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2024
La Haute Égypte

Qal’at Sheikh al-‘Arab Hammām (2023)

Ottoman Citadel in Upper Egypt
Responsable d’opération : Ahmad al-Shoky

Entrées d’index

Établissement éditeur :

IFAO

Année de lʼopération :

2023

Chronologie :

Empire ottoman

Nature de l'opération :

fouille
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Notes de l’auteur

Année de la campagne : 2023 (11-28 décembre)

Autorité nationale présente :
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquity (MoTA) represented by Olfat Atef Abd el-Aal (Director at Nag Hammadi), Samar Mohammed Allam (Inspector) and Hamida Abd-Allah (Companion Inspector), Essam Abd-el Rahman Mahmoud (Director of Encroachments in Nag Hammadi), Musa Ali Gad Ahmed (Director of Property Management in Nag Hammadi).
From the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences represented by Dr. Abdul Aziz Fathi Al-Fadali (Head of the team), Dr. Mohamed Abdel Wahab Atwa (Assistant Professor of Geophysics, Helwan University), Hassan Ibrahim Muhammad Diab (researcher), Ahmed Mohamed Ismail Gad (researcher).

Numéro et intitulé de l’opération de terrain : 19136 – Qal’at Cheikh Hammâm. Citadelle ottomane en Haute Égypte

Composition de l’équipe de terrain : Ahmad al-Shoky (Professor of Islamic Archaeology, Ain Shams University) ; Hamed Youssef (foreman).

Partenariats institutionnels : IFAO ; Ain Shams University.

Organismes financeurs : IFAO

Texte intégral

Donnée scientifiques produites :
https://www.ifao.egnet.net/​recherche/​archeologie/​qalat-cheikh-hammam/​

1. Geophysical Survey

1The area of the Sheikh al-Arab Hammām site is about 18 acres, and the mission’s archaeological survey work during its first 2020 season has revealed that the archaeological evidence is distributed over the entire site, including the Haram and its external borders, amounting to approximately 32 acres, which is about double the current area. Given the need to confirm this opinion along with the importance of investigating the site from a geophysical point of view, an agreement was reached with the Remote Sensing Authority to conduct a geophysical archaeological survey of the site. Following approval from the Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, the geophysical survey team carried out survey work using satellites and the Syscal Pro, as well as the GPR. After discussing all results of the satellite survey with the team, the proposed areas to be surveyed with devices were identified to answer the following questions:

1. Do the external boundaries of the site contain archaeological remains? Therefore, it must be included in the site area as a whole;

2. To confirm some part of the sites where the mission’s archaeological survey indicated the presence of archaeological evidence or not;

3. Verify some sectors of the sites where satellites indicated the presence of archaeological evidence;

4. Is there or is there not still a ground floor under the Citadel?

2To answer these questions, the site was divided into sectors in the proposed locations, as shown in Fig. 1 to 4.

Fig. 1. Geophysical survey sectors of the site of Sheikh al-Arab Hammām citadel using Syscal Pro and GPR (al-Fadali under the guidance of A. al-Shoky).

Fig. 1. Geophysical survey sectors of the site of Sheikh al-Arab Hammām citadel using Syscal Pro and GPR (al-Fadali under the guidance of A. al-Shoky).

© IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMCN_001

3Initial readings of the geophysical survey revealed many surprising results, which will be one the data analysis process is complete.

Fig. 2. Geophysical survey operations using Syscal Pro (A. al-Shoky).

Fig. 2. Geophysical survey operations using Syscal Pro (A. al-Shoky).

© IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMPE_004

Fig. 3. Geophysical survey of the citadel building using GPR (A. al-Shoky).

Fig. 3. Geophysical survey of the citadel building using GPR (A. al-Shoky).

© IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMPE_005

Fig. 4. Geophysical survey of the citadel building using GPR (A. al-Shoky).

Fig. 4. Geophysical survey of the citadel building using GPR (A. al-Shoky).

© IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMPE_008

2. Site Management

4The management of archaeological sites contributes to the conservation of cultural and historical heritage and, in general, to the preservation of cultural identity and the enhancement of cultural communication between generations. The construction of a wall around the archaeological site is of great importance and includes:

1. Security protection: the fence provides effective protection against vandalism and theft, helping to preserve the historical site and antiquities from destruction;

2. Preservation of structure: the wall contributes to preserve the structure of the archaeological site and prevents unwanted interference, helping to maintain the balance and organisation of the site;

3. Access control: the wall allows access to the site to be controlled, which contributes to control the number of visitors and ensure that visitor numbers are controlled and sustainable;

4. Reduced environmental impact: the wall can protect the archaeological site from negative environmental impacts, such as natural erosion or weather effects;

5. Stimulating sustainable tourism: the presence of a wall around the archaeological site enhances sustainable visits and provides a controlled tourist experience.

5Given the area of the large archaeological site of Sheikh al-Arab Hammām citadel and its location in the middle of the village of al-Araki with its large population, which increased the number of encroachments on the site, the need to build a wall around the site became apparent, which was requested by the Nag Hammadi administration and approved by the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities at the expense of Egyptian-French mission.

6In implementation of this decision, the mission, in cooperation with the inspection and the encroachment, survey and property departments of the Islamic and Coptic antiquities in the Nag Hammadi area, selected the site most vulnerable to encroachment to begin construction of the fence around the site. The necessary licenses and approvals for the construction were obtained from the local Farshout Council, and its route, borders, shape and building materials were determined with the Nag Hammadi administration as follows:

1. The northern side was chosen, parallel to the Citadel building and the main street of the village, facing south, with a length of about 150 meters. This is the most important site and vulnerable to encroachments on the site, while defining the boundaries of the archaeological site and the wall;

2. The height of the wall is about 2 meters above the ground, with preliminary surveys carried out before construction and suitable foundations (fig. 5).

Fig. 5. Cross-section of the external facade of a wall showing measurements (A. al-Shoky).

Fig. 5. Cross-section of the external facade of a wall showing measurements (A. al-Shoky).

© IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMCN_002

3. The construction material for this part of the wall had to be suitable to that of the Citadel. Therefore, the walls of the wall were built in mud brick, like the material used to build the Citadel, while the foundations and supports were constructed in limestone to add additional strength (fig. 6-7).

Fig. 6. Cross-section of the external facade of a wall showing technic style (A. al-Shoky).

Fig. 6. Cross-section of the external facade of a wall showing technic style (A. al-Shoky).

© IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMCN_003

Fig. 7. Execution of the mud mortar of an external wall (A. al-Shoky).

Fig. 7. Execution of the mud mortar of an external wall (A. al-Shoky).

© IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMPF_005

4. The wall was painted from the outside to add an aesthetic appearance to the site’s surroundings and to the main street (fig. 8).

Fig. 8. Wall after completion of external paintwork (A. al-Shoky).

Fig. 8. Wall after completion of external paintwork (A. al-Shoky).

© IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMPF_006

5. We have left the mud bricks of the wall as they are on the inside, while covering the columns with mortar of the same color as the mud bricks.

Fig. 9. Walls from the Interior (A. al-Shoky).

Fig. 9. Walls from the Interior (A. al-Shoky).

© IFAO 19136_2023_NDMPF_012

6. A community dialogue has been created in the surrounding environment about the importance of this wall to the village and the benefits it will accrue from its construction in terms of cleanliness and the proper appearance of the main street. Great care was taken to ensure that all workers participating in the construction of the wall were from the village, in order to create a community link with the site and contribute to its future preservation (fig. 10).

Fig. 10. Participation of village workers in the wall construction (A. al-Shoky).

Fig. 10. Participation of village workers in the wall construction (A. al-Shoky).

© IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMPF_015

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Table des illustrations

Titre Fig. 1. Geophysical survey sectors of the site of Sheikh al-Arab Hammām citadel using Syscal Pro and GPR (al-Fadali under the guidance of A. al-Shoky).
Crédits © IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMCN_001
URL http://journals.openedition.org/baefe/docannexe/image/11357/img-1.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 821k
Titre Fig. 2. Geophysical survey operations using Syscal Pro (A. al-Shoky).
Crédits © IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMPE_004
URL http://journals.openedition.org/baefe/docannexe/image/11357/img-2.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 2,6M
Titre Fig. 3. Geophysical survey of the citadel building using GPR (A. al-Shoky).
Crédits © IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMPE_005
URL http://journals.openedition.org/baefe/docannexe/image/11357/img-3.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 2,4M
Titre Fig. 4. Geophysical survey of the citadel building using GPR (A. al-Shoky).
Crédits © IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMPE_008
URL http://journals.openedition.org/baefe/docannexe/image/11357/img-4.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 2,5M
Titre Fig. 5. Cross-section of the external facade of a wall showing measurements (A. al-Shoky).
Crédits © IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMCN_002
URL http://journals.openedition.org/baefe/docannexe/image/11357/img-5.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 74k
Titre Fig. 6. Cross-section of the external facade of a wall showing technic style (A. al-Shoky).
Crédits © IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMCN_003
URL http://journals.openedition.org/baefe/docannexe/image/11357/img-6.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 50k
Titre Fig. 7. Execution of the mud mortar of an external wall (A. al-Shoky).
Crédits © IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMPF_005
URL http://journals.openedition.org/baefe/docannexe/image/11357/img-7.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 2,2M
Titre Fig. 8. Wall after completion of external paintwork (A. al-Shoky).
Crédits © IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMPF_006
URL http://journals.openedition.org/baefe/docannexe/image/11357/img-8.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 2,4M
Titre Fig. 9. Walls from the Interior (A. al-Shoky).
Crédits © IFAO 19136_2023_NDMPF_012
URL http://journals.openedition.org/baefe/docannexe/image/11357/img-9.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 3,3M
Titre Fig. 10. Participation of village workers in the wall construction (A. al-Shoky).
Crédits © IFAO. 19136_2023_NDMPF_015
URL http://journals.openedition.org/baefe/docannexe/image/11357/img-10.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 2,7M
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Référence électronique

Ahmad al-Shoky, « Qal’at Sheikh al-‘Arab Hammām (2023) » [notice archéologique], Bulletin archéologique des Écoles françaises à l’étranger [En ligne], Égypte, mis en ligne le 01 mai 2024, consulté le 06 novembre 2024. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/baefe/11357 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/11w1v

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Auteur

Ahmad al-Shoky

Archaeology, Ain Shams University

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Responsable d’opération

Ahmad al-Shoky

Archaeology, Ain Shams University

Opération(s) dirigée(s) par cet archéologue

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