China-Egypt Archaeological Team Discovers Unique Double Sacred Lake Layout in Luxor

Dragon Media News Desk

A joint Chinese-Egyptian archaeological mission has uncovered the remains of two sacred lakes within the Montu Temple precinct in Luxor, Egypt, revealing what authorities describe as the first known double sacred lake layout within a single ancient Egyptian temple precinct.

Located in northern Luxor, the Montu Temple precinct forms an important part of the Karnak Temple Complex and dates back more than 3,000 years. Since 2018, researchers from the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities under the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities have conducted systematic surveys and excavations at the site.

By 2026, the joint team had excavated approximately 2,300 square meters. During its latest work, archaeologists identified a previously unknown southern sacred lake covering more than 50 square meters. Together with the already known northern sacred lake, the discovery reveals a distinctive arrangement of two sacred lakes within the same temple precinct.

According to China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration, the discovery provides important evidence for further research into the rituals, functions and spatial organization of the Montu Temple. Continued excavations since the establishment of the joint mission in 2018 have gradually revealed additional details about the history and use of the ancient site.

Chinese archaeologists are also participating in archaeological research at other sites across Egypt, including Luxor, Cairo and Alexandria. The cooperation at the Montu Temple forms part of broader cultural and archaeological exchanges between China and Egypt that have expanded across multiple fields.