Excavations in the Matariya neighborhood of Cairo, the site of ancient Heliopolis, have revealed a previously unknown annex to a New Kingdom sun temple. The structure, dating to the reign of Ramses II, contains massive basalt floor slabs and fragments of several colossal red-quartzite statues. Inscriptions found on the blocks praise the solar deity Ra-Horakhty and detail royal contributions to the temple's upkeep.
The discovery is significant as it provides physical evidence of the vast scale of the solar cult center at Heliopolis, which was largely dismantled in antiquity for building materials. Researchers have also identified a ritual well within the annex, which may have been used for purification ceremonies before sunrise. Ongoing work aims to map the full extent of the complex using ground-penetrating radar.