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

WG 29

This excavation unit is located along the seashore on the edge of the coral terrace where a roughly circular mound of sand and stone was investigated. This structure had already been partially excavated in 1976 by Abdel Moneim A. Sayed, who dug a test trench in the middle of the structure. In 2005 half of this structure, which was a roughly oval platform, was excavated. Ca. 10 m x 6 m in area, the platform was constructed with slabs of conglomerate stone and fossil coral. Most likely the top of the platform was originally covered with compacted sand and gravel. Hundreds of conch shells (Pteroceras) had been left there, mostly on the top of the platform, and were probably offerings left by sailors. This is the only evidence of such a ritual, which is not recorded in ancient texts (foto 5).