Egypt restores ancient gold mining settlement in Red Sea region
Excavations uncovered gold-processing complex, including grinding and crushing stations, filtration used for smelting gold from quartz veins
MARSA ALAM, Egypt (MNTV) — Egypt has completed the restoration of a 3,000-year-old gold mining city in the country’s Red Sea region, marking a major archaeological breakthrough in preserving ancient mining heritage.
The Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), the country’s leading archaeological authority, spearheaded the two-year project in collaboration with the Sukari Gold Mine administration.
The initiative, reported by Al-Ahram, involved extensive excavations, documentation, and restoration to safeguard the historic site southwest of Marsa Alam City.
To protect the ancient settlement from modern mining activities, archaeologists carefully relocated its structures three kilometres north of their original site.
Excavations uncovered a gold-processing complex, including grinding and crushing stations, filtration and sedimentation basins, and ancient clay furnaces used for smelting gold from quartz veins.
Further discoveries included a residential district that once housed gold miners, with homes, workshops, temples, administrative buildings, and bathhouses dating back to the Ptolemaic era.
Archaeologists also found artifacts from the Roman and Islamic periods, highlighting the site’s continuous historical significance.
Among the findings were 628 ostraca—pottery fragments inscribed with hieroglyphic, demotic, and Greek texts—alongside Ptolemaic bronze coins, terracotta figurines, stone statuettes of deities, offering tables, pottery vessels, and decorative items made from semi-precious stones and seashells.
SCA Secretary-General Mohamed Ismail Khaled emphasized the importance of the discovery, stating that it provides new insights into ancient Egyptian mining techniques and the social, religious, and economic lives of miners.
To enhance public awareness, authorities have established a visitor centre showcasing excavation details, artifacts, and the region’s historical legacy.
Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, praised the project as a testament to the nation’s dedication to preserving its cultural heritage while promoting sustainable development.
This archaeological achievement reinforces Egypt’s commitment to safeguarding its rich past and sharing its ancient history with the world.
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