Archaeologists working in the subterranean levels of the Temple of Khnum in Esna have announced the discovery of a remarkably well-preserved 18th-Dynasty administrative wing dedicated to the cultivation and processing of medicinal flora. The complex, dating back to the reign of Thutmosid pharaohs, includes several specialized chambers with stone-carved vats and clay jars still containing traces of dried resins, seeds, and oils.
Preliminary analysis of the site reveals that this was not merely a storage facility but a sophisticated pharmaceutical laboratory. Wall reliefs found in the central corridor depict royal physicians supervising the extraction of essential oils and the preparation of complex ointments. This discovery provides the first physical evidence of a centralized Pharaonic medical industry that supplied the royal court with specialized treatments and perfumes.