An Egyptian archaeological mission has uncovered a significant burial ground and settlement site in the Dakahlia governorate, located in Egypt’s eastern Nile Delta. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the site provides evidence of continuous human activity spanning from the Predynastic Period through the Greco-Roman era, highlighting the area’s long history of cultural development.
The oldest findings at the Kom El Khilgan site date back to the first and second phases of Lower Egyptian culture, specifically the Buto I and II periods during the first half of the fourth millennium BC. Archaeologists identified simple, oval-shaped graves carved directly into the sandy soil. These burials, which contained modest funerary goods such as marine shells and small handmade pottery vessels, were arranged in various positions.
Officials noted that the high density of these graves suggests the site supported a sizable community during this early period. Beyond the burial grounds, the mission successfully excavated a residential area featuring mud-brick buildings, grain silos, ovens, and hearths. These structures offer a clear view into the daily lives and economic activities of the ancient inhabitants.
The excavation also revealed distinct wavy, or sinusoidal, walls that enclosed both residential and funerary structures. This architectural style was prevalent from the Middle Kingdom through the New Kingdom. Analysis of recovered artifacts, including stone tools, pottery, and significant quantities of animal, bird, and fish bones, provides researchers with vital clues regarding the dietary habits and lifestyles of the people who lived there.
Evidence of settlement during the Hyksos period was confirmed through the identification of several graves dating from the 15th to 17th dynasties and the beginning of the New Kingdom. Given the site’s proximity to Avaris, the former Hyksos capital in the eastern Delta, these findings are particularly significant for understanding regional history.
These graves included mastabas and structures featuring cornices. Inside, researchers discovered a variety of items, including jewelry, scarabs, amulets, bronze weapons, and characteristic Tell el-Yahudiyeh pottery vessels. Such artifacts underscore the complexity of the social and economic networks present at the time.
A specific mud-brick tomb dating to the early 18th Dynasty was found to contain bronze tools and pottery vessels. Furthermore, the mission unearthed the foundations of a substantial mud-brick building with thick walls, which contained stone tools and pottery fragments dating to the start of the New Kingdom.
For the later Ptolemaic period, the archaeological team uncovered several simple burial pits. Among these was a unique discovery: the burial of a child placed inside two amphorae that had been repurposed to serve as a coffin, illustrating the burial customs of the era.
Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy praised the findings, describing them as a major scientific contribution to the understanding of the Delta’s historical development. He further emphasized that the success of the mission highlights the high level of expertise currently held by Egyptian archaeologists in managing and interpreting such complex historical sites.
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Source: Gulf News
