New scans have revealed a hidden structure beneath an ancient Egyptian city in the Nile Delta, offering fresh clues about one of the region’s most layered archaeological sites.
In a study published in Acta Geophysica, lead author Mohamed A. R. Abouarab of the Department of Archaeology at Kafrelsheikh University in Egypt and fellow researchers combined satellite radar, underground imaging, and excavation to trace buried remains at Buto, also known as Tell el-Fara’in.
Buto sits in northwestern Egypt and has a long history of settlement, from the Predynastic era to the Early Islamic period. That long occupation left behind a dense mix of layers, making the site difficult to study through excavation alone. Researchers focused on Kom C, one of the mounds at the site, to examine what lay below the surface.
Hidden structure beneath Egyptian city revealed through satellite
The team first used Sentinel-1 radar satellite images taken on May 5, 2018. Those images pointed to a large buried anomaly with an oval outline. That broad signal helped researchers choose where to carry out electrical resistivity tomography, or ERT, a method that tracks differences underground by measuring how soil and buried materials conduct electricity.
The underground scans showed several layers. In the upper 3 meters (9.8 feet), the images picked up scattered remains rather than a clear building plan. Researchers said those fragments likely came from later periods, including the Ptolemaic or Roman eras.
Multi-scale detection of buried archaeological elements across different occupation phases: an integrated approach using radar satellite imagery and electric resistivity tomography at Buto, northwestern Nile Delta of Egypt. pic.twitter.com/nVEUHV3zKF
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) March 30, 2026
The material included mudbrick pieces, limestone debris and pottery that may have been shifted by weather or human activity.
Deeper scans identify Saite-era mudbrick structure
At greater depth, the picture changed. Between about 3 and 6 meters (9.8 and 19.7 feet) below the surface, the scans revealed a more defined high-resistance feature. Researchers identified it as a mudbrick structure from the Saite period, or Egypt’s 26th Dynasty, in the seventh to sixth centuries BC.
The buried structure measured roughly 20 by 25 meters (66 by 82 feet). Its exact purpose remains uncertain, but the study says it may have been a tomb, shrine or another religious building.
Below that, at about 6 to 7 meters deep (19.7 to 23 feet), the scans found a sand layer that appears to have been placed deliberately. Researchers said that the layer may have been used to level the ground before construction, suggesting planned building work rather than simple expansion over time.
Excavation findings confirm religious artifacts
Excavation supported the geophysical results. In a 10-by-10-meter (33-by-33-foot) trench, archaeologists uncovered mudbrick walls and a group of religious objects.
Those finds included amulets and other artifacts linked to cult activity. The discoveries strengthened the case that the buried complex had a religious function, though the study stops short of naming it with certainty.
The study’s broader point is practical. By combining satellite data, underground scanning, and targeted excavation, researchers were able to map buried remains with more precision in a difficult site. At Buto, that approach has now exposed another chapter in the city’s long and deeply buried past.
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