Taposiris Magna
Abousir / Abūṣīr
Egypt · Alexandria
In brief
Harbor, bath and cemetery areas have been excavated in the ancient city north of Lake Mareotis. Investigations have shown that the settlement continued to be used for some time after the Arab conquest.
What was found?
- 1Greek-style baths
The baths on the Breccia terrace document Greek-style communal bathing practices. Together with the nearby animal mummy cemetery, they show the coexistence of different cultural practices.
- 2Harbor warehouses
The later-period warehouses in the harbor area help explain the city's role in the circulation of goods. Excavations associate them with lively trade in Late Antiquity.
- 3Animal mummy necropolis
The small cemetery below the Temple of Osiris contains mummified animals. It documents Egyptian religious practices involving sacred animals.
- 4Roman-Byzantine baths
Excavations revealed that these baths were repaired and remained in use until at least the 8th century AD. They show that life in the city continued after the Arab conquest.
- 5Transport amphorae
The ceramic record includes transport amphorae dated to the middle of the 6th century AD and the late 6th–early 7th century AD. They provide concrete examples of the forms and dates of vessels used in trade.
What does it point to?
With its harbor and warehouses, Taposiris Magna held an important place in trade and transit west of İskenderiye. The proximity of the baths and the animal mummy cemetery shows that practices of Greek and Egyptian origin continued in the same city.
What did it teach us?
- The harbor warehouses documented commercial activity in the 5th–7th centuries AD.
- The Arab conquest was shown not to have brought the city's inhabited life to an abrupt end.
- Greek-style bathing and the Egyptian cult of sacred animals were shown to have existed side by side.
Images
Record
- Culture
- Hellenistic Egyptian, Roman and Byzantine
- Team / historical
- Joint Egyptian-Dominican mission led by Kathleen Martínez; also a French mission affiliated with IFAO
- Coordinates
- 30.9464°, 29.5191°
Sources
Nearby excavations
- Buto 120 km
- Giza Pyramids and Necropolis 189 km
- Saqqara Necropolis 202 km
- Dahshur Necropolis 206 km
- Tanis 225 km
- Amarna 391 km
- —
- —
- 12.000
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All excavation sites (395)
Türkiye
- Acemhöyük
- Aizanoi
- Alabanda
- Alacahöyük
- Amos
- Ani
- Aphrodisias
- Arslantepe Mound
- Aspendos
- Assos
- Ayanis Fortress
- Aşıklı Höyük
- Barcın Höyük
- Blaundus
- Boncuklu Höyük
- Can Hasan I
- Carchemish
- Claros Sanctuary
- Clazomenae
- Domuztepe
- Ephesus
- Euromus
- Gordion
- Göbekli Tepe
- Hadrianopolis in Paphlagonia
- Hattusha
- Hierapolis
- Iasos
- Kaman-Kalehöyük
- Karahantepe
- Karatepe-Aslantaş
- Kaunos
- Kibyra
- Knidos
- Kültepe-Kanesh
- Laodicea on the Lycus
- Letoon Sanctuary
- Limyra
- Magnesia on the Maeander
- Medieval City of Beçin
- Metropolis in Ionia
- Miletus
- Myra
- Nemrut Dağ
- Nysa on the Maeander
- Olympus in Lycia
- Oymaağaç Höyük — Nerik
- Patara
- Pergamon
- Perge
- Phaselis
- Priene
- Sagalassos
- Sanctuary of Apollo at Didyma
- Sanctuary of Labraunda
- Sapinuwa
- Sardis
- Sayburç
- Side
- Stratonikeia
- Tell Atchana – Alalakh
- Teos
- Tripolis on the Meander
- Troy
- Uluburun Shipwreck
- Xanthos
- Yenikapı – Theodosian Harbour Excavations
- Yeşilova Höyük
- Yumuktepe
- Zerzevan Castle
- Zeugma
- Zincirli Höyük — Sam'al
- Çatalhöyük
- Çavuştepe Fortress
- Çayönü
- Çukuriçi Höyük
