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Egypt uncovers first complete bath complex, ancient hydraulic system north of Suez Canal

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • Archaeologists in Egypt discovered the first complete ancient bathing complex at the Tell Nasser site, located north of the Suez Canal.
  • The site, settled from the late fourth century BCE, reveals a sophisticated hydraulic system and similarities to Hellenistic baths found elsewhere.
  • The Tell Nasser complex uniquely combines private and public bathing units with a complete water supply and drainage system, dating back to the late first century BCE and used through the Roman period.

Archaeologists have unearthed Egypt's first complete ancient bathing complex at the Tell Nasser site, situated approximately 40 km south of Port Said and 1.5 km north of the Suez Canal. The discovery also includes an ancient hydraulic system, offering significant insights into the region's past.

The first being the documentation of the first complete bathing complex to be unearthed at Tell Nasser, and the second being confirming that the site was settled prior to Ptolemaic period while showing that it was in use throughout the Roman period as well.

— Dr. Hisham El-LeithyExplaining the dual significance of the discovery.

The site shows a clear succession of settlement, beginning in the late fourth and early third centuries BCE, evidenced by ancient Cypriot pottery and Greek amphorae. Subsequent layers indicate a Ptolemaic settlement phase during the second and first centuries BCE, with Rhodian amphora stamps found alongside local and imported pottery.

Dr. Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, highlighted the discovery's significance. It not only documents the first complete bathing complex at Tell Nasser but also confirms settlement predating the Ptolemaic period, with continued use throughout the Roman era. The site provides a comprehensive view of ancient hydraulic engineering in the eastern Delta region.

The discovery offers a full picture of ancient hydraulic engineering in the eastern Delta region and bears similarities to known Hellenistic baths found elsewhere in Egypt, including the recently discovered bath at Tell el-Herr in northern Sinai.

— Dr. Hisham El-LeithyHighlighting the engineering aspects and comparisons to other sites.

What distinguishes the Tell Nasser complex is its integration of a private bathing unit with a public bath, complemented by a complete water supply and drainage system. The private unit features a circular basin made of red brick and lined with pink mortar. A nearby low structure is believed to have been used for heating water.

What sets the Tell Nasser complex apart from other bathing complexes found in Egypt, is that it combines a private bathing unit with the public bath, together with a complete water supply and drainage system.

— Dr. Hisham El-LeithyDetailing the unique features of the Tell Nasser complex.

Architectural evidence suggests the complex was built in the late first century BCE and remained in use through the Roman period, undergoing modifications over time. During the late Roman period, parts of the complex were repurposed for storage, as indicated by Gaza amphorae found at the site. The public baths consist of two circular rooms, each about five meters in diameter, with one room containing five footbaths, three of which have survived.

Nearby is a low structure believed to have been used for heating water.

— Mohamed Abdel BadiDescribing a component of the private bathing unit.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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