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Al-Ahram Weekly 15 - 21 July 1999 Issue No. 438 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 15 - 21 July 1999 Issue No. 438
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Features Travel Living Sports Time Out Chronicles People Cartoons Letters Pre-dynastic site
AN EGYPTIAN team has unearthed a site that, according to Gaballa Ali Gaballa, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) "could change the accepted time frame of the unification of Pharaonic Egypt".A large cemetery found in Mansheit Ezzat, near the Nile delta town of Simbillawein, includes of 100 tombs and a large quantity of artefacts which date back to 4500 BC.
"Artefacts from both the pre-dynastic and early-dynastic periods, cylindrical seals, inscriptions, funerary items and pottery have been found," said Gaballa. "Some of the latter are in the shape of fish, others decorated with hieroglyphic texts and signs. A collection of marble and schist pottery bearing the name of King Den of the First Dynasty have also been found."
Gaballa said that this find could provide evidence that Egypt's unification took place earlier than believed. It is traditionally credited to Narmer (the legendary Menes) at about 3000 BC. "Other sites discovered nearby may give a more coherent picture," Gaballa said.
Medieval warfare
A MISSION working in Fustat (Old Cairo) has discovered the field of Qabaq Square where the Mameluke army was trained for warfare. It was unearthed beneath the wall built by Salaheddin to surround the various quarters of ancient Cairo. The military field comprises several arches constructed by Sultan El-Zaher Bebars and is believed to have been used to train his army on horsemanship and fighting. It was later used for festivals and national celebrations.
New showcases
AS PART of the Egyptian Museum's upgrading, modern showcases that protect against fire and theft are being installed. These will be used for the display of unique artefacts, such as the Old Kingdom wooden statues of "Sheikh Al-Balad" and his wife, which were discovered at Saqqara. They will be displayed in a new showcase along with three other wooden statues discovered in the pyramid area.The showcases were financed by a LE500,000 grant from a Belgian company.
Sinai discovery
A TEMPLE dedicated to the god Horus has been unearthed at Tel-Habwa in North Sinai, 3km east of the Suez Canal. It is a New Kingdom structure that occupies an area of 2,400 metres. Its surrounding walls are several metres thick and its pylon eight metres wide."It is an extremely important discovery because it lies at the beginning of the ancient military road (known as the 'Way of Horus')," said Gaballa. He explained that it defines the location of Tharo city at East Qantara, "which represents Egypt's gateway for ancient travellers from the Delta. The hieroglyphics inscribed on the statues within the temple confirm these facts."
A sum of LE200,000 has been allocated to unearth the rest of the temple. Eventually the 'Way of Horus' will be developed for lovers of desert tourism.
Ptolemaic settlement
AN EGYPTIAN-Belgian team working on an archaeological area at Bernice on the Red-Sea coast have discovered the relics of a Ptolemaic settlement which includes of a number of limestone houses, a large collection of pottery shards and Greek texts that reveal economic, commercial and social activities of the community. Papyrus rolls, silver coins, intact earthenware utensils and a statue of an unidentified god were also found. The houses, once fully excavated, will be conserved and along with the Ptolemaic harbour will hopefully become another Red Sea tourist attraction.
Temple upgrade
RESTORATION will start soon on 12 temples in the Aswan governorate at a cost of LE50 million. The three-phase project is scheduled for completion by January next year. It covers the area between the temples of Philae, south of Aswan, and a point just north to Abu Simbel. The project will include developing the approaches and areas surrounding the monuments. It is part of a plan financed by the Nubian Antiquities Rescue Fund.
Military find at Luxor
HUNDREDS of rock inscriptions were recently found along the 250km road between Luxor and Farshut in the Western Desert."It is a significant discovery because it reveals military tactics and movements of the units along the road plus the names of military leaders," said Mohamed El-Saghir, head of the Pharaonic department in the SCA. The discovery was made by an Egyptian-American team who have also unearthed several surveillance spots, camping sites and caravan stops.
El-Saghir said that this military route was known in Pharaonic Egypt as the road of cavaliers. It was used by the army of Thebes to reunite the country at the end of the war and to drive the Hyksos out of Egypt.
