Egypt

A Condensed History of the Dakhleh Oasis – Part 1

Mummy's Wrap

Often overlooked by the mainstream, the oases in the Western Desert of Egypt offer a unique view to the history of ancient Egypt. The history of the oases parallels the history of the Nile Valley, but there is a more rustic view. Of the oases, the Dakhleh Oasis, one of the furthest oases from the Nile Valley, shines as an archaeological star, presenting to the world an almost uninterrupted chronology of ancient Egypt stretching from the Predynastic period through modern times. This paper will touch upon each ancient Egyptian era until the Graeco-Roman period, bringing together a number of sources, but focusing mostly on the archaeological records supplied by the scientists working in Dakhleh.

Two teams of archaeologists currently work in Dakhleh. Monash University in Australia excavates at the sites of Deir Abu Metta, Muzawwaqa, Ismant el-Kharab or ancient Kellis, and Mut el-Kharab.[1] New York University (NYU) has recently taken over the American work in Dakhleh from Columbia University.[2] NYU is excavating the sites Amheida and Ain el-Gedida. The archaeological site records produced by both these institutions were invaluable to the following research.

Before it is possible to view a snapshot of ancient Egyptian history through the lens of the Dakhleh Oasis, the oases must be first examined from the perspective of the Nile Valley, albeit briefly.

- Book Review: Vernacular Mud Brick Architecture In The Dakhleh Oasis
PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, 7(3) (2010) Nicholas Warner about Schijns, W. With contributions from O. Kaper & J. Kila. 2008. Vernacular Mud Brick Architecture in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt and the Design of the Dakhleh Oasis...

- Investigations At Amheida
Live Science (Rob Goodier) A trench that was cut through collapsed mud bricks and the compacted debris of buildings leveled centuries ago is revealing a dusty scene of roof-topped streets in ancient Amheida, a city marooned on an oasis deep in Egypt’s...

- Learning About The Oases Of The Western Desert
Greek and Roman Studies blog (Aislinn Lowry) The past few weeks in Dakhleh have been spent largely in the classroom learning about the Oases of the Western Desert, Dakhleh especially. We have been collectively learning about this astounding Oasis’...

- New Museum For Dakhleh Oasis Announced
http://tinyurl.com/ys8gtx (sis.gov.eg) "The Supreme Council for Antiquities started construction works on the first ever museum on Egyptian deserts sciences and prehistoric monuments in Al-Dakhlah oasis of the New Valley. Farouk Hosni Culture Minister...

- Current World Archaeology Magazine 21
http://www.archaeology.co.uk/cwa/issues/cwa21/cwa21.htmCWA 21 features an article on Dakhleh Oasis: "What was life like in an Egyptian oasis? The Dakhleh oasis is huge - today it is home to some 70,000 people - and the Dakhleh Oasis Project has been charting...

Egypt