A Preliminary Survey of the Naukratis Region in the Western Nile Delta

Abstract

The Naukratis Project concerns work in the western Nile Delta, specifically along the Canopic branch of the Nile from el-Barnugi in the north to Kom el-Hisn in the south. This area contains the ancient city of Naukratis (Kom Ge'if), which, according to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, was the first and only city in which the early Greek merchants were allowed to settle, as well as other sites with reported histories of occupation from Pharaonic through late Roman times. Unfortunately, little is known of these sites and their state of preservation. The Naukratis Project, therefore, involves the following activities. 1) A survey of all ancient sites within a ca. 25 km. radius of Naukratis in order to assess the character of the visible remains, the state of site preservation, and the extent of modern despoliation and occlusion by recent settlements. 2) An examination of the occupational history of these sites as indicated by the surface finds, particularly the ceramic material.Although the 1977–78 season was primarily intended to determine the logistics involved in such a multi-phased project, 10 sites were examined, mapped, and sherded. This material, which was processed in the field, offers a considerable amount of information on the patterns of settlement in the Western Delta, especially during the often neglected Greek and Roman periods, as well as suggests key areas in which excavation would be fruitful in future phases of this project.