Kharga Oasis Research Articles

Living in a fringe environment: three Late Roman settlements in the Kharga Oasis (Egypt's Western Desert)

AbstractThis article presents a comparative analysis of three Late Roman sites located at the northern outskirts of the Kharga Oasis in Egypt's Western Desert: Umm al-Dabadib, Ayn al-Labakha, and the Gib/Sumayra Complex. These were part of the district of the Oasis Magna, which included the oases of Dakhla and Kharga. An analysis of their layout, including both shape and extent, is followed by an evaluation of their absolute and relative positions. These data are then compared to the administrative and historical contexts within which the three sites flourished. Both administrative and economic aspects are considered, as well as the presence of the army. The complex picture that emerges suggests that these three sites played several roles at the same time and were part of a large-scale strategic design that encompassed not only the Kharga Oasis but the entire Western Desert.

Environmental Impacts of Over Exploitation on the Groundwater Quality in El Kharga Oasis, Western desert, Egypt

The Nubian Sandstone Aquifer (NSSA) has provided the majority of the water for Egypt's western desert. The excessive groundwater withdrawal from this aquifer causes a decline in groundwater levels and quality degradation for the groundwater. In order to provide preliminary data for the management of the NSSA in the investigated area, the groundwater quality were evaluated utilizing a variety of techniques and geochemical mechanisms. Sixty-five groundwater wells were gathered for this, and 12 physicochemical parameters were examined using conventional analytical techniques. According to data on groundwater quality, NaHCO3, NaSO4, and NaCl were the three most prevalent water types. Additionally, abnormal iron element concentrations were found in some groundwater samples, which produced brown slime that accumulates on well screens, and relatively high salinity contents were also noted.

Hydrgeochemical Assessment of the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer of the Northern Part of El Kharga Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt

The primary issue with the groundwater aquifer's concept of sustainability in the survey area is overexploitation. In addition to measuring the water depth in 65 groundwater wells for the purpose, standard analytical techniques were used to analyse 12 physiochemical properties. The investigation wells were built in order to provide groundwater management with preliminary data on water quality. Diagrammatical analyses, including hydrographs and Schoeller's semi-logarithmic diagrams, were used to manipulate water quality informations of the groundwater resources in the investigated region. The findings revealed that NaHCO

An Improved Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm for design of a microgrid with energy storage system: Case study of El Kharga Oasis, Egypt

The microgrid design problem needs efficacy tools to reach good results with optimal convergence characteristics. Stochastic metaheuristic algorithms are the best choice to address complex problems. This paper proposes new hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES) design, composed of PV, wind turbine, diesel generator, and battery system. The objective function is minimizing the total net present cost, which includes all expenses during the project lifetime; the optimization respects other aspects, technical and ecologic. The improved algorithm is called IAOA that developed by modifying the original Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm (AOA) using the leading operators of the Aquila Optimizer (AO). The modified version is conducted to improve the search ability of the original AOA and avoid its weaknesses like being trapped in a local search. Moreover, the proposed IAOA makes a learning stage from the search process of the AO to enhance the research history of the AOA. Two HRES scenarios are suggested, the first is based on using PV/wind/diesel/battery, while the second scenario consists of PV/diesel/battery. This proposed HRES is located in El Kharga Oasis in Egypt with latitude of 25.42 and longitude of 30.581. The obtained results prove that the proposed IAOA gives better results compared with the other well-known algorithms, namely the original algorithm of AOA, Equilibrium Optimizer (EO), Gray Wolf Optimization (GWO), Artificial Electric Field Algorithm (AEFA), and Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO). It is recognized that the proposed IAOA is a promising alternative to solve hybrid renewable energy systems.

Factors Controlling the Distribution of Agglutinated Foraminiferal Morphogroups as Palaeoenvironmental Tracers in the Kharga Oasis, Egypt

Abstract The present authors used the scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy methodology as a standard approach for micropaleontological studies to detect test internal morphological and compositional features of agglutinated foraminifera grains collected from Maastrichtian-Paleogene of the Dakhla Oasis of Egypt. Five main morphogroups dominate Lower Kharga Member,the mixture of infaunal and epifaunal morphogroups indicating mesotrophic conditions during that time.All evolving new species found in the Early Paleocene are small and species richness remains low with small simple test morphologies resembling the under zone CF3 with a new appearance of morphogroup epifaunal flattened planispiral. Zone CF3 of Lower Kharga Member is characterized by the appearances of small-sized Trochammina which are associated with stressful environmental conditions. Zone P1c of the Upper Kharga Member is characterized by high percentages of calcareous agglutinated foraminifera and abundance of granular calcite and hyaline tests, which explained a sufficient quantity of calcium carbonate dissolved in the water and warm water basin. The strong decrease in diversity and heterogeneity of the assemblages, as well as the drastic drop in the number of infaunal elongated morphogroup coincident with the hiatus between CF3 and P1c (Maastrichtian/Danian boundary), indicate a dramatic decrease in the food supply to the sea-bottom floor.

Local Forms of Ancient Egyptian Divinities in Kharga Oasis of Egypt

Local Forms of Ancient Egyptian Divinities in Kharga Oasis of Egypt

جیومورفولوجیة الأشکال الرملیة بامتداد طریق الأقصر / الخارجة

تناول البحث دراسة الأشکال الرملية بامتداد الطريق الواصل بين الأقصر والواحات الخارجة بمحافظة الوادى الجديد، أو ما يطلق عليه أحيان طريق الأقصر- باريس، نسبة إلى واحة باريس بالخارجة، وذلک من خلال دراسة الخصائص الطبيعية لهذه المنطقة، وأثر هذه الخصائص فى نشأة الأشکال الرملية، وقد تباينت هذه الخصائص بين خصائص جيولوجية، ومناخية، وتضاريسة، کما اهتمت الدراسة بتناول أنواع الأشکال الرملية السائدة، وتوزيعها بالمنطقة، ودراسة خصائصها المورفولوجية والمورفومترية، ثم دراسة الخصائص الطبيعية والکيميائية لرواسب هذه الأشکال الرملية ومصدرها، حيث اعتمد البحث علي تحليل الرواسب الرملية ميکانيکيا وکيميائيا، وفحص عينات حبيبات الرمال مجهريا للتوصل إلى بيئة ترسيبها، وانتهى البحث بعرض الأخطار الجيومورفولوجية الناتجة عن حرکة الرمال وتهديدها لطرق النقل والمواصلات، وخطوط السکک الحديدية، والأراضي المستصلحة حديثا، کما اهتم البحث بشکل کبير على إبراز دور نظم المعلومات الجغرافية والنمذجة المکانية في اختيار أنسب الأماکن لإنشاء الطرق الرئيسة وتصميمها وفقا لعدة معايير قام البحث بوضعها، أعقب ذلک عرض للنتائج والمقتراحات لتفادي خطر حرکة الرمال على الطريق الرئيس الرابط بين الأقصر والواحات الخارجة. Abstract The current research deals with the sand formations threatening the road of Luxor-Kharga, which connects the Nile Valley with Baris in southern New Valley Governorate. This research focuses on the characteristics the environmental factors and their impacts on the geomorphology of sand formations. Major factors of impact are geology, climate and topography. This research also concerns with types of sand dunes and their distribution in the area of study. In order to study the morphological and morphometric properties of sand formations, the current research analyzed the chemical properties of dune sands to determine their origin of deposition and their sources. However, mechanical analysis; and microscopically examination were presented in order to understand the sedimentary environment. The research has concluded with presenting the geomorphological hazards resulting from the movement of sand and its threat to transportation roads, railways and newly reclaimed lands. Based on many criteria, this study uses Geographic Information System and Spatial Modeling techniques to select the most appropriate sites for designing and constructing of the main roads. Finally, this research presents the results and recommendations needed in order to avoid the hazards of sand movement on the main road connecting Luxor with the Kharga oases.

ORNAMENTAL DECORATION OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN MAUSOLEUM CHAPEL OF EXODUS (KHARGA OASIS, EGYPT): ROLE, CONNOTATIONS, DATING

The Chapel of Exodus is a small Coptic mausoleum located in the outskirts of the oasis of Kharga in Libyan Desert (Egypt). It is famous for its elaborated pictorial program which is loosely dated back to the late 4th through the early 5th century A.D. While its figure paintings have long been under the academic scrutiny, the decorative program has not so far attracted the scholars’ attention. Meanwhile, the non-figured decorations usually tell the story of their own, and the study of the decorative programs can be highly enlightening. This is exactly the case of the Chapel of Exodus. The style and color palette of the decorative paintings stand in stark contrast to the figure scenes. While the latter look rather outdated for the suggested timespan, the former seem precocious in many ways. The decorative program is holistic, polychromic and rich in ornamental motifs, which is unusual for Egyptian murals of the 5th century A.D., while being characteristic of the 6th century decorations of Christian churches. Painted imitations of spiral fluted columns also support the idea of later dating. Moreover, the holistic character of the program and accent on precious stone veneer imitations underline the high status of the mausoleum owner. It seems plausible that by the time when the decorative program was added (presumably, in the 6th century), the 5th century mausoleum had become an important commemorative monument.

“Late Antique” Mining Community in the North Kharga Oasis (Egypt)


 
 
 The North Kharga Oasis Darb Ain Amur Survey (NKODAAS) has been exploring the extreme northern area and western extension of Kharga Oasis in order to locate and document hitherto undiscovered and unrecorded archaeological sites and material. The archaeological sites identified during the course of the survey are varied, including rock art, routes, mines, quarries, water dumps, wells, shelters, hamlets, and settlements. The site presented here is a Roman/“Late Antique” complex, including a church and several related areas of settlement and industrial activity devoted to alum mining and sandstone quarrying, that played a role in the history of the economy and landscape of Kharga Oasis.
 
 

“Like Wringing Water from a Stone!” Information Extraction from Two Rock Graffiti in North Kharga, Egypt

In the course of the last ten years, the North Kharga Oasis–Darb Ain Amur Survey team, led by Salima Ikram (American University in Cairo), has been exploring a network of interconnected desert paths in Egypt’s Western Desert, known as Darb Ain Amur. These marked paths run between Kharga Oasis and Dakhla Oasis, linking them to Darb el-Arbain, a notorious caravan route facilitating contacts between Egypt and sub-Saharan Africa since prehistoric times. Ancient travelers using the Darb Ain Amur spent several days in the midst of the Western Desert and were thus forced to use areas around sandstone rock outcrops as makeshift stopovers or camping sites. During these much-needed breaks, ancient travelers identified accessible, inscribable surfaces on the towering sandstone massifs and left on them their personalized markings. In this essay, I examine two short rock graffiti carved by such travelers in a site north of Kharga Oasis, focusing on the types of information one may extract from such ancient epigraphic materials.

Farmers' Behavioral Gaps Concerning Sustainable Agriculture in Kharga Oasis, New Valley Governorate, Egypt

The aims of this research are to 1) assess farmers' behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and practices) concerning the sustainable agriculture (crop, land and water management) in Kharga Oasis, 2) explore farmers' behavioral gaps concerning the sustainable agriculture practices, and 3) determine variables related to farmers' behavior (knowledge, attitudes, and practices) concerning the sustainable agriculture in Kharga Oasis. In order to achieve the study’s objectives, El Mounira village had been randomly selected to be the place of this study. Data were collected from a sample of 120 respondents during February to March 2021 through personal interviews using a pre-tested questionnaire form. A list of thirty-three sustainable crop, soils and water management practices was developed based on reviewing the literature, Findings revealed that the overall mean value of respondents’ knowledge on sustainable agriculture practices is 22.74 score which represents 68.91% of the total score, 84.1% for attitudes, and 55.3% for implementation of the studied practices. Considering the overall behavioral gaps, findings revealed that K-R gap -knowledge-recommended gap- is 16%, which mean that farmers did not knew about 16% of the recommended knowledge, and the implementation-knowledge gap, I-K gap, is 5.3% this mean that farmers did not implement about 5.3% of practices they knew, and the I-R gap reached 21.39%, this imply that farmers did not implement more the one fifth of the recommended sustainable agriculture practices. The gap of attitude-full positive attitude, A-F gap reached about 15.9%, this mean that farmers need change 16% of their attitudes to reach the full positive attitudes towards the sustainable agriculture practices. Findings also showed that six variables are affects farmers' knowledge, attitudes towards and implementation of sustainable agriculture practices. These variables are age, farm size, farming experience, availability of agricultural drainage, adequacy of irrigation water in the summer season, and attitudes towards environment. Based on the obtained findings, some recommendations were formulated.

Integration of local soil effect into the assessment of seismic hazard at the Kharga Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt

The effect of local soil is integrated into the assessment of seismic hazard at the Kharga Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt. The work is done by adopting the probabilistic approach of seismic hazard assessment and the site response analysis. The probabilistic approach was utilized based on a homogenous earthquake catalogue, a reasonable seismic source model, and selective ground-motion prediction equations. The site response analysis is performed to describe the interaction between ground motion time series that are well-matched with the results of the probabilistic analysis and the dynamic soil properties defined from the seismic survey. The outputs are presented in terms of the site-specific seismic hazard maps which includes the amplification maps and maps for the expected values of the ground motion at the surface. The amplification maps show that the northern part of the area has the lowest amplification while the middle part of the area has the highest amplification. The maps for peak ground acceleration and spectral acceleration for the return periods of 475 years show that the maximum expected peak ground acceleration for this return period is 100.6 cm/s2. It has the values of 135 cm/s2 at 0.1 s spectral acceleration.

Dinosaur remains from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) of the Western Desert, Egypt

Upper Cretaceous dinosaur remains from Afro-Arabia are rare and mainly restricted to pre-Turonian horizons. Consequently, the discovery of new fossils from Upper Cretaceous deposits in the Western Desert, central Egypt is significant because it adds to the meager record of dinosaurs described from this landmass. The oases of Kharga and Dakhla, Western Desert, Egypt, expose the Quseir Formation (Campanian), with the titanosaurian sauropod Mansourasaurus shahinae as the only currently named dinosaur from strata of this age in the entire region. Numerous (~80) other non-avian dinosaur fossils have also been collected from the Quseir Formation, including material that can be referred to Somphospondyli, Titanosauriformes/Titanosauria, and non-avian Theropoda. Among the discoveries from the Dakhla Oasis are the proximal ends of an associated sauropod tibia and fibula and several sauropod caudal vertebrae representing both sub-adult and adult individuals. Middle caudal vertebrae can be referred to Titanosauria on the basis of procoelous centra and anteriorly displaced neural arches. One caudal vertebra even exhibits pneumatic internal structures rarely observed outside of the Upper Cretaceous South American saltasaurines. Dinosaur fossils recovered from the Kharga Oasis include a partial femur and partial cervical vertebra of a sauropod dinosaur and an isolated proximal fibula of a non-avian theropod dinosaur. Taken together, these findings indicate that Late Cretaceous North African ecosystems supported a diversity of non-avian dinosaurs, some demonstrating affinities with South American forms and others (e.g., Mansourasaurus) with Eurasian groups. Additional exploration of the uppermost Cretaceous units in southern Egypt offers promise for the discovery of important fossils to better characterize Afro-Arabian biotas generally while also providing important perspectives on non-avian dinosaur faunas near the close of the Mesozoic Era.

Early Christian Fetal Burials in the Egyptian Western Desert in the Midst of Magic and Inhumation

Textual and archaeological evidence confirms the use of fetuses in sorcery and magic in Roman Egypt, a practice that early Christians continued. A papyrus from Karanis (Fayum oasis) and the cords used in wrapping buried fetuses confirm this assessment. Such cords of beads were wrapped around a fetus excavated in Kellis 2 cemetery (Dakhla oasis) and an infant discovered in el-Bagawat (Kharga oasis). However, the Christians showed more interest in burying their children, even their fetuses, irrespective of their magical use. This transformation is based on the Christian belief concerning the identification of the soul and body. Every fetus was carefully buried in the same manner as adults. The deceased fetus was individually wrapped and placed in a grave oriented east-west. Christian fetal burials were found in Dakhla and Kharga, two oases of the Egyptian western desert. In the Dakhla oasis, the Kellis 2 cemetery, north tomb 1, cemetery D 7, and House 4 (Area A) are the most prominent areas in which this type of grave was discovered. Concerning Kharga oasis, early Christian fetal burials were excavated in el-Bagawat necropolis. According to their architectural design, four types can be categorized: homeburials, pit graves, funerary mausolea, and finally enclosure graves.

New Insights into an Old Collection: Ptolemaic Pottery from Hibis (Kharga Oasis)

Previous articleNext article No AccessNew Insights into an Old Collection: Ptolemaic Pottery from Hibis (Kharga Oasis)James C. R. GillJames C. R. GillAdjunct Research Fellow, Centre for Ancient Cultures, Monash University Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Metropolitan Museum Journal Volume 552020 Sponsored by the Metropolitan Museum of Art Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/712775 Views: 69Total views on this site © 2020 by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

Using Remote Sensing Techniques to Determine New Route for the Nile Valley

The collapse of dam structure leads to serious disasters for surrounding areas along the waterway. The objective of this research is to determine a new route for the waterway by using remote sensing techniques.Drainage patterns were determined from Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of Shuttle Topographic Radar Mission (STRM) by using the ARC-GIS software. The most appropriate route for the new valley is determined by using DEM and assisted by topographic maps of scale 1:500000 starting from Toshka lake until Qattara downrange and passing through the depressions of El Kharga oasis, El-Dakhla, El-Farafra and El-Baharia Oases.The route selection is matched with the expected new valley that proposed by Prof. Dr. Farouk El-Baz in his project ″ The Development Project / Corridor of Development Project [ 1 ].

Interpretation of archaeological data based on direct and remote retrieval of information

This paper focuses on the archaeological and architectural analysis of the Late Roman settlement of Umm al-Dabadib (Kharga Oasis, Egypt). The available information on the archaeological remains of this site includes on-site hand-made sketches, photographs, 3D surveys. The final aim of this specific research is the interpretation and reconstruction of the historical context of this site by combining sources of different nature. This paper presents the methodology employed to elaborate the 3D data in order to achieve a digital restitution of the archaeological map of the entire settlement, which covers an area of about one hectare. The starting point was the elaboration of the close-range photogrammetric survey of the Fortified Settlement that allowed the creation of a 3D point cloud of the whole area, based on the elaboration of over 5,000 photographs, from which a complete and detailed metric model was derived. This 3D model played a key role to extract metric information and to reconstruct the geometrical structure of the settlement, but this result could only be achieved thanks to the successful combination of the digital data with the hand-made sketches and the pictures taken in situ in the recent past. This paper represents an outcome of the project LIFE (Living In a Fringe Environment), funded by the ERC CoGrant 681673.

Ground‐penetrating radar reflections and their archaeological significances at two ancient necropolis tombs in Kharga Oasis, Egypt

ABSTRACTThis study presents results of ground‐penetrating radar surveys conducted for the exploration of unexcavated tombs at the Kharga Oasis. These surveys were carried out on two ancient tombs. The first site, located in Labakha, is already excavated, while the second site, located in Gebel El‐Siwa, is still unexcavated. The goal of this study was to investigate the possibility of the existence of unexcavated tombs in Labakha, as well as the depth, extension and constituents of an unexcavated tomb in Gebel El‐Siwa. Ground‐penetrating radar measurements were carried out using a single‐channel system and the common offset approach. Based on the results obtained from our measurements using 200‐ and 400‐MHz antennae in Labakha, a detailed survey was carried out on the unexcavated tomb in Gebel El‐Siwa using a cart‐mounted 400‐MHz antenna system. 2D ground‐penetrating radar profiles were acquired and subsequently processed and interpreted. Isolated reflections could be identified. Lateral continuity of the reflections could be observed only through comparative analyses of the adjacent scans. By doing so, the remnants of the two tombs became easier to correlate. Two ground‐penetrating radar anomalies could be detected in the archaeological site of Gebel El‐Siwa; these anomalies are probably caused by a nearby tomb. By correlating the obtained data with the archaeological knowledge of the discoveries made in the surrounding areas, it was possible to interpret the linear reflectors as to be caused by the tomb. This study has been useful in providing archaeologists with information on the expression of this type of ancient Egyptian necropolis tombs at Kharga.

The Vaults of Umm al-Dabadib: Geometric Study

This article focuses on the shape of the vaults that cover the rooms of the Fort of Umm al-Dabadib (Kharga Oasis, Egypt’s Western Desert), dating to the Late Roman Period. This building is the central element of the contemporary Fortified Settlement, consisting of a dense, three-dimensional mosaic of domestic units, all covered by similar vaults, and belonging to a chain of similar installations. Two elements make Umm al-Dabadib an interesting case-study: the excellent preservation of its architectural remains, and the possibility to rely on an accurate photogrammetric survey of the entire built-up area. Thanks to this combination, it was possible to analyse the geometric shape of the vaults in connection to the ancient building techniques. The study determined that the vaults of the Fort are elliptical; this conclusion will impact on the study of all the similar settlements built in the Kharga Oasis, and possibly to other contemporary buildings elsewhere in Egypt.

Characterization of geotechnical parameters from measurements of surface waves at the Kharga Oasis, Egypt

The thickness of near surface layers at the Kharga Oasis (in the New Valley, Egypt) is variable across the entire area. The peak frequency of the horizontal to vertical Fourier spectral ratios of ambient vibrations is related to layer interfaces of sufficient impedance contrast. For the determination of shear wave velocity and other geotechnical parameters we applied different active and passive source techniques, including the horizontal to vertical spectral ratio and multichannel analysis of excited surface waves.The ellipticity function is derived from the ambient vibration wavefield while the active experiments are used to obtain the dispersion curves of Rayleigh waves. A set of models representing the velocity models of the sites is then obtained by jointly inverting ellipticity functions and dispersion curves. From the retrieved model characteristics, the geotechnical parameters are determined. The variability of derived parameters reflects the complexity of the geology and the variability of layer thicknesses. The obtained results will be used for the development of a seismic hazard model for the Kharga Oasis.