 ʿAin et-Tarākwa, looking north over the temple | ||
| ʿAin et-Tarākwa · عين التراكوة | ||
| Governorate | New valley | |
|---|---|---|
| height | 61 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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'Ain et-Tarakwa (also Ain el-Tarakwa, Arabic:عين التراكوة, ʿAin at-Tarākwa / at-Tarākiwa) is an archaeological site in the north of the egyptian Sink el-Chārga in the Western desert. Here there is a ruined temple complex and remains of settlements from Roman times. Archaeologists will be primarily interested in the remains.
background
ʿAin et-Tarākwa is located 20 kilometers north of el-Chārga, northeast of Qaṣr eḍ-Ḍabāschīya and two kilometers west of the village of Attara (ʿIzbat 55) and designates an ancient settlement.
Ostrich eggshells, flint stones and millstones have been found in the area of the springs, suggesting that these areas were used as far back as prehistoric times. The remains that are visible today only date from the 3rd / 4th centuries. AD century, as evidenced by ceramic finds from this time.
During this time, a small sandstone temple was built within a mud brick wall. There were two springs south of the temple. There were other sources between ʿAin et-Tarākwa and Qaṣr eḍ-Ḍabāschīya, which were used until the 1950s. The water did not come from qanat systems (underground aqueducts), but from natural sources, as is the case in Qaṣr eḍ-Ḍabāschīya and ʿIzbat Muḥammad Ṭuleib was.
The area was reused in Christian times. A mud brick basilica was built south of the temple.
In the vicinity of the temple area there are former settlement structures made of adobe bricks, in particular an area around 100 by 100 meters on the southeast corner. Unfortunately, it is not (yet) possible to determine whether they were created in Roman times or not until Christian times. Eight groups of graves with adobe superstructures were found around 300 meters south of the surrounding wall. There are also six other Roman settlements in the northeast with no local names.
The site is around the middle of the 20th century by the Egyptian Egyptologist Ahmed Fakhry (1905–1973) became known. Since 2003 the area has been re-examined as part of the North Kharga Oasis Survey.
getting there
One leaves el-Munīra to the north and turns off the main road from el-Chārga Asyūṭ at 1 25 ° 37 ′ 2 ″ N.30 ° 38 ′ 41 ″ E west on an asphalt road. You only stay on this asphalt road for a short time and then drive around the agricultural areas to the archaeological site. You need an all-terrain vehicle (4 × 4) or a motorcycle and a local driver.
mobility
The terrain is sandy, so you have to explore the rest of the way on foot.
Tourist Attractions
Much of the site is buried under sand. The sand reaches about up to the height of the lintel of the temple.
The 1 Temple or church area(25 ° 36 ′ 3 ″ N.30 ° 36 ′ 21 ″ E) is 100 meters long (north – south), 85 meters wide and 0.6–1 meters thick Adobe wall surround. The main gate made of sandstone is located in the south of the surrounding wall and had a cove and round bar as decorative elements. The enclosing wall is particularly easy to make out in the west and north. The approaching wall in the north-east can already be seen from afar.
Far to the north of this boundary is the little whitewashed one 2 Sandstone temple(25 ° 36 '4 "N.30 ° 36 ′ 21 ″ E)which is oriented from south to north. The pronaos, the temple vestibule, with the entrance is in the south and leads directly to the sanctuary with its two side rooms. In particular, the rooms on the east side are clearly visible. Today there are only a few remains of architectural jewelry such as round bars at the corners of the temple and coves and round bars above the entrances to the pronaos and sanctuary.
Modern grave robbers attacked the temple with heavy equipment and destroyed the central and western chambers. So far only a decorated block from the base could be found, which probably showed the head of the Nile god Hapi. Originally there was certainly more, but it is lost today.
South of the temple is the 3 Mud brick basilica(25 ° 36 '4 "N.30 ° 36 ′ 21 ″ E) with the entrance on the southwest corner. The naves are separated by pillars that have a kind of western walkway in the west, which is also the entrance area. In the east is the apse with a column on each side. In the apse there are four niches framed by small columns. Parts of the south wall like an arch made of adobe bricks are visible. The church was probably once provided with a flat ceiling made of palm trunks.
Further building structures can be made out within the surrounding wall.
kitchen
There are restaurants in town el-Chārga. There is also a bakery and café in el-Munīra.
accommodation
Accommodation is usually in the city el-Chārga elected.
trips
The visit of ʿAin et-Tarākwa can be compared to that of Qaṣr eḍ-Ḍabāschīya connect.
literature
- : The Search for Texts in the Western Desert. In:Textes et langages de l’Égypte pharaonique; Vol.2. Le Caire: Institut français d’archéologie orientale, 1972, Bibliothèque d'étude; 64.2, Pp. 207-222, in particular footnote 123.
- : North Kharga Oasis Survey 2004 Preliminary Report: Ain el-Tarakwa, Ain el-Dabashiya and Darb Ain Amur. In:Communications from the German Archaeological Institute, Cairo Department (MDAIK), vol.63 (2007), Pp. 167-184, panels 23 f., In particular pp. 169-174, 180 f., Panels 23.a, 24.a.
Web links
- North Kharga Oasis Survey (NKOS)
