Bir Dunqash Roman Period

The Bir Dunqash site is located at N24 56’ 22" / E33 52’ 14" has uncovered a compound estimated at 22 m x 13m. This site has three interior rooms with wheel-ridged redware sherds and red slip sherds surrounding it. These sherds have been dated to be roughly around the Roman or Byzantine date.

This site gives evidence that the trade routes from Coptos to Berenice were actually farther north than they had previously been stated and it gives evidence of Ptolemaic occupation in the important gold mining center. It has also shown that the Roman constructions were rebuilt several times and the latest shows that the constructing of the structures have certain features that are different from their predecessor, the Ptolemaic occupation.

The difference are that they haven’t been laid out using any unit of measurement, relatively heavy walls with corner towers, and show evidence that the cisterns are made of baked brick and large. Another difference is in the way the rooms are laid out. They have one to two rooms along the walls and the units of three or more rooms are placed in the corners.

Bir Sahara and Bir Tarwafi

The Bir (a bir is a well) Sahara and Bir Tarwafi are basins in the western desert of Egypt. This area was occupied by different groups from as long as 33,000 years ago to 5200 B.C. They were formed by deflation and have elongated oval shapes. They are about 10 meters below the level of the surrounding flat plain. The area was occupied only during time periods where there was a climatic change of a significant increase in moisture, causing the basins to fill with water. The Bir Sahara has spring vents surrounding it and a lack of a distinct peripheral drainage net. This suggests that the lake was fed by artesian springs associated with the aquifer in the underlying sandstone.

Both basins have irregular elongated outlines, about 8 km and 15 km in maximum length, and are oriented north-northeast to southwest. There are numerous bays, peninsulas and buttes. The central parts contain modern dunes, extensive patches of limestone and marl. There are shallow wadis surrounding the birs which disappear into the plain after a few hundred meters.

These two basins provide the basic sequence for the early Upper Pleistocene. Several distinct lithostratigraphic units from the framework for the sequence. It is composed of lacustrine and eolian events associated with human occupations as well as rich vertebrate and invertebrate faunas.

The first occupation is on plateau carbonates and the underlying sands. There are numerous Acheulian sites, and the tools found are characterized by less abraded tools, some have faces that are almost completely fresh. Next is a layer of limestone remains with deflated sands surrounding the limestone. Artifacts there consist of Upper Acheulian tools, mostly bifaces, all heavily abraded. Several of the tools found apparently represented artifacts that were worked or thrown in from the adjacent Acheulian campsites.

After this level is the final Acheulian springs, with occasional Acheulian bifaces found there. Some faunal remains found were ostrich eggshell, a tooth belonging to a warthog, and other bones. This period ended when the spring dried up. This was followed by a significant period of eolian erosion.

After this, a Mousterian culture existed during a period of dune formation. Therefore, the Mousterian artifacts are heavily sandblasted. The tools found were denticulates and notches. After the dune there was an intricate series of lacustrine, shore and inblown sediments. There are several Mousterian occupations. These people probably lived near a shoreline, and slight differences in elevations of artifacts may be accounted for by changes in the shoreline. There are several layers, a black layer, a sand layer, a vegetation layer, and silt layers separated by a burnt layer. After the silt layer is a layer of marl. Both the sand layer and the vegetation layer contain an extensive Mousterian settlement. The silt and marl units represent an expanding lake. After this, a dune began forming on the sites, which were then covered by new units of silts. Large amounts of mollusks including land snails were found here.

Aswan

The Nile river as we know it, is the main artery for Nubia and Egypt. The present course of the river is traceable to at least 25,000 years ago and is the determining factor of the topography of the region. Basically a rainless area for the majority of the year, it is encountered by annual flooding which makes this a more viable and habitable place to live. Tributaries of the Nile swell when late summer rains cause floods from the Ethiopia plateau region. This is all pertinent information for the following reason; to gain control of the Nile River and it’s flooding tendencies – construction of the first Aswan Dam began in 1899.

Aswan was marked as the gateway to Egypt from the south, standing as the chief outpost of the pharaohs. Also obviously, this is the place where the arrival of the annual Nile River flood was signaled. More significantly, the area provided granite for many ancient monuments throughout Egypt from it’s quarries.

Aswan has two main archeological surveys, the first being an extensive one taking place from 1907-1911 by gentlemen named Maclver and Woolley from the University of Pennsylvania. Specifically this site, of Karanog, included an extensive village, cemetery, and governor’s palace of the Meroitic people. By studying the artifacts found, this expedition was able to contribute detailed information about the culture these people lived so many years ago.

The second archeological task of more significance is that of the Temple of Isis. This was a temple built in the Ptolemaic period (332-330 BC). At the time it was known as a sanctity of the popular Isis cult and a strong contender to early Christianity. Isis was the goddess of motherhood and sexuality. The temple itself was found on the island of Philae in the river near Aswan. But due to the inundated waters caused by the Aswan Dam, the island of Philae is no more. For this reason, an international team of archeologist, (UNESCO), transported. The Temple of Isis and all other monuments to nearby Aglika island only 500 feet away. Most of the original structures have been reconstructed, and to this day remain a popular tourist attraction for Egypt and the Aswan area. There is even a sound and light show that tours you through the ruins.

Adulis

Adulis is a port city on the Red Sea. Throughout most of ancient times it stood in the forefront of trade between Yemen and the cities of Nubia. Even more impressive in this region was the city of Aksum, home of the Aksumites. Some say that the Aksum Kingdom was thriving in the first century BC. Like most cities that thrived and grew, Adulis and Aksum can contribute their success to the geographic location of the city.

Situated between the Red Sea and the Atbara River in present day Ethiopia, Aksum sat in the middle of great trade routes. Many consider the Aksum Kingdom to be one of Africa's greatest civilizations along with Egypt and Meroe (Munro 1). Adulis, with its churches and palaces built of local basalt, became Aksum's chief port though still ruled by its hereditary rulers, the kings of Gabaz. From Adulis, the treasures of Africa including gold, emeralds, obsidian, ivory, spices and slaves were shipped off to Egypt, Rome, India and Sri Lanka. Imported into this port were a variety of important materials including, metalwork, iron weaponry, wine, olive oil, fabrics and glassware.

Abu Simbel

The site of Abu Simbel has an interesting history. The first part of the name, Abu, means holy man or saint. It began as a temple constructed in Nubia by the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II. The temple was to symbolize his power and his divine nature. At the entrance of the temple are four statues each measuring 65 feet in height. Although the temple was built primarily as a dedication to the gods of Amon-Ra, Ptah, and Ra-Harakhte, these statues are of the great pharaoh Ramesses II. The statue to the left of the entrance became damaged when, in ancient times, an earthquake is thought to have broken off the head and torso. Directly above the entrance is a statue of Ra-Harakhte, one manifestation of the sun god. The temple faces east so that it welcomes the rising sun. On the upper most level of the entrance is a row of baboon statues.

The entrance of the temple leads to a large hall that has gigantic pillars with figures of Osiris in front of them. This hall leads to a chamber that holds statues of Ptah, Amon-Ra, Ra-Harakhte, and Ramesses II. On two days during the year, once in late February and once in late October, the first beams of sunlight hit this chamber and illuminate the statues. In addition to this temple, Ramesses II had another smaller temple built. It was named The Temple of Hathor, in honor of both the goddess Hathor and his wife Nefertari. Like its larger counterpart, the Temple of Hathor has statues surrounding its entrance. It has six statues standing 33 feet high. There are two of Ramesses with one of Nefertari dressed as Hathor flanking them. Smaller statues of their children flank theirs. Unlike all other Nubian temples, Abu Simbel was left alone and not turned into a church by later religions. It stayed the same until J.L. Burckhardt discovered it in 1813.

After being discovered in 1813 by J.L. Burckhardt, the temples were a tourist attraction for Victorians who were visiting Egypt, even while being partly buried beneath the sand. The temples stayed in the same place until the 1960's. During this time the Aswan High Dam was built. Because of the placement of the dam in relation to the temples, the Egyptian Government found both temples would end up being close to 163 feet underwater when the dam was completed. They then received funds from the United Nations to move the temples to a higher location. The effort cost $39 million. The temples were dismantled and reconstructed 195 feet above where they were originally built. Each temple was rebuilt in the exact relationship as they had been. The broken statue was not even changed, so as to keep the original look. Originally, the temples were carved out of the side of a sandstone cliff. Since the reconstruction moved them to the top, an artificial mountain was created around them.