The remains of the temple were discovered by mistake during archaeological digs at what was thought to be the location of a completely other construction.

Archaeologists from the University of Naples and the Polish Academy of Sciences have discovered the remnants of the Temple of the Sun, which was built some 4,500 years ago in Egypt.

The discovery was made under the foundations of a temple in Abu Ghurab, near Cairo, by Egyptology professor Massimiliano Nuzzolo.

“The archaeologists of the 19th century excavated only a very small part of this mud bricks building below the stone temple of Nyuserra and concluded that this was a previous building phase of the same temple,” Nuzzolo told CNN in an email.

Seals bearing the names of kings, remains of columns, and numerous pottery items dating from the 25th century BC were discovered.

Archaeologists now believe that this location was formerly a temple to the god Ra.

The excavation is part of a collaboration between the University of Naples L’Orientale and the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Image Credit: CNN

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