A joint team of Egyptian and Chinese archaeologists has uncovered rare reliefs of Hapi, the ancient Egyptian deity associated with the Nile’s annual flood, at the Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor.

Found in a recently excavated chapel dedicated to Osiris, the reliefs depict twin, plump figures carrying offerings towards the temple entrance. The chapel was built during the 25th and 26th Dynasties, between 747 and 525 BCE.

The figures’ rounded forms, however, resemble artistic traditions from the much earlier Old Kingdom, suggesting that artists of the period may have drawn inspiration from Egypt’s ancient past.

Hapi symbolised the Nile’s abundance, with its annual floods bringing water and fertile silt that sustained agriculture and life.

The discoveries also include a previously undocumented sacred lake, a relief of a sacred female figure and inscribed stone fragments in the Montu precinct.

Since the collaboration began in 2018, the team has mapped five Osiris chapels, shedding new light on ancient Egyptian religious life.