Archaeologists in Egypt’s Beni Suef Province have announced the landmark discovery of a 2,300-year-old sanctuary dubbed the Temple of the Silver Crocodile. The structure, dating to the early Ptolemaic era, was found during subsurface excavations near the desert edge and appears to have been a major center for the cult of Sobek-Ra.
The most significant find within the temple’s inner sanctum is a series of intact silver-gilded crocodile statues, which represent a unique blend of solar and aquatic divinity. Researchers also identified a sophisticated system of ritual pools connected by limestone channels, suggesting the temple hosted live crocodiles that were worshipped as living incarnations of the deity. The discovery provides new insights into the regional religious practices of Middle Egypt during the transition from Pharaonic to Hellenistic rule.