A little bit of information on this Faiyum temple.
Situated in an isolated desert location to the north of Lake Qarun in the Faiyum, stands a solitary ancient temple, the temple is unfinished and uninscribed, but none the less it is an impressive monument that stands out in the desert. Built from gigantic limestone megaliths of varying shapes and sizes, the temple stands out a golden yellow against the blue Egyptian sky.
The blocks are arranged in layers with huge square stones, separated by a row of longer horizontal blocks. Qasar el Saga is interesting in many ways and there are many aspects about this temple that still remain a mystery.
It is not known which deity this temple was intended for, although it has been suggested that the most likely candidate is Sobek who was the main god of the Faiyum area. This idea is also supported by the belief that in ancient times the shore of lake Qaran (ancient lake Moeris) was much closer to the temple than it is today.
The date of the temple is uncertain too. This area was certainly inhabited from the earliest times as the plain to the south of the temple has evidence for several prehistoric villages where people would have lived simple fishing, farming and hunting lifestyles. The age of the temple is still debated. Its closeness to an Old Kingdom Quarry site and some elements of its design have lead people to argue it is Old Kingdom in origin, however pottery fragments found during excavation suggest Middle Kingdom, possibly Senusret II or Senusret III which certainly agrees with other architectural similarities it shares with the nearby Middle Kingdom temple of Medinet Madi.
The organisation of the temple has peculiar elements too. For example, to the right of the main entrance is a smaller doorway which accesses a narrow corridor, that leads nowhere, ending with a dead end.
Perhaps the most intriguing mystery of Qasar el Saga is that it has a mysterious ‘blind room’, a room within the temple where there are no doors or windows, no way in, or no way out. These peculiar rooms are attested at another site, in Abydos, where Seti I’s temple also has a ‘blind room’ (often labelled room K) in the far corner of the temple. Like Seti’s temple, Qasar el Saga also contains 7 shrines but which deities were worshipped here remains a mystery.
It is for this reason that Qasar el Saga, and Seti I temple at Abydos plus the temple of Medinet Madi are all on our Middle Egyptian Tour in December 2025.