Alexander the Great famously founded the city of Alexandria in 331 BCE. It went on to be the capital of the Ptolemaic Kingdom and the center of the Hellenistic world. Now, just west of Alexandria, archaeologists have unearthed evidence of a much older Egyptian settlement, potentially rewriting the area’s long history.
Ancient Settlement Dates Back to Egyptian New Kingdom
It was previously believed that the excavation site—known as Kom el-Nugus or Plinthine—was, like nearby Alexandria, founded during the Hellenistic Period, between 332 BCE and 31 BCE. However, archaeologists have now discovered a major ancient Egyptian settlement beneath layers of later construction.
Previous investigations focused on the remains of Hellenistic structures in the area. A more recent study, led by Dr. Sylvain Dhennin from the University of Lyon and published in Antiquity, revealed a settlement constructed with mudbrick that dates back 3,500 years to Egypt’s New Kingdom Period, between 1550 BCE and 1070 BCE.
Ancient Homes, Pharaonic Monuments, and More
The ancient Egyptian settlement near Alexandria remained preserved beneath the debris and foundation walls of later Hellenistic structures. Additionally, several architectural elements from the New Kingdom Period were reused in Hellenistic Period construction projects. Archaeologists unearthed well-preserved ancient Egyptian houses, along with evidence of streets and a sophisticated water drainage system.
They also found fragments of monuments to Pharaohs Ramses II and Seti II, as well as an amphora stamp inscribed with the name of Merytaton, the daughter of Queen Nefertiti and Pharaoh Akhenaten. The latter discovery indicates the settlement was likely founded during Egypt’s 18th Dynasty, between 1550 BCE and 1292 BCE. The town seems to have gone through multiple phases of construction over the years, suggesting it was intermittently occupied on a seasonal or strategic basis.
Discovery Challenges Previous Assumptions About Ancient Life Near Alexandria
Historians had long assumed that Egypt’s Mediterranean coastline, including the area around Alexandria, remained mostly uninhabited before the death of Alexander the Great and the ensuing Ptolemaic Period. The latest excavations near Alexandria, however, certainly challenge this assumption.
The presence of a 3,500-year-old Egyptian settlement proves that organized urban life and religious activity took place in the region as far back as the reigns of Pharaohs Akhenaten and Ramses II. “The discovery marks a significant step in understanding the continuity of habitation and shifting cultural landscapes in this historically rich region,” said the study authors, who plan to continue working on the site to hopefully determine its original name and purpose.
