Egypt has announced the discovery of a well-preserved Byzantine-era residential city at the Dakhla Oasis, along with 18 ancient tombs at the Marina el-Alamein archaeological site near Alexandria. These findings are the latest in a series of discoveries aimed at bolstering Egypt's tourism sector, a crucial source of foreign currency for the nation.
The city, unearthed in the Dakhla Oasis in Egypt's New Valley province, offers insights into daily life, urban development, and economic activities during the 4th century when Egypt was part of the Byzantine Empire. Archaeologists have identified urban quarters with north-south and east-west thoroughfares, forming public spaces. At the settlement's heart stands a basilica church from the mid-4th century, with remains of two watchtowers found on its outskirts to protect the area. The site also revealed a fortified structure with thick defensive walls and numerous houses featuring reception halls and vaulted roofs.
Among the structures at the Dakhla Oasis is the house of Tisous, believed to have been a deacon and dating to the latter half of the 4th century, possibly serving as a house church prior to the basilica's construction. Evidence of daily life, including bread ovens, kitchens, and stone grinding tools, was also found. Bronze coins bearing portraits of Byzantine emperors and Latin inscriptions, as well as gold coins from the reign of Roman Emperor Constantius II (337-361 AD), were recovered. Approximately 200 pottery fragments, known as ostraca, inscribed with details of commercial transactions and correspondence, were also discovered.
The Dakhla Oasis site is currently on UNESCO's Tentative List, a designation that precedes potential inclusion on the World Heritage List.
Separately, at the Marina el-Alamein archaeological site, located about 100 kilometers west of Alexandria, 18 ancient tombs were uncovered. These include 11 rock-cut tombs and seven surface limestone-built tombs, bringing the total number of tombs found at the site to 48. Archaeologists recovered pottery vessels, amphorae, lamps, plates, altars, and limestone basins from this location. A 2.5-meter-long granite sarcophagus containing skeleton remains, which are undergoing study, was also found, along with the remnants of a plaster sphinx statue. Some of the deceased were found with four gold pieces placed in their mouths, a funerary practice known as "the golden tongue."
Marina el-Alamein is believed to be the ancient Greco-Roman port city of Leukaspis, which was established in the 2nd century and flourished until the 4th century. Excavations at the site began in 1986.
Egypt's tourism industry has shown recovery in recent years, with a record 19 million tourists visiting in the past year, a 21% increase from the previous year. The first four months of the current year saw 6.1 million tourists, compared to 5.7 million during the same period last year.