Recent Excavations at the Pharaonic Port of Mersa Gawasis on the Red Sea, 2004-2005 Field Season

Introduction

Mersa Gawasis is located on a fossil coral terrace at the northern end of the Wadi Gawasis, c. 22 km south of Safaga. Archaeological evidence is found on the top and at the base of the coral terrace, including temporary shelters, rock-cut caves, ceremonial structures, and industrial areas for metal working. The site was discovered in the mid-1970s by Abdel Monem Sayed, (University of Alexandria), who identified is as the 12th Dynasty port of S3ww. In 2001 the University of Naples "L'Orientale" (UNO) and the Italian Institute for Africa and the Orient (IsIAO) in collaboration with Boston University (BU) began systematic investigations of the site, under the direction of Rodolfo Fattovich and Kathryn Bard, in order to understand better the organization of seafaring expeditions in pharaonic times.
In 2004-05 excavations were conducted along the western slope of the coral terrace and on the top of the terrace near the seashore. Four excavation units were opened: WG 24, WG 28, WG 25/26/27 in the western sector of the site, and WG 29 in the eastern sector. A geoarchaeological test trench (WG 30) was also opened on the margins of a playa lake in order to determine the nature of the deposits closer to the wadi channel[1].