Ancient Egypt's First Observatory Found

Star Struck Archeologists recently uncovered what is believed to be ancient Egypt’s first known astronomical observatory, which they hailed as the “first and largest” of its kind. Discovered in the ancient city of Buto, in the northern Kafr El-Sheikh governorate, the site dates back to the sixth century BCE and was initially mistaken for a temple because of its peculiar layout. It had an L-shaped structure with a traditional east-facing pylon entrance that measured more than 9,100 square feet. But the presence of key artifacts – most notably a large sundial – confirmed the site’s true purpose as an observatory. “Everything we found shattered our expectations,” said Hossam Ghonim, head of the Egyptian archeological mission, in an interview with Live Science. Ghonim and his team explained that the ancient building faced east and was aligned with the sunrise where a sky observer, known as a “smn pe,” would have stood to monitor celestial movements. They added that the observatory has a carving of the “smn pe” facing the rising Sun, which symbolizes the ancient civilization’s close relationship with the cosmos. But what stood out was a slanted stone sundial, which used the Sun’s shadows to track time, from sunrise to sunset. The researchers also found a “merkhet,” a timekeeping tool the Egyptians used to organize their solar calendar and schedule religious and agricultural events. The findings provide some insights into how Egyptians used astronomy to determine the solar calendar, religious ceremonies, and the agricultural year. Statues of gods found around the observatory, such as Horus and Wadjet – the latter being a serpent goddess protective of the king – emphasized the spiritual and scientific roles of the site. Perhaps most intriguing was the discovery of a stone mat inscribed with astronomical depictions of sunrise and sunset across three seasons. “The ancient Egyptians envisioned the Earth and sky as two mats,” Ghonim said. “They mapped the sky on the ‘Themet Hrt’ – the sky mat – and the ‘Themet Ghrt,’ or Earth mat, represented their calendar, marking events like the Nile flood and harvest. This is the first inscribed stone mat of its kind ever discovered.” Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, called the observatory a testament to ancient Egypt’s “prowess and skill in astronomy,” Artnet added. The discovery further attests to humanity’s fascination and quest to learn more about the cosmos, even in the early days.