March 14, 2022
An ancient administrative center dating to the 1st Intermediate Period (c. 2180-2050 BCE) has been recently found in Aswan by Egyptian and Austrian archaeologists.
The group was working at Kom Ombo temple when they made the discovery of 20 silos which were used as an administrative facility to store and distribute grain.
The discovery highlights the importance of Kom Ombo during the 1st Intermediate Period and that the area was utilized for agricultural and commercial purposes. It most likely once housed a large number of residential buildings close to the silos. The silos featured vaulted roofs and contained stairs and storage rooms which are in a good state of preservation.
The mission has also discovered foundations of a fort dating to the British occupation of Egypt during the 19th century. It was used to defend and control the area during the Mahdist Revolution in Sudan between 1881-1885 AD.
Lydia Crawford
