Karnak Temple Complex
الكرنك
Egypt · Luxor
In brief
Excavations at Karnak investigate temple buildings as well as parts of the city later incorporated into the sanctuary. Traces of human activity around the early temple have been dated to approximately 2050 BCE; the site is included in the Ancient Thebes World Heritage inscription.
What was found?
- 1Early garden remains
The garden traces found at the center of the first Amon temple date to approximately 2050 BC. It is not known whether the garden was a sacred preparation area or a garden for everyday use.
- 2Middle Kingdom urban buildings
Well-preserved urban buildings were uncovered southeast of the temple enclosure wall. They show the earlier settlement fabric of an area later incorporated into the temple precinct.
- 3Gold, metal, and faience rings
These are pieces from a group of jewelry found together in a small ceramic vessel. The presence of different materials in the same group documents the variety of materials used in jewelry production.
- 4Gold pendant depicting the Theban triad
It is a gold ornament depicting Amon, Mut, and Honsu together. It shows that the principal gods of Thebes were represented on a small, portable object.
- 5Animal-shaped amulets
Animal amulets were also found in the jewelry group; documented examples include agate ducks and a magnetite frog. They demonstrate the variety of forms and materials used in small objects.
What does it point to?
Karnak's layers show that the temple's development and the urban fabric were intertwined. The jewelry documents the place of religious imagery on portable objects; according to researchers, some mudbrick buildings to the north may have been used for production or storage.
What did it teach us?
- The early garden and foundation pits added new phases to the first temple's known building sequence.
- It showed that part of the temple precinct incorporated an older urban fabric.
- It documented the presence of depictions of gods and animal amulets in the same jewelry group.
Latest news / selected archive
In 2025, excavations in the northwestern section uncovered gold jewellery, rings and amulets inside a pottery vessel.
Record
- Culture
- Ancient Egyptian
- Team / historical
- CFEETK, Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities/CNRS; Abdelghaffar Wagdy and Jérémy Hourdin
- Coordinates
- 25.7183°, 32.6583°
Sources
Nearby excavations
- Valley of the Kings 6 km
- Dendera Archaeological Site 47 km
- Abydos 90 km
- Athribis, Upper Egypt 133 km
- Amarna 277 km
- Dahshur Necropolis 476 km
- —
- —
- 12.000
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All excavation sites (395)
Türkiye
- Acemhöyük
- Aizanoi
- Alabanda
- Alacahöyük
- Amos
- Ani
- Aphrodisias
- Arslantepe Mound
- Aspendos
- Assos
- Ayanis Fortress
- Aşıklı Höyük
- Barcın Höyük
- Blaundus
- Boncuklu Höyük
- Can Hasan I
- Carchemish
- Claros Sanctuary
- Clazomenae
- Domuztepe
- Ephesus
- Euromus
- Gordion
- Göbekli Tepe
- Hadrianopolis in Paphlagonia
- Hattusha
- Hierapolis
- Iasos
- Kaman-Kalehöyük
- Karahantepe
- Karatepe-Aslantaş
- Kaunos
- Kibyra
- Knidos
- Kültepe-Kanesh
- Laodicea on the Lycus
- Letoon Sanctuary
- Limyra
- Magnesia on the Maeander
- Medieval City of Beçin
- Metropolis in Ionia
- Miletus
- Myra
- Nemrut Dağ
- Nysa on the Maeander
- Olympus in Lycia
- Oymaağaç Höyük — Nerik
- Patara
- Pergamon
- Perge
- Phaselis
- Priene
- Sagalassos
- Sanctuary of Apollo at Didyma
- Sanctuary of Labraunda
- Sapinuwa
- Sardis
- Sayburç
- Side
- Stratonikeia
- Tell Atchana – Alalakh
- Teos
- Tripolis on the Meander
- Troy
- Uluburun Shipwreck
- Xanthos
- Yenikapı – Theodosian Harbour Excavations
- Yeşilova Höyük
- Yumuktepe
- Zerzevan Castle
- Zeugma
- Zincirli Höyük — Sam'al
- Çatalhöyük
- Çavuştepe Fortress
- Çayönü
- Çukuriçi Höyük