New evidence of metallurgical production during the Ptolemaic period in the ancient harbor of Berenike (Eastern Desert) in Egypt

Abstract

This paper tries to explain the first results obtained on trench 102, located on the southwestern area of the ancient harbour of Berenike. Chronologically the trench runs from the Late Hellenistic to Roman Period, showing different uses of this area during Antiquity. Some of the data recovered are quite interesting in order to understand the evolution of this scarcely known area of Berenike’s harbor. The identification of a metallurgical furnace related to the Late Hellenistic Period is especially remarkable, as it provides some insights about the structure of this zone under the last Ptolemaic rulers. So, the main objective of the paper is to offer new data about the productive structure of this site during the Ptolemaic period with special focus on the metallurgical production.