Egyptian-Chinese archaeologists uncover ancient 'sacred lake'

An Egyptian-Chinese archaeological mission announced in Luxor on Saturday that they have uncovered an ancient "sacred lake" at the Montu Temple precinct in the Karnak Temple Complex in the city renowned for its rich monuments in southern Egypt.

The newly uncovered sacred lake, within the Montu Temple enclosure, lies west of the Maat Temple, dedicated to Maat, the ancient Egyptian goddess of harmony, justice, and truth.

Covering an area of more than 50 square meters, the lake is an ancient man-made water reservoir with a well-defined structure and is well-preserved. The lake has not been recorded in early archaeological archives, according to the joint mission archeologists.

Together with the previously known sacred lake of the Montu Temple, the discovery forms a unique layout of two sacred lakes aligned north and south within the Karnak enclosure walls, said Jia Xiaobing, the Chinese head of the project.

"The new finding fills a gap in Egyptology and Egyptian archaeological history. It is not only the discovery of a second sacred lake, but also the only sacred lake uncovered through systematic and scientific excavation in the history of Egyptian archaeology," Jia said.

Sacred lakes were an essential component of ancient Egyptian temple architecture and were regarded as holy sources of water, distinct from domestic water supplies and reserved exclusively for ritual use within temples, he explained.

Hend Aly, a senior inspector at the Montu Temple and an Egyptian member of the project, said the discovery "is something rare that crowned the hard work of the joint mission for eight years."

Archaeologists also unearthed dozens of cow jaw remains and reused stone blocks associated with kings and the divine adoratrice from the Late Period (747-332 BC) in this area.

Beyond the sacred lake, excavations in the Osirian chapel area uncovered three chapels dedicated to the god Osiris, Jia said, adding that archaeologists also recovered dozens of Osiris statuettes of varying sizes and materials, along with fragments linked to the divine adoratrice.

The Divine Adoratrice of Amun (also called God's Wife of Amun) was a priestess title in ancient Egypt, held primarily by royal women like pharaohs' daughters, who served as the symbolic wife and chief ritual attendant of the god Amun at Thebes.

This discovery provides new archaeological evidence for further reconstructing the history of Thebes under the rule of the divine adoratrice of the 25th and 26th Dynasties, according to Jia.

The Montu Temple site is located in the northern part of Luxor, covering approximately 106,000 square meters, of which about 24,000 square meters lie within the enclosure walls of the temple precinct. To date, the joint mission has excavated a total area of about 2,300 square meters.

Since 2018, the first Egyptian-Chinese joint archaeological mission formed by the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has been officially conducting archaeological excavations and research at the Montu Temple.

The project has also received support from the Zhengzhou Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and the Institute of World History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Mohamed Abdel-Badie, head of the Egyptian antiquities sector, and also the Egyptian head of the project, said the discovery marks an important dialogue between two ancient civilizations.

"The archaeological cooperation between China and Egypt is a collaboration between two ancient civilizations, conveying a message of dialogue, history and civilizations. I believe that the mutual understanding between peoples of the two countries is reflected in numerous cultural activities, benefiting Egypt, China, and the world," he said.

Egyptian-Chinese archaeologists uncover ancient 'sacred lake'

In South Sudan, education is being championed as a foundation for peace, but ongoing conflict and poverty continue to deprive millions of children of the opportunity to learn.

The South Sudanese government said education is crucial to building peace, promoting social cohesion, and equipping young people with skills to resolve conflict.

Some schools, including one in the capital Juba, have even established "peace centers" where students are trained in leadership and peacebuilding. Schools are also playing a role in tackling harmful practices like early and forced marriage.

"We normally inform them that in case they encounter such challenges, you come directly to school, we will be able to support you. Whatever support that is required, is always availed to them," said Chol Reuben Maken, school principal.

Despite these initiatives, the education sector is in crisis. According to UNICEF, South Sudan has one of the highest rates of out-of-school children in the world, with girls making up 75 percent. Over 2.2 million children, more than half of the country's youth population, are not attending school.

The key barriers are poverty and ongoing violence.

"General poverty is a real challenge to many families and therefore access to education becomes less of a priority if you need to feed yourself and cover other basic needs. There are also climate-related events that affect access to education. South Sudan is prone to flooding and it's also prone to heat waves," said Emilie Roy, education chief of UNICEF South Sudan.

The government said it is investing in education as a long-term tool for positive change, stressing that the impact of education goes far beyond academic achievement.

Educated children, officials said, become advocates and peacebuilders who push for equality and challenge harmful practices within their communities, planting the seeds for a more peaceful future.

Still, the challenges are enormous. Many children simply have no schools to attend due to a lack of infrastructure, and where schools do operate, chronic staff shortages and unpaid salaries have left the system struggling.

"My biggest thank you is to my colleagues, the teachers, the teachers of this country that have persevered through all the challenges to make sure that education is progressing and that our kids are taught," said Kuyok Abol Kuyok, minister of General Education.

While UNICEF maintains that education is a primary tool for promoting long-term stability, they also warn that without immediate peace in the country, the opportunity for an education will remain a far off dream for many.

Education seen as peace tool in South Sudan