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Image Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Water Temple Discovery at Pelusium Redefines Ancient City Religious Role
Archaeologists working at Tell El-Farama in North Sinai have uncovered a rare ritual complex centred on water, offering a major new insight into the ancient city of Pelusium. The discovery follows six years of excavation by a mission from Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities and is now prompting a reassessment of the site’s historical significance.
The newly identified structure appears to have served as a sacred installation dedicated to rituals linked to water, rather than as a civic building as previously believed. This reinterpretation changes earlier views of the site and highlights Pelusium as an important religious and cultural centre in antiquity.
At the core of the complex is a circular basin about 35 metres in diameter. The basin was connected to the Pelusiac branch of the Nile and appears to have held silt-laden water associated symbolically with the deity Pelusius. Around it, archaeologists identified a carefully designed network of drainage channels, while a square platform in the middle likely supported a statue connected to worship practices at the site.
Researchers believe the complex remained in use for nearly eight centuries, from the 2nd century BC to the 6th century AD, with only limited alterations over time. The architecture reflects a blend of Egyptian, Hellenistic and Roman elements, pointing to strong cultural interaction in the region during later historical periods.
The interpretation of the structure changed gradually as excavation advanced. When work began in 2019, only part of a circular red-brick feature had been exposed, leading researchers to identify it as a senate building. Further excavation revealed a more intricate plan with multiple entrances and an extensive hydraulic system, making a civic interpretation unlikely.
Specialists involved in the study concluded that the building was instead a sacred complex devoted to water-based ritual activity. The discovery not only redefines the structure itself, but also strengthens the view of Pelusium as a place where religious traditions and cultural influences met in the ancient Mediterranean world.
Published on: 10-04-2026
Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie
Source: Ahram Online