Friday 7 April 2017

To the east of the Delta plain is Tell Dafana, now under investigation by Sayed abd el Alim and another site first studied by Petrie for the EES and dated to Dynasty 26. The team's excavations focussed on the enclosure walls with buttresses, the main gate, mud-brick foundations of a temple and two series of rectangular magazines where slag from weapon manufacture was found. The pottery included Greek, Phoenician and Levantine storage amphora and finewares. The army had found a stela of Amasis in Year recording a campaign to the east of Egypt. On the west a proposed rail line meant that large-scale rescue excavations had to be carried out revealing a large Saite settlement with tower houses, later used as a cemetery. A ramp or glacis on one side seems to be a protection of the site from the Pelusiac waterway and/or attack. A large casemate building was found many beakers with lids, fire-dogs, red-slipped cylinder jars, pot-bellows - all typical of the Saite period - as well as terracotta horse riders, female figures and faience amulets.

No comments:

Post a Comment