Tag: Avaris

Radar Reveals Ancient Egyptian City at Tell El-Dab’a

Egypt’s Cultural Minister Farouk Hosni announced today that the Austrian mission at Tell el-Daba has located the southern suburban quarters of the ancient city of Avaris, the capital of the Hyksos in the Second Intermediate Period (1664-1569 BC). The excavation team found this area using a combination of magnetometry and resistivity surveys.

Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said that the computer-generated images of the city, which is still buried under the ground, show a very detailed layout of ancient Avaris. Several architectural features including houses, temples, streets, cemeteries and palaces can be seen. The team has also been able to make out the arrangement of neighborhoods and living quarters

Using such a special scientific survey to locate such a city is the only way to gain a better understanding of such a large area at one time, Hawass pointed out.

Tell-el Dab’ais strategically placed, giving whoever controls it access to the Sinai, Levant and southern Egypt. It was abandoned for a time, after the Hyksos were driven out of Egypt. It was rebuilt during the 18th dynasty of Egypt. It included three palaces, indicating that it was used by Egyptian royalty. The most astonishing finds so far were the Minoan frescoes that decorated two of the palaces. These depict bull-leaping scenes. They are similar in many respects to the frescoes painted at the Palace of Knossos in Crete.

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Dr. Irene Forstner-Mller, Director of the mission said that approximately 2.6 square kilometers have been investigated using a combination of geophysical survey and excavation.

She explained that the aim of the magnetometric and resistivity surveys were to define the borders of ancient Avaris. The team has succeeded in identifying a collection of houses and a possible harbor area. A series of pits of different sizes are also visible but their function has not yet been determined.

Magnetometry and resistance tomography form just two of the new techniques being employed by archaeologists when undertaking geophysical survey and sub-surface investigations who also implement topographic mapping, drill coring, GPR and laser scanning, indicating how technology is changing the trade.

Underground Nile Delta City is Ancient Hyksos Capital of Avaris, say Experts

An underground city discovered in the Nile Delta is the Hyksos capital city of Avaris, says Egypt’s Minister of Culture. Farouk Hosni made the claim to Chinese news agency Xinhua in the wake of the discovery at Tell El-Dab’a, in the Delta’s north eastern limits, by an Austrian archaeological team.

SCA Chief Zahi Hawass says radar imaging at the site shows the outlines of streets, temples and houses of the long-lost city, which became the capital of Egypt between 1664 and 1569 BC. (explore the image)

Austrian team leader Irene Mueller says a Nile river tributary which passed through the city, two buried islands, a port and different sized wells are also among the findings.

Avaris was the principle city of the Hyksos, a rebel Asiatic people who invaded Egypt during the Second Intermediate Period. They never extended their empire into Upper Egypt, however, which remained in the hands of Theban Egyptian rulers.

The discovery follows years of underwater exploration at Alexandria and Taposiris Magna (watch a video here) in the hunt for the palace and tomb of Cleopatra. An exhibition of Cleopatra’s relics is currently on show at Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute – click here for a slideshow and artefact details.

Tomb of Ken-Amun is First Ramesside Tomb Discovered in Lower Egypt

excavations at tell-el-maskhuta lower egypt still continue after the discovery of a 19th dynasty tomb The first ever Ramesside period tomb has been found in Lower Egypt. The 3300-year-old tomb – belonging to Ken-Amun, a government official – has been discovered by an SCAmission at Tell el-Maskhuta. The excavations have also revealed 35 Roman tombs.

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In a statement released by the antiquities council, Dr Zahi Hawass reported that the tomb is of very high quality, and beautifully decorated and inscribed with scenes known from the Ramesside Period. It dates to the 19th Dynasty (1315-1201 BC) and is constructed of mud brick and consists of a rectangular room with a domed ceiling made of stone, and a deep square-shaped shaft.

Inside the tomb a large limestone sarcophagus containing inscriptions on the inner and outer surface was found.

The tomb walls are decorated with scenes depicting the owner of the tomb and inscribed with the titles of the deceased, Ken-Amun, and the name of his wife, Isis. Ken-Amun was overseer of the royal records and Isis was a singer of the god Atum.

The ancient tomb is decorated in sunken relief with different religious and funerary scenes; the most important scenes are one from the Book of the Dead Chapter 125, as well as one of women mourning the dead. Other important scenes include a depiction of the goddess Hathor in the shape of a cow, emerging from the Delta marshes, as well as a scene of the four sons of Horus.

Excavations will continue at the site, and conservation and restoration work will begin at the tomb. The discovery of this tomb will provide information about the history of the Delta and the geography of the area, as well as the relationship between this area and the eastern border of Egypt during the Ramesside period. This period encompasses the 19th and 20th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. It is named after ‘Ramesses’ (one to eleven), the name taken by the majority of the rulers of Egypt dating to this period of time.

Map of Avaris Cairo TEll el-maskhuta, ismalia suez canal In addition to this tomb, the excavation has found 35 tombs dating to the Roman Period, as well as a limestone stela inscribed with hieroglyphs containing the name of the Hyksos capital Avaris (near the modern city Tell el-Dab’a). The stela depicts the god Set in front of an unnamed 19th Dynasty King. The stela confirms the relationship between the site at Tell el-Maskhuta and Avaris.

Tell el-Maskhuta is located in the Wadi Tumilat near the eastern branch of the Nile that connects with the Suez Canal. When the Suez Canal was being constructed, many sphinx statues of Ramesses II were found. It is known that the ancient city at Tell el-Maskhuta contained a settlement in the Ramesside Period with a temple for Atum as well as a garrison, which stored supplies to equip the ancient Egyptian army before they went east to the border on their military campaigns.

Together with yesterday’s announcement of the 14 Graeco-Roman tombs discovered at the Bahariya Oasis, this brings the total to 49 Roman Tombs, one female Roman mummy and one Ramesside tomb in less than 48 hours.

Oldest Babylonian Cuneiform Seal Fragment in Egypt Discovered, at Hyksos Capital of Avaris

Austrian archaeologists have unearthed the oldest cuneiform seal inscription fragment ever found in Egypt. The piece dates to the Old Babylonian reign of King Hammurabi, who brought the world its first code of law, between 1792 – 1750 BC. Egypt’s culture minister Farouk Hosni announced the discovery today, made by the Austrian Archaeological Mission in a pit at Tel El-Daba, modern name of ancient Avaris, 120km north-east of Cairo in the Nile Delta.

Dr Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s antiquities chief, noted the seal was the second of its type excavated in the region. The first seal had been found in the palace of Hyksos King Khayan, who ruled Egypt between 1653 – 1614 BC. The previous oldest cuneiform seals had been found at Akhenaten‘s rogue capital city Amarna.

“The Hyksos had foreign relations and connections in the Near East that reached southern Mesopotamia.”

Austrian mission leader Dr Manfred Bietak says the two fragments could have huge repercussions for how the Hyksos, a Delta-based tribe who seized Egypt around ushering in the Second Intermediate Period, maintained ties with the Near East. “They are evidence that the Hyksos had foreign relations and extensive connections in the Near East that at this time reached southern Mesopotamia,” he says.

Avaris is a city steeped in multicultural heritage dating back over 3,000 years. It was first settled by Asiatic tribes around the time of the 12th Dynasty (2000 BC). It was also visited by Minoans, who painted magnificent frescoes on its buildings’ walls. Avaris’ Asiatic inhabitants would become rulers of Egypt around 1650 BC, when King Salitis ascended the throne. The Austrian mission has been present there since 2006 when it unearthed a royal Hyksos palace. A 5th Dynasty building has also been discovered at the site, which experts believe was an administrative centre.