Egyptian archaeologists have made significant discoveries in a Greco-Roman cemetery located in the Nile Delta, Beheira province, near the Mediterranean coast. The site, dating back over 2,300 years, reveals the evolution of funerary practices spanning six centuries, highlighting its historical importance.
Excavations at the Tell Kom Aziza site uncovered burials dating from approximately 332 B.C. to 395 A.D. These findings provide insights into varying burial practices and the transformation of the site from a settlement into a cemetery. Nevine El-Aref, media adviser to the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, emphasized the site’s significance as it illustrates the transition of a settlement into a major burial ground through different ancient eras.
“This is a very important discovery because it sheds light on and reveals more details about the site.” — Nevine El-Aref
Researchers uncovered diverse burial methods, ranging from simple pit burials to graves lined with mudbricks and painted plaster coffins. According to Dr. Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, burials featured both individual and collective arrangements, with orientations along north-south and east-west axes. Variations in hand positions included hands folded, crossed over the pelvic region, or arms in the “Osirian pose” crossing the chest, as well as arms positioned alongside the thighs.
Khaled Abdel Ghany Farhat, the excavation team leader, interpreted these differences as possibly reflecting social distinctions, variations in ritual practices, or development within the same funerary tradition.
A unique find at the site was the complete skeletal remains of two wild boars. These animals are associated with Seth, an ancient Egyptian deity linked to chaos and violence. Mohamed Abdel Badi, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, noted the difficulty in determining the purposes of these remains, which might relate to ritual significance or economic activities.
Pottery fragments were discovered ranging from the Egyptian Old Kingdom, around 2686 to 2181 B.C., to the subsequent Greco-Roman period about 2,000 years later. Domestic items such as amphorae, burial jars, bread molds, and bread trays indicate prolonged or recurring use of the site over millennia.
“Excavation work at the site is still ongoing in order to uncover more secrets, understand the history of the location and its development over time.” — Nevine El-Aref
The ongoing work aims to uncover more information, understand the site’s history, and piece together human activity patterns in the area.