Leontopolis, Ancient Egyptian city ruins in Tell el-Yahudiya, Egypt.
Leontopolis was an ancient Egyptian city in Tell el-Yahudiya within the Nile Delta region that contained large rectangular fortified enclosures. The walls were built from mudbrick and featured sloped sides with plastered surfaces.
The city was originally established by the Egyptians and grew important under successive periods. A Jewish priest in exile built a new temple there during Ptolemy VI's reign, modeling it after the temple in Jerusalem and using the site of an older pagan shrine.
The settlement was connected to lions from its early days, with these animals kept at temples and serving as symbols for the goddesses Bastet and Sekhmet. This association with big cats shaped how people understood and talked about the place.
The site is located in the Nile Delta and today appears as an archaeological dig with large earthen mounds marking the ancient outlines. Walking around it allows you to view the ruins and structures from different angles.
The temple at this location allowed women to serve as priests, which was unusual for that time. This practice stood apart from the religious roles in other temples across the region.
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