An Egyptian archaeological mission has uncovered an ancient cemetery spanning the Predynastic Period to the Greco-Roman era, along with a settlement dating to the Second Intermediate Period, at the Kom Al-Khelgan archaeological site in Dakahleya governorate. The discovery, announced by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, provides new evidence of the evolution of settlement patterns and burial practices in the eastern Nile Delta over several millennia. Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy praised the Egyptian archaeological team, describing the discovery as an important scientific contribution to the study of the Delta’s history and cultural development. He also commended the expertise of the Egyptian archaeologists leading the excavations. Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the findings underscore the archaeological significance of Kom Al-Khelgan as one of the most promising sites in the eastern Nile Delta. According to El-Leithy, the discoveries document the evolution of settlement patterns, funerary traditions, and human interaction with the surrounding environment from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman period. He added that archaeological excavations at the site are continuing. Evidence of early settlement Mohamed Abdel Badie, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the earliest discoveries date to the Lower Egyptian culture, specifically the Buto I and Buto II phases, which belong to the first half of the fourth millennium BC. The archaeological mission uncovered several simple oval-shaped burial pits carved into sandy soil. The burials were found in different positions, reflecting variations in funerary customs during that period. The graves contained modest funerary offerings, including small handmade pottery vessels and marine oyster shells. According to the ministry, the concentration of burials indicates that the site supported a relatively large population during this early stage of settlement. The mission also uncovered a residential area and a group of tombs dating to the Second Intermediate Period and continuing into the New Kingdom. The settlement remains include mud-brick structures, grain storage silos, ovens, and hearths, offering valuable insights into the daily lives and economic activities of the communities that inhabited the site. Excavations also revealed a series of distinctive sinusoidal mud-brick walls surrounding residential and funerary structures. This architectural style was widely used from the Middle Kingdom through the New Kingdom. Archaeologists further recovered pottery vessels, stone tools, and large quantities of fish, bird, and animal bones, providing evidence of the diet and everyday practices of the settlement’s inhabitants during the Second Intermediate Period. Evidence of Hyksos-era occupation The mission also uncovered several tombs dating to the 15th through 17th Dynasties and the early New Kingdom, indicating that the site remained inhabited during the Hyksos period. According to the ministry, the site’s proximity to Avaris—the Hyksos capital in the eastern Delta—adds particular archaeological significance to the discovery. The tombs vary in design, including mastaba-style burials and tombs featuring decorative cornices. Preliminary studies have identified differences in burial positions, age groups, and funerary customs. Associated grave goods include jewellery, amulets, scarabs, tools, bronze weapons, pottery vessels, and Tell el-Yahudiya ware, a distinctive type of pottery associated with the Second Intermediate Period. Hisham Hussein, Head of the Central Administration of Lower Egypt Antiquities, said the mission also discovered a mud-brick tomb dating to the beginning of the 18th Dynasty. The tomb contained pottery vessels and bronze tools, while archaeologists also uncovered the foundations of a substantial mud-brick structure with thick walls. Pottery fragments and stone tools recovered from the building’s floor date it to the early New Kingdom. Kom Al-Khelgan continued to be used during the Ptolemaic period as well. Excavations uncovered several simple burial pits, including the burial of a child placed inside two reused amphorae that served as a burial container. The ministry noted that this funerary practice is characteristic of the period and provides further evidence of the site’s continuous occupation across successive phases of Egyptian history. Excavations at Kom Al-Khelgan are ongoing, with archaeologists expecting further discoveries that will deepen understanding of the site’s long history of human settlement and its role in the development of the eastern Nile Delta. The post Archaeological discovery in Dakahleya uncovers thousands of years of human settlement first appeared on Dailynewsegypt.
