egypt.

More original reliefs and engravings on the walls and the ceilings of the temple depict astro-theological scenes, including gods and goddesses that represent celestial bodies and a zodiac. A scene depicting the goddess Sothis at the start of the Nile flooding and another scene showing the sun god Khnum-Re depicted with four ram heads have also been revealed.

“Despite many of the hieroglyphic texts and symbols being hidden for centuries, the restoration has unveiled important features, including throne decorations, which carry significant meanings,” Hisham Al-Leithi, head of the Egyptian team on the mission, said, adding that the revealed details are part of the temple’s offering scenes.

Christian Leitz, leading the German team involved in the mission, identified a central theme in the reliefs as the interplay between the constellations Orion and Sothis.

The stars forming the modern Orion constellation, notably its brightest star Rigel, were linked in ancient Egyptian mythology to Osiris, the god of the afterlife and rebirth. Sothis, derived from the Greek name for the Egyptian goddess Sepdet, represents Isis, Osiris’s sister and consort. She is closely associated with the star Sirius, the sky’s brightest star.

Sirius’ reappearance after a 70-day period of invisibility signalled the imminent flooding of the Nile in mid-July, marking the start of the ancient Egyptian New Year. This astronomical event held profound significance in ancient Egyptian culture and is beautifully immortalised in the Esna temple’s carvings.

During the restoration of the temple, previously unseen ink inscriptions have been brought to light, including a remarkable zodiac relief located on the ceiling of the temple’s columned hall. This relief features all 12 zodiac signs, representations of the outer planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars, as well as depictions of the “seven arrows” and constellations that the ancient Egyptians used for timekeeping.

Above the temple’s entrance, a striking relief depicts 46 eagles arranged in two rows. Some of these bear the heads of Nekhbet, the goddess of Upper Egypt, while others feature the heads of Wadget, the goddess of Lower Egypt, symbolising the unification of the two lands.

Leitz shared his enthusiasm for the team’s progress in restoring the temple’s original colours. He also stated that additional work is planned to clean its six front columns.

MILESTONES: Since the Esna Temple restoration began in 2018, impressive milestones have been achieved, including restoring the ceiling paintings illustrating ancient constellations and the goddess Nut and recovering 18 of the 24 interior columns.

The latest phase of the restoration work aims to preserve one of Egypt’s most important cultural landmarks and shed light on aspects of ancient Egyptian life, engaging scholars and visitors alike.

The first joint mission at the Esna Temple began in December 2018, initiating a comprehensive photographic documentation of its exterior walls. This project, which extended into 2024 and is now nearing completion, aims to publish its findings in a dedicated volume titled Esna VII, likely to be released as an Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale (IFAO) publication.

The volume will feature high-resolution images of the scenes and inscriptions on the exterior walls, alongside the results of text collation conducted during the same period.

Conservation efforts focused initially on the northern interior wall, where the original ancient coloration was meticulously exposed and preserved. Simultaneously, work commenced on cleaning and restoring the astronomical decorations on the ceiling.

Constructed during the Roman period, the Temple of Esna reflects a unique blend of Egyptian and Roman influences. The site served as a centre of worship, dedicated to the ram god Khnum and his divine consorts.

The roof of its hypostyle hall is still intact and is supported by 24 towering columns and is a masterpiece of architectural and artistic design. Each column is adorned with uniquely carved floral capitals, symbolising the unity of Upper and Lower Egypt. They are decorated with scenes depicting the religious festival of the town and several Roman emperors standing before different deities.

The ceiling is richly decorated with astronomical motifs, linking the temple to the afterlife and underscoring the importance of celestial cycles in Egyptian belief systems.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, the temple suffered from urban encroachment, and the houses of villagers were built around it. It was also accessed through one of the houses. It was reported to have been used as a storage facility for cotton during the reign of Mohamed Ali in the earlier 19th century.

Over the centuries, the temple has suffered from the accumulation of thick layers of soot, dust, and dirt. Bird droppings and wasp nests covered the temple’s inscriptions and salt crystals affected the colours of the designs, causing some flaking of the reliefs.

As the Esna Temple emerges from the shadows of history, it reminds us of the timeless beauty and spiritual resonance of ancient Egypt, a legacy that continues to captivate and inspire the world.

The restoration of the temple is part of a broader initiative by Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to preserve and promote the country’s rich heritage. With the rediscovery of its vivid colours and hidden scenes, the temple is poised to attract increased attention from both tourists and researchers.

“The unveiling of the original colours and hidden scenes is not just an archaeological triumph; it is a celebration of humanity’s enduring ability to create, preserve, and rediscover its heritage,” Khaled said.

He added that efforts are underway to integrate the Esna Temple into the larger archaeological narrative of the Luxor region, making it a key stop for visitors exploring Egypt’s ancient wonders.

For visitors who now stand beneath the vividly restored ceilings of the Esna Temple, the experience is transformative. The once-muted walls now pulse with life, offering a tangible connection to a time when priests and worshippers gathered to honour the ancient gods.

Local communities also stand to benefit from the temple’s revival, as improved infrastructure and increased tourism create new economic opportunities.

The Esna Temple is not the only archaeological site in the Esna town to be restored and developed, as adjacent is the Wekalet Al-Geddawi, a caravansary built in 1792 to store goods and lodge travelling merchants. It is part of a beautiful archaeological panorama, with the Esna Temple located beside it together with the minaret of the Al-Amry Mosque, making it a unique model for the rest of Esna’s development.

The Wekalet Al-Geddawi was built by Hassan Bey Al-Geddawi in 1792 CE and was called “Al-Geddawi” because Hassan Bey had taken over the emirate of Jeddah (pronounced “Geddah”).

 It is built on two floors of mud bricks. On the ground floor, there is a group of shops for displaying goods, while the upper first floor was used as a rest house for merchants. It can be reached through two staircases on the northwestern and northeastern sides.

The main façade overlooks the famous shrine of the god Khnum in the Esna Temple, and in the middle of the entrance block there is a pointed arch with three pointed arches inside decorated with brick.

It was restored in 2021 in collaboration between the SCA and Takween Integrated Community Development, an NGO, and funded by USAID. The work involved the restoration and consolidation of the building’s foundations, columns, walls, roofs and wooden ceilings, internal ground and soil replacement, the restoration of wooden elements such as doors and windows, and the restoration and consolidation of the façade.

A modern lighting system had been installed, and work had been done to develop the overall site and facilities.

The Al-Amry Minaret is another tourist attraction in Esna. It is the only remaining part of the historic mosque of the same name, which collapsed and was rebuilt in the 1960s in a modern style. The mosque was established between the years 474 and 476 AH by Badreddin Al-Gamali, and it was the first to be built in Esna in the Fatimid era.

There is also an oil press that belonged to the Bakour family for over 200 years and is the only remaining historic oil press in Esna.

The Martyrs Monastery, established during the sixth century CE, is of great significance for Christians since it was established by St Helena after a battle between the Romans and Coptic Egyptians that led to the death of 3,600 martyrs.

The Roman Emperor Diocletian was then persecuting the Christians, including those living in Egypt. On the day of the massacre, the then bishop of Esna, Father Ammonius, fled with the population to the monastery, but they were later found there and killed by Roman troops.

The Upper Egyptian town of Esna is home to important ancient Egyptian, Graeco-Roman, Coptic, Islamic, and modern layers of history. It was known as Senat in ancient Egypt and later as Latopolis by the Greeks. It is also known as “the city of fish”, as the perch was once worshipped there as divine.

The town was one of the most prestigious in ancient Egypt, as well as during the Roman and Ptolemaic eras, and the influence of these periods can be strongly felt at the Khnum, or Esna, Temple.

In the town’s streets and alleys, visitors can feel as if they are walking through history. Moreover, Esna enjoys a rich intangible heritage of traditional crafts. It is famous for its barrage bridges built on the Nile by the British in 1906 as well as for its eloquent details, stone masonry work, and the “Electricity Bridge” built in the 1990s.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 5 December, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly