ʿAin Manāwir - ʿAin Manāwir

'Ain Manawir (Arabic:عين مناور‎, ʿAin Manāwir, „Source (with) light shafts“) Is an archaeological site in the egyptian Sink el-Chārga, about 5 kilometers northwest of Qasr shower Located on the foothills of the Dusk sand dune field.

background

The archaeological site consists of a settlement, a temple and about twenty underground aqueducts (Arabic:قناة‎, Qanāt), the latter represent the most extensive such systems in the El-Chārga depression. Since 1994, excavations have been carried out here by the French Institut français d’archéologie orientale under the direction of Michel Wuttmann. The traditional evidence comes from Saitic, Persian and Roman times. There have been settlements here since the end of the Paleolithic Age. The earliest datable evidence is an ostracon (inscribed shard of stone), which refers to the year 43 of King Amasis (26th ancient Egyptian dynasty, 528 BC).

The Researches in the settlement allowed conclusions to be drawn about the horticulture practiced here and the animals kept, these were mostly cattle. Of great importance were the demotically described ostraca found here, on which the names of the Persian great kings were written Xerxes I., Artaxerxes I. and Darius II (27th Dynasty) are to be read.^[1] The depression must have been completely settled in Persian times, and there must have been contacts between the individual settlements.

Since the Sand dunes to move to the site, access to it will be restricted or impossible in the future.

getting there

A visit to this site is conveniently combined with a visit to Qaṣr Dūsch. Shortly before reaching Qaṣr Dūsch, east of the village of ʿAin ʿAlī Manṣūr, there is a junction in a north-easterly direction from the road to Qaṣr Dūsch or to the village of ʿIzbat Dūsch, which you can take about to the point 24.57555630.696667Road stop to Ain Manawir1 24 ° 34 '32 "N.30 ° 41 ′ 48 ″ E follows. If you don't have a long-distance vehicle, you have to walk the rest of the 1 kilometer north.

mobility

In the interests of preserving the archaeological site, it makes sense to explore it on foot.

Tourist Attractions

About 20 meters long, it was only discovered in 1994 24.57472230.6758331 Adobe temple(24 ° 34 ′ 29 ″ N.30 ° 40 ′ 33 ″ E) one enters in the south. The Holy of Holies was laid out in the rock. The temple was dedicated to the god Osirisiw consecrated. Numerous bronze statues and ostracas have been found here.

In the area around the temple, especially in the north, one encounters remains of the ancient 24.57440230.6764732 settlement(24 ° 34 ′ 28 ″ N.30 ° 40 ′ 35 ″ E).

To the southeast of the temple are the remains of one of about twenty underground 24.57416730.6777783 Aqueducts(24 ° 34 '27 "N.30 ° 40 ′ 40 ″ E), Arabic qanat. At its end you can see the above-ground channel, to which the underground part connects in a north-westerly direction. The cleaning shafts of the water supply system, which certainly gave the place its modern name, are also clearly visible.

accommodation

Accommodation is usually in the city el-Chārga elected. There is also a seasonally used tent camp northwest of Qaṣr Dūsch.

trips

The visit to the archaeological site can be completed with a visit to Qasr shower and el-Maks el-Qibli connect.

literature

So far there have only been preliminary scientific reports, most of which were published in the "Bulletin de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale" (BIFAO). They mainly describe the settlement structures and qanats:

• Chauveau, Michel: Les archives d’un temple des oasis au temps des Perses. In:Bulletin de la Société française d'égyptologie, ISSN0037-9379, Vol.137 (1996), Pp. 32-47. In French.
• Wuttmann, Michel et al.: Premier rapport préliminaire des travaux sur le site de 'Ayn Manawir (oasis de Kharga). In:BIFAO, ISSN0255-0962, Vol.96 (1996), Pp. 385-451. In French.
• Wuttmann, Michel et al.: ‘Ayn Manawir (oasis de Kharga). Deuxième rapport préliminaire. In:BIFAO, ISSN0255-0962, Vol.98 (1998), Pp. 367-462. In French.
• Newnton, Claire et al.: Un jardin d’oasis d’époque romaine à ‘Ayn-Manâwir (Kharga, Egypt). In:BIFAO, ISSN0255-0962, Vol.105 (2005), Pp. 167-195. In French.

There is also additional information in the annual reports in this journal.

Web links

• The Qanats of ‘Ayn-Manâwîr Kharga Oasis, Egypt by Michel Wuttmann, Thierry Gonon and Christophe Thiers (PDF file).

Individual evidence