| Visited
in 1990 by J and P Spencer: Very large with clear outlines of buried buildings
showing. Surface smoothly contoured by wind and rain. Large scoop dug out
to base from one side - probably for landfill. Roman sherds and glass fragments;
fired bricks on higher parts; one glazed Islamic sherd seen. Identified
by Hogarth with Phragonis.
This site was re-visited and mapped by Penny Wilson in 2004. See Wilson, P., The West Delta Regional Survey, Beheira and Kafr el-Sheikh Provinces, 245-8, 454-62. GPS Coordinates of
Points on the map:
SoE Points:
None noted
Archaeological Material The site covers an enormous extent with two main high mound areas and an outlying smaller hill. The southern mound has a gently sloping top and then drops quite steeply down to the edge of the site. The other sides on the east of both main mounds are cut by rain gullies, some of them quite deep. The northern side of the site has some deeper dug-out holes, perhaps from illicit digging. The mound consists of soft brown earth underfoot with some more compact areas, particularly on the top of the northern hill, where a track runs over the mound. There is quite dense surface coverage of pottery and red brick and some slag in places. No real features can be seen, but geophysical survey work here would show the subsurface structures easily. Medium sized chunks of limestone were noted in the bottom of the rain gullies. On the south-eastern side there is a canal which had been dredged recently and some large pieces of interesting pottery had been thrown out. Fields on this side of the site seemed to also contain pottery, so it is likely that the site extends further still. Building plans are visible on all the flat surfaces of the site, especially on the southern side and also on the eastern side of the northern mound. For a selection of photographs (taken by Penny Wilson), scroll this page. Pottery Pottery was collected from the surface, and seemed to be of Roman-Late Antique date. Diagnostic Types:
Other Finds
Date Mapped: 31 August 2004 (Osman, Rowland, Wilson). The expedition of
Uppsala
University began work in 2006, directed by Paul Sinclair. A systematic
sampling of surface material was carried out. The material recovered was
all of the Late Roman to Islamic Periods. See Egyptian Archaeology
30 (Spring 2007), 30-1 and the website
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Photographs
from a collection made by Penny Wilson in 2004. Copies of others are kept
at the EES London office.
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