Underwater Archaeology at Aswan - Dr Hawass at the Nile

Submitted by Prad on Wed, 11/04/2009 - 20:50

Description

Dr Zahi Hawass examines some of the finds being excavated from the bottom of the River Nile near Aswan, explaining that the river was used as a trade route, with boats carrying various materials and goods along the Nile. Sometimes, boats would sink and with them the goods they carried, which is what is being excavated. Dr Hawass explains that archaeological discoveries are not only found in the desert sands, but also in the waters of the river.

Related Heritage ExpertsZahi Hawass, Sandro Vannini

CreditsSandro Vannini, Dr Zahi Hawass

Transcription

This is a kind of the pieces always made of limestone and granites, with grind granites. And I'm sure you know and that was amazing, this area was completely a market place: going South and North, bringing stuff and cutting these granite pieces that they can do the settlements in Thebes or Luxor or in Memphis in Cairo. And all these could be thrown during this trip. This is very important evidence of what kind of things can be thrown.

This could be coming from the North, from Gebel el-Silsila sandstone quarry. And you know, Aswan had many churches in the Coptic period and this is like a niche that they put in the church. And maybe they did decorate it in workshop nearby Gebel el-Silsila, bring it here and it could be drowned before they reached the church.

You can see some remains here maybe fell down in the past, but for sure that could be a piece that come from Gebel el-Silsila and fell down here. This can show the trade between Aswan and maybe Turkey.

If someone asks me: “Did you succeed, your expedition succeed to bring something?”, I say: “Yes.” What we have thought before that we can dig in the Nile – we can dig in the Nile. It's not enough to dig in the sand.

I'm very happy today, this is a big discovery. And we hope that we continue to make more major discoveries.

I believe that our next season we'll make a survey more to the North from Aswan and to Luxor. That is the area where we can find maybe some huge statue or huge obelisks. And this will be a major discovery.