China-Egypt team discovers double sacred lake layout at ancient Egyptian site

BEIJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese-Egyptian joint archaeological mission has uncovered the remains of two sacred lakes at the Montu Temple precinct in Luxor, Egypt, the National Cultural Heritage Administration said Thursday.

The discovery marks the first layout of double sacred lakes within a single ancient Egyptian temple precinct, the administration said at a meeting on the progress of major archaeological projects.

Located in northern Luxor, the Montu Temple precinct is an important part of the Karnak Temple Complex and dates back more than 3,000 years.

Since 2018, a joint archaeological team comprising researchers from the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities under the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has conducted systematic archaeological surveys and excavations at the site.

By 2026, the team had excavated an area of about 2,300 square meters.

During the latest work, archaeologists identified a previously unknown southern sacred lake covering more than 50 square meters. Together with the northern sacred lake, the discovery forms a distinctive layout of two sacred lakes within the same temple precinct.

The discovery provides important clues for studying the rituals and functions of the Montu Temple, according to the administration.

Since its founding in 2018, this collaborative team has been conducting excavations and research at the Montu Temple, making a series of important discoveries that has gradually uncovered the secrets of this ancient Egyptian site.

Beyond the Montu Temple, Chinese archaeologists are also actively engaged in sites across Egypt, including Luxor, Cairo and Alexandria, and cultural exchanges between China and Egypt have expanded into various fields.