A Blocked-Out Capital from Berenike (Egyptian Red Sea Coast) (original) (raw)
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Key information on the location, size and dating of the Ptolemaic fortifications of Berenike Trogodytika comes from archaeological excavations carried out in 2013–2015, following the 2012 season when the presence of military architecture in the Red Sea harbor was first discovered and identified (Woźniak and Rądkowska 2014). Sections of a thick wall constructed of gypsum anhydrite blocks on a wide foundation were recorded in the northern part of the site (trenches BE-13/90 and BE13-93). The wall was part of the defenses protecting the harbor from the north, the only land access to the site through marshy ground on the fringes of the so-called " northern lagoon ". Further work in trenches BE14-97 in 2014 and BE15-104 in 2015 uncovered the remains of a well-preserved early Hellenistic fortified city gate, built of gypsum anhydrite blocks and chunks of coral. The complex has no parallel at present anywhere in the Red Sea region. A series of shallow basins interconnected by pipes made of truncated necks of early Hellenistic amphorae, found east of the gate, probably collected rainwater. The water function? of the gate was confirmed further by a large basin or cistern, about 1 m deep, abutting the complex on the southwest. A subterranean network of four rock-cut chambers was discovered at the bottom of the internal gate chamber. A corridor in the east wall of the gate shaft, with a covered channel in the floor, led off to the northeast, in the direction of a rectangular anomaly observed on the magnetic map, a possible second rock-cut shaft.
American Journal of Archaeology, 2021
Excavations at Berenike (Trogodytika) on the Red Sea coast of Egypt provide a foundation date in the third quarter of the third century BCE, which corroborates Pliny the Elder's (HN 6.33.168) claim that Ptolemy II Philadelphus (ca. 285/2-246 BCE) established the port. Named after Philadelphus' mother, Berenike is the only archaeologically attested Hellenistic-era Red Sea emporium. According to literary evidence, it was one of about a dozen founded by early Ptolemaic rulers along the African coast. Study of Berenike's artifacts and ecofacts has confirmed the presence of elephants and has provided data on the diet of the residents and the location, acquisition, and distribution of drinking water. Research has also documented industrial and economic activities. This report presents highlights of these studies. 1 introduction The early Ptolemaic government explored the African Red Sea coast for political, military, commercial, and scientific reasons. One result was the creation of a chain of permanent harbors and bases, among them Berenike, located at 23°54'62"N, 35°28'53"E, approximately 825 km south-southeast of Suez and 260 km east of Aswan (fig. 1). The foundation of Berenike required the creation of a transportation system that supported exploration, construction, and security and linked the Nile Valley to the coast via the Eastern Desert. 2 This infrastructure facilitated movement of material, animals, and information between Berenike, other Red Sea ports, and the Nile Valley. At Berenike itself, ensuring that food supplies, drinking water, protection against external threats, and settlement organization and operation were in place amidst extreme environmental conditions was paramount. 3 Permanent stations in the desert between the Red Sea and the Nile were essential for coastal settlements. 4 Government officials, military forces, and
Berenike Trogodytika: a Hellenistic fortress on the Red Sea coast, Egypt
Antiquity (Project Gallery), 2018
The ruins of Berenike Trogodytika have long attracted travellers searching for the remains of the famous Graeco-Roman port on the Red Sea. It was not until 2012, however, that the Berenike Project team were able to identify the location and size of the legendary Berenike of the Ptolemies.
The Origins of Terraced Temples in Egypt
Archäologischer Anzeiger, 2024
Some scholars have suggested that the design of Hellenistic terraced sanctuaries was based on Egyptian prototypes. On the basis of several new observations on Egyptian architecture, the paper proposes to re-frame the question in a new con-text. Recent studies on changes in the ancient landscape indicates, for example, that the valley temples of the Old Kingdom did not stand next to harbor basins, but on terraces within garden enclosures. They therefore could be regarded as precursors to the terraced temples of the Middle and New Kingdoms at Deir el-Bahari. This tradi-tion appears to have been revived in the Late Period temples at Sakkara, including the temple of Imhotep/Asklepios. This building may be the ›missing link‹ between Egyptian and Hellenistic architecture: both the temple of Imhotep at Sakkara and the sanctuary of Asklepios at Kos were embellished by Ptolemy II. The paper suggests new perspectives on Egyptian-Hellenistic cultural contacts.
The Journal of Ancient Egyptian Architecture 1, 2016 (full text)
http://www.egyptian-architecture.com/JAEA1/Contents The Journal of Ancient Egyptian Architecture is a scientific, open access and annual periodical. Its purpose is to promote the publication of research devoted to Ancient Egyptian architecture (domestic, civil, military, ritual/religious and funerary), from the Predynastic Period to the Roman imperial era, whatever the modern geographical context (Egypt, Sudan, Near East, etc.). The subject scope includes everything relating to construction, regardless of its original importance or purpose. The journal publishes fieldwork reports and studies undertaken in the Egyptological tradition, including discussions of epigraphy and iconography, but also work that utilizes specific skills such as structural and materials sciences, or modern investigative techniques. In this way, JAEA seeks to encourage the development of detailed technical descriptions, and deeply theorized understanding (of architectural symbolism, propaganda, climatic and geological influences, etc.). This interdisciplinary approach will help connect adjacent areas of expertise which, alone, could not reflect the richness and complexity of the Ancient Egyptian built heritage. The periodical welcomes any study that meets any one of these goals, only on the condition that the formatting and content of articles are subject to JAEA scientific publication requirements.
Archaeological Excavations at Berenike (Red Sea Coast), Egypt, in Winter 2023
Thetis 28, 2024
In winter 2023 the Berenike project excavated, in whole or in part, seven trenches. Four of them were at and adjacent to the entrance of the Isis temple; two were in the “Northern Complex”; an additional one was in the western-most part of the site at the Hellenistic/Ptolemaic hydraulic facilities. Results furthered our knowledge about the appearance and dates of construction and repair of the Isis temple entrance, portico and adjacent areas in the 1st through 5th-6th centuries AD and documented further the religious activities that took place in the Northern Complex from the 1st century BC to the 5th century AD. Excavation of a trench in the western part of the site expanded our knowledge about the water supply system in Hellenistic/ Ptolemaic times and transformation of that area into a cemetery in the early Roman period.
Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean
The report brings a comprehensive summary of archaeological fieldwork and survey carried out in Berenike on the Red Sea coast of Egypt and in the Eastern Desert hinterland over the course of two seasons in 2014 and 2015. The completed magnetic map of the site is discussed in some detail, assessing the potential for future excavations. The report covers the most important discoveries of the two seasons, which include fragments of Middle Kingdom Pharaonic stelae, possibly pushing back the foundation of the harbor, archaeological evidence of a rock-cut watercollection system forming part of the Hellenistic-age fortifications and two inscribed stone bases, one of which records a secretary of an aromatics warehouse at Berenike, discovered undisturbed in the courtyard of the Great Temple of Berenike (also called the Serapis Temple). A previously unknown religious(?) complex was discovered on the western outskirts of the site thanks to work with Corona satellite imagery. In turn, analysis ...
Abstract: Berenike was a gateway to the distant lands of Africa and the Indian Ocean littoral and the archaeological record from the site testifies to the scope and rich array of goods passing through this Red Sea port. However, investigation of the Hellenistic origins of the town began in earnest only after a full magnetic survey was completed of the western fringes of the site where the Ptolemaic foundation was believed to have been established. Recent excavations in 2010 and 2012 have contributed important new data about the architecture of this part of the town. Of particular interest were the remains of a presumed tetrapyrgion associated with a huge defensive complex, roughly 150 m by 80 m in size, which may have been used, among other things, for bringing through wild elephants from Africa imported for use by the Ptolemaic army. This contribution initiates a series of articles by the author on the Hellenistic defenses now under excavation at Berenike, presenting an overview of the location and structure of the great fort/base of Berenike Trogodytika and its role in the network of military harbors on the Red Sea coast, and the posts on the routes and fortified outposts of the Eastern Desert.