A complete zodiac diagram was found on the ceiling of a Roman-era temple in the southern Egyptian province of Luxor, the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said Sunday.
The zodiac mural, along with drawings and inscriptions of animals and ancient deities, was discovered by a team of Egyptian restorers during a joint Egyptian-German restoration work at the Temple of Esna.
The finding makes Esna the second ancient temple in the country to have a complete zodiac, after the other two images found in the Dendera temple in Qena, the ministry said in a statement.
The establishment and drawings of Esna Temple were finished in the year 250 A.D. when Egypt was ruled by the Roman Empire, it added.
The one-hall temple is composed of 24 columns with inscriptions and drawings depicting kings of Egypt’s Ptolemaic period and Roman emperors.
