Amḥeida - Amḥeida

Amheida (also Amhida, Amhādeh, Arabic:أمحيدة‎, Amḥaida / Amḥīda) is a hamlet and an archaeological site in the northwest of the egyptian Sink ed-Dāchla. The ancient Greco-Roman settlement was located here Trimithis. Ceramic shards date between the Old Kingdom and the late Roman period. The local temple for Thoth has been occupied since the 23rd ancient Egyptian dynasty. It is the concern of the excavation teams to make the site, which is interesting for archaeologists and Egyptologists, accessible to visitors in the future.

background

Amḥeida is a hamlet in the northwest of the ed-Dāchla depression and at the same time designates an archaeological site from the 3rd Intermediate Period to the late Roman period. The hamlet that gives it its name is located in the northeast of the archaeological site in the area of ​​the north tower. The hamlet and archaeological site are about halfway between the villages of el-Mūschīya and el-Qaṣr on the west side of the road, about 3.5 kilometers south of el-Qaṣr and 3 kilometers southeast of Qārat el-Muzawwaqa.

The archaeological site possessed the ancient Egyptian name Set-waḥ (s.t-w3ḥ, "The resting place") and the Greek name Trimithis (Τριμιθις, "The northern warehouse", Latin: Trimitheus).^[1] The area of ​​the settlement also included the temple complex of Deir el-Ḥagar and the Qārat el-Muzawwaqa cemetery. Including the cemeteries, the site measures approx. Two kilometers in north-south and one kilometer in east-west. The ceramic finds indicate that the area was inhabited from the Old Kingdom to the late Roman period. The religious center of the settlement was the temple for Thoth of Set-wah, lord of Hermopolis [magna]. The existence of the temple is documented at least since the 23rd dynasty. The kings of the 23rd dynasty ruled from Leontopolis (Tell el-Yahudīya) in the Nile delta from parallel to those of the 22nd dynasty (Bubastiden) and were ruled by the Amun priesthood Thebes legitimized.

The ones visible today Settlement remains come from Greco-Roman times. The size of the area indicates that this was probably the place of residence for 5,000 to 10,000 inhabitants in late antiquity. The ancient city was built on several small hills, the highest in the center was the temple of Thoth. The town charter of a polis has been documented since 304 AD.^[2] Extensive cemeteries belonged to the city. Mud brick death chapels date from Roman times, some of them with barrel vaults. A few tombs stand out. In the south there are two adobe pyramids - one is already visible from the street - and in the extreme north the so-called north tower. The main economic activity was agriculture, which produced oil, wine, dates and figs.

The Roman city existed until the division of the Roman Empire at the end of the 4th century. The city was abandoned and never settled again. Similar to the case of Kellis This offers great opportunities for archaeologists to research the history and life of this city.

For this site there is hardly any information from early travelers. The first hint seems to be in the travelogue of the German Africa researcher Gerhard Rohlfs (1831-1896) to give. In 1873 he describes a ruin site between el-Qaṣr and el-Mūschīya, which is about an hour [on foot] from el-Qaṣr. He believed he saw the remains of a former, perhaps Roman, fortress here. In addition to numerous shards and the remains of residential buildings, the finds also included stone vessels, bronze objects and coins.^[3] The American Egyptologist Herbert Eustis Winlock (1884–1950), who visited the depression in 1908, noticed the ruins of Amhādeh and their resemblance to those of Ismant el-Charab.^[4]

In 1979 the site was opened by scientists from Dakhleh Oasis Projects explored, and it was a sensational find. One of the houses, that of the wealthy Serenus, still had murals with mythological scenes. Under Lisa Leahy the house was uncovered, researched and published the following year.

Then there was another quarter of a century of calm. Since 2004 the site has been used by scientists of the Columbia University dug under the direction of Robert Bagnall. Since 2008, the project has been mainly run by New York University supported and financed, but Columbia University is still a partner in the project. Due to the size of the site, the scientists set four priorities: the research of the House of the Serenus as an example of a dwelling of the upper class of that time and the neighboring buildings including a Roman bath from the 4th century, that of a much simpler house from the 3rd century, that of the Thoth Temple Mount and the conservation and reconstruction of two burial sites from Roman times (adobe pyramid and north tower).

Exploring the Thoth temple brought to light evidence since the 23rd dynasty. The investigations were not easy because the temple was looted in Islamic times and used as a quarry for el-Qaṣr, so that apart from the remains of the surrounding wall, the temple had de facto disappeared. Nevertheless, numerous finds were made, including around 300 sandstone fragments with raised and sunk relief, some of which still had paint residues, column fragments, large quantities of ceramics since the Old Kingdom, bronze statues, demotic and Greek ostraka (inscribed stone shards), statuettes and two steles .

A sandstone block and a stele date into the 23rd dynasty. The stone block contains the signature of Petubastis I. (Reign around 818 / 834–793 / 809 BC). The founder of the 23rd dynasty is now in the for the first time Western desert occupied. Historically more interesting is a hieratically inscribed stele from the 13th year of the reign Takelots III. (Reign around 764 / 766–751 / 754 BC). The stele describes an offering to the Thoth temple and names some Thoth priests. During this time the Libyan tribe of the Shamain ruled the valley. Three conclusions can be drawn from this: the temple dedicated to Thoth already existed in the 23rd dynasty, Libyan rulers use temples for their cult activities and the influence of the Theban priesthood extended as far as Amḥeida.

In the 26th Dynasty, of the Saïten dynasty, the temple received a new sanctuary (holy of holies). The names of three kings of this dynasty can be read on the sandstone blocks found: Necho II. (Reign 610-595 BC), Psammetich II. (595-589 BC) and Amasis (569-526 BC). Most of the inscriptions come from the latter king.

In the reign of the last king of the 26th Dynasty, Psammetich III., it came to a historic turning point. Only six months after Psammetich III took office. became his army in the Battle of Pelusium on the Sinai 525 BC By the army of the Persian great king Cambyses II beaten and Psammetich III. forced to give up his office. Cambyses II directed the first Persian rule, the 27th Dynasty, a. As Herodotus reports, he and his 50,000-strong army were killed in a sandstorm in the Western Desert.^[5]

In the 2013/2014 excavation season, a temple portal from Petubastis III. Seheribre found by the Dutch Egyptologist Olaf E. Kaper. Petubastis III. was an Egyptian anti-king at the beginning of the first Persian rule and had here, as the temple indicates, an important base. It has already been speculated that Petubastis III. in a revolt against the Persian GovernorAryandes between 522-520 BC Could have been involved.^[6] Kaper now went a step further.^[7] He suggested that Cambyses II did not want to go to Siwa, but rather the rebellion in ed-Dāchla, which failed. For two years, Petubastis III would be. then Egyptian king. Not until 520 BC The Persian great king could Darius the Elder Size seize control of Egypt again. The great interest of the Persians in the southern depressions ed-Dāchla and el-Chārga could also be explained by the fact that another revolt like that of Petubastis ’III. wanted to prevent in any case. The local temple was also expanded again in Persian times.

In roman time, at the time of the emperor Titus (Reigns 79-81) and Domitian (Reigns 81–96), the temple was demolished and a new temple was built on the same site using the stones from the previous building. Around the same time, the temple was opened to the Theban triad in Deir el-Ḥagar erected, which thus belongs to a common cult landscape. The local temple was larger, however, the surrounding wall measured 108 × 56 meters.

getting there

It makes sense to arrive with your own vehicle or a taxi. Considerably more time is to be planned when you go from Courage wants to arrive by minibuses.

One branches off to the west of ed-Duhūs 25.55451728.9471561 Asphalt road to the west(25 ° 33 '16 "N.28 ° 56 ′ 50 ″ E) from the trunk road to el-Farāfra from. You cross the villages el-Qalamun, el-Gadīda and el-Mūschīya. A second possibility is at the western entrance to the village of Qaṣr ed-Dāchla, where a road to the south leads from the trunk road to el-Farāfra 25.69345528.8783362 Direction el-Mūschīya(25 ° 41 ′ 37 ″ N.28 ° 52 ′ 42 "E) branches off. The road is paved.

mobility

Most of the excavation area has a sandy subsoil. Only in the northern part behind the warehouse building can you walk on the ancient paths, as far as they have been exposed.

Tourist Attractions

The entire area is currently still being scientifically examined, so that a visit is not that easy. It makes sense to visit the local antiquities inspector or the antiquities administration in Courage to vote. For this reason, photography is not permitted.

in the 25.66825728.8747583 Entrance area(25 ° 40 ′ 6 ″ N.28 ° 52 ′ 29 ″ E) You can see it right on the roadside 25.66945228.8743021 Magazine building(25 ° 40 ′ 10 ″ N.28 ° 52 ′ 27 ″ E) and in its immediate vicinity the replica of the 25.66923928.874272 House of the Serenus(25 ° 40 ′ 9 ″ N.28 ° 52 ′ 27 ″ E). The rooms in which there were wall paintings are to be created again in this form.^[8] The undecorated rooms are to be used for other purposes such as the ticket booth and an exhibition room. In the original house, the excavation of which was completed in 2007, 200 ostracas were found which became the owner Serenus, a wealthy landowner and city councilor. The house was abandoned in the 360s AD.

The roughly square house with an edge length of 15 meters has two entrances, one in the east and one in the west. There are twelve rooms. A corridor leads from the east entrance to the central room of the house. The domed hall, used as a reception hall, branches off from this to the south. The 5.3 × 4.7 meter lobby was the only one with a domed roof. The walls had the most beautiful paintings in the whole house. The reconstruction of this room began in 2012 with the installation of the base painting and is scheduled for 2013^[outdated] to be continued with the figurative representations. It is not easy, because the painting was on a thin layer of stucco that has flaked off in the original building and now has to be partly put back together like a puzzle.

Scenes from Greek mythology were affixed in two registers (picture strips) above a base with geometric patterns. Above it was the depiction of smiling, female winged creatures holding garlands. The pendentives, the gussets below the dome, were also painted with standing female figures.

The most published scene is on the east side: on the left you can see the personification of the polis ("city"), which probably symbolizes the prominent position of Amḥeida. To the right of it, the gods of Olympus were depicted. Further topics are the rescue of Andromeda by Perseus, the washing of the feet of Odysseus by Eurycleia after his return to Ithaca, Ares and Aphrodite, who were caught while escaping by Hephaestus and caught with a net, causing resounding laughter ("Homeric laughter") among the Olympian gods, Orpheus with the lyre, around which animals peacefully gathered, the kidnapping of the fertility goddess Persephone, the depiction of a satyr (Silenus) chasing after a maenad, a mythical companion of the Dionysian traits, and Harpocrates in the form of adult Hercules as well as the banquet of a family with their two sons, at which a flute player plays and a servant pours wine. In this room the host could display wealth and culture.

In the southeast of the house there is a 7.1 × 3.6 meter room with a flat ceiling, which will be used as an exhibition room in the future. In the west of the domed hall there are two more decorated rooms with a barrel vaulted ceiling, the reconstruction of which has already been completed. In the southwest corner is the so-called red room, measuring 2.7 × 3.5 meters, with mainly yellow round ornaments on a red background. To the north of this is the even more lavishly designed, 2.8 × 3.6 meter green room. The wall fields with the ornaments on a green background are bordered by columns in the corners. The top is a frieze with birds, grapes and flowers. The 2.8 × 3.1 meter room in the northwest corner was also painted ornamentally, but has not yet been reconstructed. The depictions include birds and garlands and Greek gods.

On the north side of the house there were stairs to the roof and workrooms. A room was found in the vicinity of the house of the Serenus, which served as a kind of classroom and in which the walls were used as a blackboard. The remains of Greek exercise texts were still to be found here.^[9]

In the extreme north of the area is the so-called. 25.67260928.8715713 North tower(25 ° 40 ′ 21 ″ N.28 ° 52 ′ 18 ″ E), who in the 2nd to 4th Century was built from mud bricks. The rectangular tower, measuring 4 × 5 meters and still standing over 5 meters, probably served as a burial place and stood on a podium in which the crypt was set. In the tower with its 60-80 centimeter thick walls and the domed ceiling was the burial chamber, and on the back wall a niche. The entrance to the tower is on the south side. For such graves there are also parallels in Kellis.

To the west behind the reconstructed House of the Serenus is the Excavation area 1. It consists of a wide main street, on the sides of which there were residential buildings and craft shops.

This is located further south Excavation area 2 with the original 25.66778128.8715074 House of the Serenus(25 ° 40 ′ 4 ″ N.28 ° 52 ′ 17 ″ E), which was backfilled for conservation reasons and is not accessible. In this area there were several houses of the upper class, all of which were built from unfired adobe bricks.

This is located further south Excavation area 3 with a former cemetery. The most distinctive building is the 6 meter high 25.66674428.8726935 Mud brick pyramid(25 ° 40 ′ 0 ″ N.28 ° 52 ′ 22 ″ E)which is already visible from the street and is located at the highest point of the cemetery hill. The truncated pyramid is located above a square podium with an edge length of 6.4 meters. The actually massive pyramid was badly damaged by grave robbers who suspected treasures here. Conservation under the supervision of Nicholas Warner, which began in 2006, was completed two years later. The pyramid is surrounded by looted tombs and chapels. One of the chapels certainly belonged to the pyramid. There is a little-known parallel to this plant in Biʾr esch-shaghāla.

The is located at the highest point in the area in a central location Excavation area 4 with the hill of the 25.66794428.8698616 Temple for Thoth by Set-wah(25 ° 40 ′ 4 ″ N.28 ° 52 ′ 12 ″ E), Lord of Hermopolis [magna]. The few visible remains come from the 108 × 56 meter enclosing wall. The temple was built under the Roman emperors Titus (reign 79–81) and Domitian (reign 81–96). They used stone fragments from earlier temples from the 23rd and 26th dynasties.

The is located in the extreme south of the excavation area, also on the west side of the street 25.65412428.8732857 Dome tomb of Sheikh Muḥammad eḍ-Ḍahāwī(25 ° 39 ′ 15 ″ N.28 ° 52 '24 "E).

kitchen

• El-Qasr Resthouse. Tel.: 20 (0)92 286 7013. The rest house is located in el-Qaṣr directly on the north side of the street. It has a back garden. Advance booking is recommended.last change: not specified

accommodation

Accommodation is available e.g. B. in courage, in Budchulū, in Qasr ed-Dachla and along this road to el-Farāfra.

trips

It is advisable to visit the archaeological site with that of the villages el-Qalamun in the south and el-Qaṣr connect to the north. The archaeological sites of Deir el-Ḥagar and Qārat el-Muzawwaqa.

literature

• Leahy, Lisa Montagno: Dakhla Oasis Project: the Roman Wall-Paintings from Amheida. In:Journal of the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities (JSSEA), ISSN0383-9753, Vol.10 (1980), Pp. 331-378.
• Kaper, Olaf E.; Demarée, Robert J.: A Donation Stele in the Name of Takeloth III from Amheida, Dakhleh Oasis. In:Jaarbericht van het Vooraziatisch-Egyptisch Genootschap Ex Oriente Lux, ISSN0075-2118, Vol.39 (2005), Pp. 19-37, PDF. The file is 6.5 MB in size.
• Bagnall, R. S .; Davoli; P.; Kaper, O.; Whitehouse, H.: Roman Amheida: Excavating a Town in Egypt’s Dakhleh Oasis. In:Minerva: the international review of ancient art & archeology, ISSN0957-7718, Vol.17 (2006), Pp. 26-29, PDF. The file is 5 MB in size.
• Davoli, Paola; Kaper, Olaf [E.]: A new temple for Thoth in the Dakhleh Oasis. In:Egyptian Archeology: the bulletin of the Egypt Exploration Society, ISSN0962-2837, Vol.28 (2006), Pp. 12-14, PDF. The file is 4 MB in size.

Individual evidence

Web links

• Excavations at Amheida, New York University.
• The Villa of Serenus on Facebook