BARNUGI  [296]

 

Two Roman cemeteries dug by SCA, unpublished Inscribed dedication to Ptolemy VIII by the Jews of Nitriai probably from here. Blocks of Tuthmosis III and Ramesses II reported by Edgar in 1911. Earlier history shown by presence ofn MK tombs (Edgar in Maspero, Le Musée Egyptien, 2, 109-118). Description of site and remains around 1980 by the American Naukratis Project - low sandy mound with some visible red brick features. Sketch map and ceramics- including African Red Slip and Cypriote Red Slip Wares published. Surface all Roman when seen by Naukratis Survey in late 1970s-80s. Visited by Penny Wilson for the Delta Survey in 2004, see Wilson, P., The West Delta Regional Survey, Beheira and Kafr el-Sheikh Provinces, 160-4, 374-9. The report of 2004 described the site as follows: This site was most extensive covering an area of approximately 560m E-W by 250m N-S. Area roughly divided into two by a canal running north-south. The underlying surface matrix was very sandy on the eastern side but there was more soil in small hills and mounds covered in sharp grass and camel thorn. At the easternmost side there was a football pitch beside the road and leading to the sandiest area of the side. In this sector, there was also a small mound of up to 4m with a tomb to Sidi Sadallah el Ansari on it. At the southern end of the hilly area there was a large limestone block, other fragments of limestone and pottery sherds. In the western sector the small hills had been created by random digging and there were some quite large excavated areas. This area abutted fields and the village on the northern side. There was a black granite block in this area near the track. The sides of the canal did not show much pottery but we collected a good amount from all over the area. Probably the ancient site here continued to the north under the village to Tell el Barnugi north. The dimensions listed here are for the extant area, though there is no real tell and the highest mounds here are no more than 1.5m above the general ground level. It has been well denuded. There are undoubtedly archaeological remains in both parts of the site and under the cemetery mounds. For a view showing the two mounds in Google EarthTM, click the logo

Modern tombs on the mound of Tell Barnugi. Photograph © Dr M D Nenna. Photograph by Penny Wilson, 2004, showing the surface of the site.

Photographs taken in 2004 showing the extent of the mound, the canal, modern tombs and collected sherds. From a selection of 37 photographs in the EES archives (© Dr Penny Wilson).