A remarkable discovery has been made in Egypt’s western desert, according to archaeologists with the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquity.
The surprisingly well-preserved remains, which represent a Byzantine-era city, are located approximately 350 kilometers from the Nile in the New Valley Governorate within the Dakhla Oasis, one of the country’s several oases.
Features unearthed during excavations include residential and religious structures, one comprising an ancient Byzantine church which has been characterized as a basilica-style structure, as well as numerous artifacts, including pottery and coins featuring the likeness of Byzantine emperors and Christian symbols accompanied by Latin.
The church is believed to date to the middle of the fourth century and is situated near the entrance to the city. Nearby, a pair of towers once stood, which were used as lookout posts for defending the location.
An Ancient Egyptian City Resurfaces
The newly uncovered structures offer a unique glimpse at the lives of Egyptians during an era when the country was a part of the Byzantine Empire.
Hisham el-Leithy, Egypt’s Secretary General with the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that several thoroughfares were evident in the areas uncovered during excavations, which point to large public squares and open spaces where inhabitants of the ancient city would have once gathered.
One of the structures at the site is believed to have been the domicile of a church deacon dating to the late fourth century, which might have served as a temporary place of worship before construction of the city’s basilica.
Among the other artifacts uncovered at the site were hundreds of pottery fragments, known as ostraca, which are potsherds that were used for writing material.
Inscriptions on the fragments describe elements of daily life that include financial information, lists, and message exchanges between neighbors, according Diaa Zahran, who heads Egypt’s Islamic, Coptic, and Jewish antiquities department.
Additional Discoveries at Nearby Marina el-Alamein
In addition to the ancient Byzantine city, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquity has also revealed discoveries at the nearby site of Marina el-Alamein, located to the west of Alexandria.
There, The Guardian reports that archaeologists have uncovered 18 newly identified tombs, adding to the dozens that were already known at the site.
Archaeologists also found a 2.5-meter granite sarcophagus containing human remains, in addition to a plaster sphinx, and several burials featuring gold pieces placed in the mouths of the deceased—a funerary practice known as the “golden tongue” that reflected ancient beliefs about the afterlife.
Other artifacts uncovered at Marina el-Alamein include pottery, amphorae, lamps, altars, and other funerary artifacts, according to Ministry of Tourism and Antiquity officials.
Presently, skeletal remains that were uncovered within the granite sarcophagus are being studied, according to Eman Abdel-Khaliq, the site’s mission chief.
Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.