An international research team, led by Dr. Angus Graham from Uppsala University and involving academics from the University of Southampton, conducted the most comprehensive geoarchaeological survey ever undertaken at Karnak. Published in the prestigious journal Antiquity, their findings present unprecedented detail about the temple's evolution from a small island sanctuary to one of ancient Egypt's most defining religious institutions reports a University of Southampton release.
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The research team analyzed 61 sediment cores from within and around the Karnak temple site, creating a detailed stratigraphic record spanning thousands of years. These cores, reaching depths of up to 11.65 meters (38.2 ft), were strategically positioned to reconstruct the dynamic landscape that shaped this sacred complex. Additionally, researchers studied tens of thousands of ceramic fragments to establish precise chronological frameworks for their geological findings.
"This new research provides unprecedented detail on the evolution of Karnak Temple, from a small island to one of the defining institutions of Ancient Egypt," explains Dr. Ben Pennington, lead author of the study and Visiting Fellow in Geoarchaeology at the University of Southampton.
Core samples being extracted at Karnak Temple. (Dr Ben Pennington/Antiquity Publications Ltd)
The sophisticated analysis revealed that prior to approximately 2520 BC, the site would have been unsuitable for permanent occupation due to regular flooding from fast-flowing Nile waters. This chronological constraint places the earliest possible occupation at Karnak during the Old Kingdom period (c.2591–2152 BC), supporting archaeological evidence from ceramic fragments dating between c.2305 to 1980 BC, according to the study.
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Sacred Geography Mirrors Ancient Creation Myths
Perhaps the most fascinating discovery involves the striking parallels between Karnak's geographical setting and ancient Egyptian creation mythology. The research revealed that the temple was constructed on a raised fluvial terrace surrounded by river channels, creating an island configuration that remarkably mirrors the primeval mound of Egyptian cosmology.
Ancient Egyptian texts from the Old Kingdom describe how the creator god manifested as high ground emerging from 'the lake.' The island upon which Karnak was built represents the only known area of high ground surrounded by water in the Theban region, making it a unique landscape feature with profound religious significance.
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Ancient Egyptian creation myth depicting emergence from primordial waters. (Public Domain)
"It's tempting to suggest the Theban elites chose Karnak's location for the dwelling place of a new form of the creator god, 'Ra-Amun', as it fitted the cosmogonical scene of high ground emerging from surrounding water," notes Dr. Pennington in the press release.. This connection deepened during the Middle Kingdom (c.1980–1760 BC) when texts explicitly described the 'primeval mound' rising from the 'Waters of Chaos.'
The annual flooding cycle would have dramatically reinforced this mythological symbolism. As floodwaters receded each year, the mound on which Karnak was built would have appeared to 'rise' and grow from the retreating waters, creating a powerful visual representation of the creation myth that attracted worshippers for millennia.
Core samples being extracted in another location at Karnak Temple. (Dr Ben Pennington/Antiquity Publications Ltd)
Dynamic Landscape Evolution Shaped Temple Development
The research revealed remarkable details about how changing river patterns influenced the temple's architectural development over three millennia. Initially, river channels carved into their beds both east and west of the site, creating an island of high ground that provided the foundation for early construction.
The magnificent Karnak Temple site today. (Ahmed Bahloul Khier Galal/CC BY-SA 4.0)
Researchers discovered that an eastern channel, previously little more than archaeological speculation, was more substantial and perhaps even larger than the western channel that had received most scholarly attention. This eastern branch remained active through the Third Intermediate Period (c.1076-664 BC), with a width between 220 and 500 meters, indicating it was likely a major Nile branch throughout Karnak's early history.
The temple's occupants demonstrated both opportunistic adaptation and proactive landscape modification. As channels naturally silted up over centuries, new construction took advantage of the newly available land. Archaeological evidence shows that inhabitants actively shaped their environment by dumping desert sand into channels to create additional building space, particularly near what would become the famous Hypostyle Hall.
Top image: Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor, Egypt, showing the magnificent columns and sacred lake reflecting the ancient structures under clear blue skies. Source: Dr Ben Pennington/Antiquity Publications Ltd
By Gary Manners
References
Graham, A., Pennington, B., Strutt, K., Barker, D. et al. 2025. Conceptual origins and geomorphic evolution of the temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak (Luxor, Egypt). Available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/conceptual-origins-and-geomorphic-evolution-of-the-temple-of-amunra-at-karnak-luxor-egypt/12B8A406D84C46F89CDDD7A3DCDF297D
University of Southampton. 2025. Research unearths origins of ancient Egypt's Karnak temple. Available at: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2025/10/research-unearths-origins-of-ancient-egypts-karnak-temple.page
