A joint international mission in Egypt’s Al-Minya province has uncovered a Late Period temple dedicated to the Moon God Thoth, featuring a rare architectural element: starlight-calibration apertures. These narrow, angled slits in the limestone roof were specifically designed to allow the light of the star Sirius and the Orion constellation to strike the central cult statue on specific dates of the lunar calendar.
This discovery underscores the advanced astronomical knowledge used by Egyptian temple architects to synchronize religious festivals with celestial movements. The temple also contains exceptionally well-preserved polychrome reliefs depicting Thoth in his ibis-headed form, recording the passage of time on celestial scrolls.