New discoveries in Egypt’s Dakahlia reveal necropolis spanning Predynastic to Greco-Roman periods

DAKAHLIA – 8 August 2026: An Egyptian archaeological mission has uncovered a necropolis dating from the Predynastic Period through the Greco-Roman Period, along with a settlement dating to the Second Intermediate Period, at Kom El-Khelgan site in Dakahlia governorate.

The discoveries shed new light on the development of settlement patterns and cultural life in the eastern Nile Delta over thousands of years, said the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in a statement.

Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said the discoveries underscore the archaeological significance of Kom el-Khelgan as one of the promising sites in the eastern Delta.

The site provides a continuous record of changing settlement patterns, funerary practices and human interaction with the natural environment from prehistoric times through the Greco-Roman periods, El-Leithy said.

Excavation work is still ongoing at the site, he noted.

Predynastic burials

Mohamed Abdel Badie, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the SCA, said the earliest finds at the site date to the Lower Egyptian Culture, specifically Buto I and Buto II, which date to the first half of the fourth millennium BC.

 

The mission uncovered a group of simple oval pit graves cut into the sandy layer. The burials were placed in a variety of funerary positions, reflecting differences in burial practices during this early period.

The graves contained modest funerary goods, consisting mainly of small handmade pottery vessels and seashells.

The high concentration of burials indicates that the site was home to a sizable population during this early period, Abdel Badie noted.

Settlement and burials from the Second Intermediate Period

The mission also uncovered a settlement and a group of burials dating to the Second Intermediate Period and continuing into the New Kingdom, according to Abdel Badie.

 

The settlement contains remains of mudbrick structures, grain silos, ovens and hearths, offering a glimpse into the daily life and economic activities of the site's inhabitants.

The excavations also revealed a series of sinusoidal walls surrounding residential and funerary structures. These distinctive architectural features were used from the Middle Kingdom through the New Kingdom.

A range of archaeological finds was recovered from the site, including pottery vessels, stone tools and large quantities of fish, bird and animal bones. The remains provide valuable evidence of the diet and everyday practices of the site's inhabitants during the Second Intermediate Period.

 

Evidence of Hyksos-era settlement

The mission also uncovered several tombs dating from the 15th and 17th Dynasties and the beginning of the New Kingdom, confirming that the area was inhabited during the Hyksos period.

Abdel Badie underscored the site's proximity to Avaris, the Hyksos capital in the eastern Delta.

 

The tombs varied from mastabas to tombs featuring cornices. Preliminary studies revealed considerable variation in burial positions, age groups and funerary customs.

Their grave goods included jewelry, amulets, scarabs, bronze tools and weapons, as well as pottery vessels and Tell el-Yahudiya ware, a distinctive type of pottery associated with this period.

Hisham Hussein, Head of the Central Administration of Lower Egypt Antiquities, said the mission has recorded several significant scientific findings, including a mudbrick tomb dating to the early 18th Dynasty.

 

The tomb contained a collection of pottery vessels and bronze tools.

The mission also uncovered the foundations of a structure with thick mudbrick walls, with pottery fragments and stone tools found on its floor dating to the beginning of the New Kingdom.

Ptolemaic-period burial

From the Ptolemaic Period, the excavations uncovered several simple burial pits, including the burial of a child placed inside two amphorae that had been reused as a funerary container.

The practice was a known burial method during the period and provides further evidence of the site's continued use across different phases of ancient Egyptian history.

 

Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy said the discoveries represent an important scholarly contribution to understanding the history and civilizational development of the Delta.

He added that the findings demonstrate the scientific expertise of Egyptian archaeologists, who continue to make significant archaeological discoveries through Egyptian efforts, while supporting the ministry's efforts to highlight the richness and diversity of Egypt's cultural heritage.