A joint archeological mission revealed the original colors of the Edfu Temple, as well as never-before-seen hieroglyphic inscriptions.

In ancient Egypt, paint was sourced from minerals, such as ocre, that were then ground into a powder, according to research from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. However, the color blue — which is commonly seen — cannot be found in nature, so it was created by combining and heating a mix of natural materials, such as sand, lime and copper.

It needs to be noted that gold leaf decorations have been documented less frequently because of their fragile nature. Now the recent discoveries at the Temple of Edfu, which is dedicated to the falcon god Horus,

A joint team of researchers from Egypt and Germany have announced their first successes restoring color to the ancient Temple of Edfu.

Egyptian temples were not only colorful, but also gleamed in glistening gold. Columns, gates and obelisks have been covered in gold since the beginning of the Pharaonic Period. Researchers also know from textual sources that some of the buildings were gilded.

Through the work of a joint archaeological mission, a new section of the Edfu Temple in Upper Egypt revealed never-before-seen original hieroglyphic inscriptions and colored carved scenes written by p

Together with Egyptian conservators a team of the University of Würzburg has discovered traces of gold leaf, remnants of the colourful paintings and

Archaeologists breathed new life into the ancient inscriptions of Egypt’s Edfu Temple. The ongoing restoration project revealed the temple’s original colors, as well as new insights into Egypt’s fascinating history and enduring visual culture.