Late Period Industrial Workshops and Roman Necropolis Unearthed in Western Nile Delta

An Egyptian-Italian archaeological mission, a collaboration between the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) and the University of Padua, has uncovered a series of industrial workshops dating back to the Late Period and the early Ptolemaic era. The excavations at the sites of Kom Al-Ahmar and Kom Wasit in Beheira Governorate also revealed part of a Roman-period necropolis featuring diverse burial styles.

Scientific Significance

Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the SCA, emphasized the importance of this discovery in deepening the understanding of human activity in the Western Nile Delta and the hinterlands of Alexandria.

He noted that these finds provide critical scientific insights into:

Settlement Patterns: How ancient populations organized their living and working spaces.

 Funerary Practices: Changes in burial traditions over centuries.

Regional Networks: Evidence of communication and trade from the Late Period through the Roman and early Islamic eras.

Industrial Hub: From Salted Fish to Faience

Mr. Mohamed Abdel-Badie, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, detailed the layout of the newly discovered industrial zone. The mission uncovered a large building divided into at least six rooms:

 Fish Processing: Two rooms were dedicated to fish treatment, evidenced by the discovery of approximately 9,700 fish bones, indicating a large-scale salted fish industry.

 Craftsmanship: Other rooms were likely used for metalwork, stonework, and the production of faience amulets. Finds included unfinished limestone statues and artifacts in various stages of manufacture.

Trade Indicators: Imported amphorae and Greek pottery fragments help date the workshops' activity to the 5th century BC.

Roman Necropolis and Bio-Archaeological Findings

The mission also excavated a Roman-era cemetery showcasing three distinct burial patterns:

 Direct pit burials in the ground.

Burials within clay coffins (sarcophagi).

Child burials within large amphorae (jars).

Dr. Cristina Mondin, head of the mission from the University of Padua, stated that bio-archaeological studies are currently underway on the remains of 23 individuals, including men, women, teenagers, and children. Preliminary results suggest that these individuals enjoyed relatively good living conditions, with no evidence of major diseases or violent trauma.

Significant Artifacts

Among the notable finds were dozens of intact amphorae and a pair of gold earrings belonging to a young girl. These artifacts have been transferred to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo for further study and restoration.