Together with Egyptian conservators a team of the University of Würzburg has discovered traces of gold leaf, remnants of the colorful paintings and ancient graffiti in the temple of Edfu. Egyptian temples were not only colorful but also gleamed in glistening gold. Columns, gates and obelisks had been covered in gold since the beginning of the Pharaonic Period. Researchers also know from textual sources that some of the buildings were gilded. In most cases, these were overlays of thicker metal foils made of gilded copper. Their traces can only be seen today as holes in the walls. Thin gold leaf decorations, however, are only rarely documented due to their great fragility. At Edfu, particles of this type of gilding have now been discovered in numerous places on the higher wall areas of the barque sanctuary. Decrypting the Temple of Edfu and the Edfu Texts What Happened to Grand Temple Building in Ancient Egypt after the Death of Alexander the Great? Read moreSection: NewsHistory & ArchaeologyAncient PlacesAfricaRead Later