Satellites hovering above Egypt have zoomed in on a 1,600-year-old metropolis, archaeologists say.

Images captured from space pinpoint telltale signs of previous habitation in the swatch of land 200 miles south of Cairo, which digging recently confirmed as an ancient settlement dating from about 400 A.D.

The find is part of a larger project aiming to map as much of ancient Egypt's archaeological sites, or "tells," as possible before they are destroyed or covered by modern development.

"It is the biggest site discovered so far," said project leader Sarah Parcak of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "Based on the coins and pottery we found, it appears to be a massive regional centre that traded with Greece, Turkey and Libya..."

Ancient Egyptian City Spotted From Space, Heather Whipps, LiveScience, USA, June 05, 2007.

cf. Satellites find ancient Egyptian metropolis, Heather Whipps, LiveScience via MSNBC, USA, June 06, 2007.

Previously:

Scientist Races to Save Ancient Egypt, May 24, 2007.

Little did I know what I was in for when I entered a practically empty Cairo International Airport shortly before dawn on May 22 for the return trip to Florida.

The Air France agent was pleasant. She checked my e-ticket, issued my boarding passes and nodded when I asked to have my bag checked through to Gainesville.

But when I went through security, the fun not began. A guard sitting in front of a computer terminal said, “Scissors.”

“Scissors?”

“Scissors,” he repeated...

Egypt, a vibrant land of contrasts and contradictions. Final part: The return to the US was the trip from hell, Bev Conover, Online Journal, June 07, 2007.

Previously:

Egypt, a vibrant land of contrasts and contradictions. Part 3: People, politics and economics, June 06, 2007.

Egypt, a vibrant land of contrasts and contradictions. Part 2: Cairo and Alexandria, June 05, 2007.

Egypt, a vibrant land of contrasts and contradictions. Part 1: Getting there, June 05, 2007.

Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman have embarked on another motorcycle journey after their round the world trip in 'Long Way Round'. This time they are travelling from John O'Groats in Scotland to Cape Town South Africa on BMW motorcycles. Their journey is being documented and will air in the autumn (fall) of this year as Long Way Down.

Yesterday they were in Cairo and were also interviewed for the Chris Moyles BBC Radio 1 breakfast show.

The site contains a daily blog of their journey - the Cairo one is linked below which also includes a video and the Radio 1 interview.

Long Way Down - Cairo, Egypt, Charley Boorman, BBC TV, UK, June 06, 2007.

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