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

WG 19/25/26/27

These excavation units are located in an area at the base of the terrace slope. Deposits consist of multiple episodes of dumping from copper smelting activities, primarily conducted elsewhere at the site. There probably were at least two or more phases of activity. Concentrations of artifacts in this area were usually associated with large ash and charcoal lenses. Artifacts included large numbers of tuyères (blow pipes), furnace walls of the same type as excavated in another unit in 2003-04, and large fragments of a coarse vegetal-tempered ware, probably made with a local clay, that relate to copper smelting. There were also circular fireplaces, which contained ash, charcoal, ceramics, and tuyères; tiny prills of copper were found in one fireplace. Also in this area was evidence of lithic and ceramic production (foto 4).