For centuries, the vast Karnak Temple complex near Luxor has stood as one of ancient Egypt’s most enduring mysteries. Now, new research has revealed astonishing secrets hidden deep beneath its foundations. A geoarchaeological study published in Antiquity in October 2025 has uncovered evidence that the temple was originally built on a natural river island more than 3,000 years ago. Led by Dr. Angus Graham of Uppsala University and Dr. Ben Pennington of the University of Southampton, the study used 61 sediment cores and tens of thousands of pottery fragments to reconstruct the temple’s ancient landscape, revealing a sacred island that shaped Egypt’s religious and architectural evolution.
Egypt’s Karnak temple was built on a primeval island
The study found that around 2520 BCE, shifts in Nile River channels created a raised island about 500 metres east of the modern Nile. This island later became the foundation of Karnak Temple. Ancient Egyptians saw this “primeval mound” as a symbol of creation, mirroring their myth of the sun god Ra (or Amun-Ra) rising from the primordial waters. The temple’s location, therefore, was not accidental but a deliberate choice reflecting powerful religious beliefs about cosmic rebirth and divine emergence.
Engineering the landscape of the gods
Over centuries, natural river movements and deliberate human interventions shaped Karnak’s environment. The Nile carved new channels around the sacred island, while ancient engineers expanded the site by filling waterways with desert sands and sediments to make room for temple construction. This blending of geology and ingenuity turned the area into one of the grandest religious centres of the ancient world, aligning architecture with celestial and environmental symbolism.
Unveiling Egypt’s river secrets
By analysing sediment layers and pottery distribution, researchers traced how the Nile’s floodplain evolved alongside Egypt’s civilisation. The findings reveal that temple construction began much earlier than previously believed, dating to the Old Kingdom period (2591–2152 BCE). These results also show how environmental change directly influenced urban planning and religious architecture, offering the first measurable evidence of how Egyptians transformed a dynamic river landscape into sacred land.
Related archaeological discoveries across Egypt
The Karnak revelations come amid a surge of major finds across Egypt. Archaeologists recently unearthed three 3,000-year-old tombs near Dra Abu el-Naga, dating to the New Kingdom period. Meanwhile, underground tunnel systems at Taposiris Magna have renewed interest in Cleopatra’s final resting place, and submerged harbour sites are shedding light on Egypt’s maritime and funerary traditions. Collectively, these discoveries are reshaping our understanding of how the Nile’s shifting geography influenced Egyptian religion, burial practices, and power.
A new chapter in Karnak’s history
The study marks a breakthrough in Egyptology, demonstrating how modern science can illuminate the hidden geological and mythological layers of ancient monuments. The discovery of the sacred island beneath Karnak reframes the temple not merely as a structure of devotion, but as a living reflection of Egypt’s relationship with the Nile and the cosmos. As excavations continue, researchers believe further secrets lie buried under Luxor’s sands, waiting to rewrite the story of Egypt’s sacred beginnings.
