According to an article published by Ancient Origins this week, archaeologists have uncovered stone blocks that are helping them piece together the history of the once magnificent and extraordinary temple, dedicated to the Sun god Ra in the El-Matariya area of Cairo’s upmarket suburb of Heliopolis. Heliopolis, which literally means the “City of the Sun,” was one of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, being occupied since the Predynastic Period (circa 6000 – 3000 BC).

The inscriptions on some of the blocks mention the regnal years 13 and 14 (366/365 BC) as well as the dimensions and the materials used. From this it can be concluded that they belong to the reign of King Nactanebo I (379-363 BC), also known as Nakhtnebef, the founder of the 30th Dynasty, the last dynasty of native rulers of Egypt.

Some fragments of a statue of King Ramesses II, a part of a baboon statue, a statue base and pieces of a quartzite obelisk of King Osorkon I were also found as were some worship facilities such as an offering table of Thutmose III (1479-1425 BC). These indicate that royal support and investment in the Temple of the Sun and creator god at Heliopolis continued uninterrupted. The excavation work provided additional evidence for the 30th Dynasty and the Ptolemaic Period (the rule of the Macedonian Greek 33rd Dynasty from 305 BC to30 BC) at the site.

To read the full article, follow this link to Ancient Origins.