Ancient Egypt’s Hidden Cosmic Map Discovered

For the first time, researchers have identified what appears to be a visual representation of the Milky Way in ancient Egyptian artwork dating back 3,000 years, potentially changing our understanding of how early astronomers viewed the cosmos.

Dr. Or Graur, an astrophysicist at the University of Portsmouth’s Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, made the discovery while studying the decorations on ancient Egyptian coffins. His findings, published in the Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, reveal that a unique undulating black curve painted on the body of an Egyptian goddess represents our galaxy’s distinctive “Great Rift.”

“I’ve found visual evidence of the Milky Way on the outer coffin of Nesitaudjatakhet, a chantress of Amun-Re who lived some 3,000 years ago,” said Dr. Graur. “This undulating curve recalls the Great Rift that cleaves the Milky Way in two.”

The discovery centers on depictions of Nut, the ancient Egyptian sky goddess often portrayed as a star-studded woman arched over her brother, the earth god Geb. While examining 555 coffin elements spanning Egypt’s dynastic history, Graur identified 118 examples of what Egyptologists call the “cosmological vignette” – a scene showing Nut’s arched form with Geb below.

The breakthrough came when analyzing a particular coffin housed in the Odessa Archaeological Museum in Ukraine. This coffin features Nut with a distinctive black curve bisecting her body from the soles of her feet to her fingertips, with stars painted on both sides of the curve.

When compared to photographs of the night sky, the resemblance between this ancient artwork and the actual appearance of the Milky Way’s dark dust lane (known as the Great Rift) is striking. The find provides compelling evidence that ancient Egyptians observed and recorded this celestial feature in their religious artwork.

Similar undulating curves appear in the tombs of several pharaohs, including Ramesses VI, where golden lines run along Nut’s back in astronomical ceiling paintings. This pattern of representation strengthens the connection between the goddess and our galaxy.

What makes this discovery particularly significant is that it reopens debate about whether the ancient Egyptian term “Winding Waterway” might actually have been their name for the Milky Way. Previous scholars had suggested this connection, but the visual evidence now provides stronger support for this interpretation.

Dr. Graur’s research also revealed another surprising pattern: only about a quarter of Nut’s depictions show her covered in stars, suggesting ancient Egyptians may have preferred representing the day sky rather than the night sky – a statistical finding that challenges previous assumptions.

The research demonstrates how ancient Egyptians integrated astronomical observations into their religious beliefs. Rather than seeing Nut and the Milky Way as identical, they viewed the galaxy as one celestial phenomenon that, like the sun and stars, could appear on Nut’s body in her role as the sky.

Cross-cultural analysis strengthens the identification, as other unrelated cultures, including the Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni peoples, represent the Milky Way with similar undulating patterns on the bodies of spiritual beings.

This discovery adds to our understanding of ancient Egyptian astronomy while highlighting the remarkable observation skills of these early sky-watchers. Their ability to incorporate subtle celestial details into their religious artwork demonstrates the sophisticated integration of science and spirituality in one of humanity’s earliest civilizations.