Wadi el-Jarf Ancient Port

وادي الجرف

Egypt · Red Sea

HarbourIntermittent excavation
Approximate period2,600 BCE — 2,500 BCEOld Kingdom, early 4th Dynasty See on the map ↓

In brief

The port site consists of storage galleries, coastal camps and maritime structures. The papyrus archive provides direct records of maritime organization during the reign of Khufu and the transport of stone from Tura for pyramid construction.

What was found?

  • 1Merer’s journals

    These are the daily work records of Merer, the supervisor of a boat crew. They describe the transport of limestone from Tura to the construction site of the Pyramid of Keops at Giza.

  • 2Stone anchors

    Approximately one hundred boat anchors were stored together in a warehouse. Made of limestone and sandstone, the anchors document the port’s maritime equipment.

  • 3Seal impressions of Keops

    These are clay seal impressions bearing the king’s names. They show the connection between storage, the movement of goods, and royal administration.

  • 4Rock-cut storage galleries

    These are galleries used for boat parts and containers for water and food. They reveal the arrangements for storage and reuse between expeditions.

  • 5Breakwater remains

    These are parts of the harbor structure traced along the shore and underwater. They show that this was a purpose-built harbor.

What does it point to?

The port shows that royal expeditions to the mining regions in Sinai were supported by a planned logistical system. The papyri also reveal the everyday work of the boat crews employed in this system.

What did it teach us?

  1. It allows the route of limestone transported to the pyramid construction site to be traced through daily records.
  2. It shows that port facilities with warehouses and administrative oversight were used in the early 4th Dynasty.
  3. It documents that maritime expeditions and access to mineral resources were organized together.

Record

Culture
Ancient Egypt
Team / historical
Pierre Tallet ve Grégory Marouard; Fransız-Mısır arkeoloji misyonu
Coordinates
28.8917°, 32.6583°

Sources

  1. ifao.egnet.net
  2. smithsonianmag.com
  3. ancientportsantiques.com
  4. en.wikipedia.org
  5. Fransız Doğu Arkeolojisi Enstitüsü — Pierre Tallet söyleşisi

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