By Hassan Saadallah
Suez was not untouched by the ancient Egyptian civilisation. It
actually played a crucial role as a trading and political link with the
Euphrates civilisation until the end of the Roman age. This was
highlighted by excavations and discoveries last year in the Gulf of Suez,
which now brings the number of ancient sites -- dating back to ancient
Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Nabati times -- up to 29, clustered around four
different areas. The first lies south of Suez, embracing l3 sites,
while another, containing ten sites, lies north of Suez. The third
area lies to the west of Suez, with the fourth site found inside the city
itself and includes Tel Al Yahudia and Tel Qalzam.
The newly discovered sites pertain to pre-historic ages and early
dynasties. Excavators found five etched rock panels on Suez Zaafarana
road, spread along a line of about five kilometres. Similar panels
were found to the west of the first site. Circular and oval shaped
quarry worker houses were discovered at Al Khafuri, with pottery chard found
inside the clustered structures.
A quarry -- whose rocks were most probably used in building Amon temple
at Ain Shams in Cairo -- was also found on the Cairo-Suez road. Two
water wells were uncovered near Abu Dawoud at the foot of a mountain which
may have been used for gathering rain water to supply quarry workers with
their needs.
An ad-hoc committee is to be formed by the Supreme Council for
Antiquities to inspect the newly discovered sites, which are to undergo
restoration work as soon as possible.
