Wadi el-Jarf Ancient Port
وادي الجرف
Egypt · Red Sea
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?
- It allows the route of limestone transported to the pyramid construction site to be traced through daily records.
- It shows that port facilities with warehouses and administrative oversight were used in the early 4th Dynasty.
- 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
- ifao.egnet.net
- smithsonianmag.com
- ancientportsantiques.com
- en.wikipedia.org
- Fransız Doğu Arkeolojisi Enstitüsü — Pierre Tallet söyleşisi
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- Dahshur Necropolis 174 km
- Saqqara Necropolis 177 km
- Giza Pyramids and Necropolis 191 km
- Amarna 221 km
- Tell el-Dab'a / Avaris 225 km
- Tanis 244 km
- —
- —
- 12.000
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