Ruins of a ‘Unique‘ Temple Complex Discovered in Northern Sinai
An Egyptian archaeological mission working under the Supreme Council of Antiquities announced the discovery of a temple complex at Tell el-Farama (ancient Pelusium) in northern Sinai, featuring a circular basin about 100 feet in diameter connected to a now-dry eastern branch of the Nile. The basin is surrounded by drainage channels and contains a central square plinth that may have supported a statue of the local deity Pelusius; the team first uncovered the structure in 2019 but later concluded it was a sacred water installation used in religious rituals, not a civic building, according to excavation supervisor Dr. Hisham Hussein. Stratigraphic evidence dates the complex to the 2nd century BC, with use continuing through the 6th century AD, and its architecture blends Egyptian, Greek, and Roman elements. Egyptologist Steve Harvey noted that if the Roman-era cult structure is confirmed as dedicated to Pelusius—previously known mainly from Classical sources such as Plutarch’s *Isis and Osiris*—it would be a significant find.
From This Briefing
This story was covered in Sinai Secrets and the Lure of Lost Temples