Satellite Radar Uncovers 2,600-Year-Old Complex Beneath Egyptian City

Beneath the ancient Egyptian city of Buto in the Nile Delta, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a massive structure that likely served as a religious complex more than 2,600 years ago. This discovery sheds new light on a settlement that once functioned as a vital religious hub in Lower Egypt before experiencing a mysterious period of abandonment. Researchers combined satellite radar imagery with electrical resistivity tomography to map the underground architecture without disturbing the site.

Known today as Tell al-Fara'in, or the mound of the pharaohs, Buto holds a history stretching back over five millennia and was deeply tied to the worship of the cobra goddess Wadjet. Because the city was inhabited across various eras, newer construction and thick layers of silt buried the older historical remains, often plunging them below groundwater levels. Traditional excavation methods struggled to reach these depths safely and efficiently, pushing the research team to adopt advanced remote-sensing technology.

The investigative team utilized the European Space Agency's Sentinel-1 satellite to pinpoint surface patterns pointing toward subterranean ruins. This analysis highlighted a massive oval-shaped anomaly measuring roughly 420 feet long and 203 feet wide beneath a mound named Kom C. Following this lead, the team deployed electrical resistivity tomography by inserting hundreds of metal electrodes along parallel survey lines to map voltage differences beneath the soil.

Subsequent targeted excavations of a small grid at a depth of up to 23 feet revealed mudbrick walls resting upon an artificial sand foundation. Archaeologists also recovered artifacts linked directly to ritual practices, including a small offering basin and amulets representing Egyptian deities such as Wadjet. Experts estimate the newly found complex dates back to the late eighth century BCE or the Saite period of the 26th Dynasty, highlighting a major era of revitalization after centuries of desertion.