Archaeologists use satellite technology and find a mysterious structure of 500 m² buried up to 6 meters beneath an ancient city in Egypt.

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 03/04/2026 at 12:27

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Scans of the soil revealed a 500 square meter structure buried in Buto, Egypt, with ritual indications and possible ancient religious function.

Scientists identified a buried structure in the ruins of Buto, in northwestern Egypt, after advanced soil scans. The find, located between 3 and 6 meters deep, further reinforces the potential of archaeology in areas difficult to excavate.

Scan in Buto

The discovery occurred at Tell el-Fara’in, known as the Hill of the Pharaohs. The area features accumulated mud and high water tables, factors that hinder deep excavations and limit conventional archaeological methods in ancient Egypt.

To overcome these obstacles, the team led by Mohamed Abouarab analyzed radar images from the Sentinel-1 satellite. The anomalies observed on the surface indicated possible hidden constructions beneath the ground.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Soil Tomography

After the satellite stage, researchers applied Electrical Resistivity Tomography, or ERT.

The technique sends electric currents into the ground through electrodes and measures the resistance found in different layers.

With this procedure, a structure of mud bricks measuring about 500 square meters, with dimensions of 25 by 20 meters, was detected.

The space was covered by debris and ceramics accumulated over centuries.

Ritual Traces of the Structure

Subsequent excavations confirmed that the construction dates back to the Saite period, about 2,600 years ago. This was the last dynasty of native Egyptian rulers before the Persian conquest.

At the site, amulets and statuettes linked to Isis, Horus, and Wadjet emerged. A rare object with elements of falcon, baboon, and Patikos was also found, along with altars suggesting a religious function.

Next Steps

The results indicate that the combination of remote sensing and geophysical measurements can enhance archaeology in ancient Egypt, especially in complex regions of the Delta.

Now, the team intends to extend the scans to greater depths. The suspicion is that another, even larger temple may be hidden beneath a thick layer of clay in the same region.

With information from Olhar Digital.

Archaeologists use satellite technology and find a mysterious structure of 500 m² buried up to 6 meters beneath an ancient city in Egypt.

Scans of the soil revealed a 500 square meter structure buried in Buto, Egypt, with ritual indications and possible ancient religious function.

Scan in Buto

Soil Tomography

Ritual Traces of the Structure

Next Steps

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