On Saturday (July 4), Egyptian archaeologists discovered a well-preserved Byzantine-era residential city in Egypt’s Dakhla Oasis, offering new insights into daily life in one of the country’s ancient desert settlements.
It was a discovery Announce It was implemented by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities following excavation work carried out by an Egyptian archaeological mission at the Ain Sabil archaeological site in the New Valley Governorate.
According to the ministry, the city dates back to the Byzantine era (330-1453 AD), and was built entirely of mud brick. The excavations revealed an entire residential settlement, providing archaeologists with new evidence on the urban, social and economic life of the communities living in the oasis for more than 1,600 years.
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathi described This discovery is an important addition to the growing list of archaeological discoveries in Egypt, saying that it highlights the cultural diversity of the country’s desert oases throughout history. He added that this discovery is expected to enhance the archaeological monuments of the New Valley and support ongoing efforts to promote the governorate as a cultural tourism destination.
The city’s layout follows a structured urban plan, with main streets running north-south and intersecting with eastern and western avenues, creating a network of open squares and public spaces. In its center there is a basilica church overlooking one of the main streets of the settlement.
Archaeologists also uncovered a range of architectural features suggesting a fully functioning residential community, including a 4th-century cathedral, the remains of two watchtowers on the outskirts of the city, a fortified structure with thick defensive walls, spacious houses with vaulted roofs, bread ovens, kitchens and stone tools used for grinding grain.
Among the most notable discoveries are the House of Theses, which has been identified as belonging to a church deacon and dates back to the second half of the 4th century AD, and the House of Tapibus, which dates back to the early 4th century and is believed to have served as a house church before the city’s cathedral was built.
The excavations also yielded a group of artifacts that reflect the daily life of the settlement and its economic activity. These products include pottery used for household purposes, small vessels for storing oils and perfumes, oil lamps, and stone grinding tools.
One of the most important discoveries is a group of approximately 200 pottery pieces inscribed in the Coptic and Greek languages. According to the ministry, the texts document commercial transactions, correspondence and other aspects of daily life, and provide a rare glimpse into the administration and economy of Byzantine-era society.
The archaeological mission also found a large number of well-preserved bronze coins bearing images of Byzantine emperors, Latin inscriptions and Christian symbols, in addition to gold coins dating back to the era of Emperor Constantius II, who ruled the Byzantine Empire between 337 and 361 AD.
This discovery adds to a growing body of archaeological evidence from Egypt’s Western Desert, and provides new insight into how communities in the Dakhla Oasis developed during the Byzantine period, enhancing the historical importance of the region beyond the Nile Valley.