A long-lost Egyptian temple, built for King Ptolemy IV, has been uncovered after 2,200 years.

In Egypt, archaeologists have unearthed a 2,200-year-old temple believed to have belonged to Pharaoh Ptolemy IV.

The ancient temple was discovered by accident when construction workers were drilling for a sewage drain in Kom Shakau, a village in northern Sohag, as reported by Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities on September 29.

Drilling was halted after the discovery, and archaeologists soon uncovered stone inscriptions with fragments of text bearing the name of Ptolemy IV, the fourth pharaoh of Egypt’s Ptolemaic dynasty.

So far, the team has uncovered a north-south and an east-west wall, as well as the southwestern corner of the limestone structure, which features carvings of Hapi, the Egyptian god of the Nile’s annual flooding, carrying offerings amid birds and flowers.

Experts are working to preserve the remains of the temple, which is located on the western bank of the Nile.

Ptolemy IV is believed to have ruled Egypt from around 221 BC to 204 BC. His reign was marked by failure, with more focus on indulgence and artistic pursuits than on effective leadership.

Ancient records suggest that Ptolemy IV constructed the largest human-powered ship ever known, the tessarakonteres ('Forty'). This colossal galley had 40 rows of oars, manned by 4,000 rowers.

The discovery of the ancient temple adds to a series of significant archaeological finds in 2019. Egypt hopes these discoveries will help boost tourism in the wake of the 2011 uprising.

In August 2018, the UN's Tourism Highlights Report recognized Egypt as the fastest-growing tourist destination in 2017, with a remarkable 55.1% increase in international visitors that year.

Significant discoveries include eight mummies from the Ptolemaic Dynasty (323-30 BC) encased in vividly painted coffins at the Dahshur necropolis near Giza, a stone sphinx at Kom Ombo, a riverside temple dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek near Aswan, and a 4,400-year-old tomb found at the Saqqara archaeological site.

These ancient treasures are part of Egypt’s ongoing museum construction boom, with new collections soon to be unveiled in Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada. The highly anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum, the world's largest museum dedicated to a single civilization, is also nearing completion and is set to open in mid-2020.