<< News >> Helwan necropolis attracts Egyptologists
Submitted by Andy B on Tuesday, 06 December 2005 Page Views: 3831
Neolithic and Bronze AgeCountry: Egypt Type: Burial Chamber or DolmenInternal Links:
Egyptologists are to continue excavations at one of the most important Egyptian archaeological sites in recent, years. The Helwan necropolis, 15 miles south of Cairo, is home to over 10,000 tombs that date from pre-dynasty Egypt to the third dynasty (5,000 years ago). According to Salima Ikram, an Egyptologist and professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo, Helwan is the flagship site in Lower Egypt.
"It is one of the most important sites in the north due to the necropolis' sheer size," said Ikram.
Under the direction of the Australian Center for Egyptology at Sydney's Macquarie University, teams of archaeologists have unearthed thousands of tombs over the years at Helwan - this year is sure to bring more of the same.
Ikram is excited at the excavation period, which runs through the beginning of February 2006.
Like many urban digs in Egypt, Helwan is also home to thousands of Egyptians.
As villagers continue to flock to Cairo to look for work, places like Helwan are becoming flooded with more people than they can properly find housing for.
Helwan residents are concentrated in a small area that gives families limited space for their tiny homes, which makes it difficult for archaeologists to maneuver the area at times.
Egyptologists believe that the over 10,000 tombs at Helwan indicate the site is the true necropolis of Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt.
Directly in front of the cemetery of Saqqara, the Helwan necropolis is home to the tombs of common people and a few elite patrons. While most tombs belong to common citizens, some tombs indicate a status almost equal to the high officials buried at Saqqara.
Ikram, a specialist in burial practices, says that the tombs give insight into who is buried: "The owners of the larger and better equipped tombs were probably part of the administration of Memphis, derived from elite families, some possibly originating from the north of Egypt."
One tomb was simply a hole, less than one cubic meter, in which a man was buried holding a piece of bread.
Last year's excavation saw 20 new tombs discovered, which gave insight into the transition period in Egypt when kings began to take over from village chiefs, developing a complex society. This eventually turned into the dynastic system that gave birth to the pharaoh as king of Ancient Egypt.
"In terms of mortuary archaeology it is very interesting as social differentiation can be tracked by size and complexity of tombs. Some have stelae, which are very important as they name and provide information about the deceased," Ikram said. "The activity at this site shows the well established government in lower Egypt at this time."
However, there is great concern about the destruction that is continuing to take the site away from Egyptologists. A military base surrounds the site along with increasing high-rise construction and illegal shantytowns that encroach the excavation. The area once covered 100 hectares but today has been reduced by half. Egyptologists are working against time in their work, as fear that this site may soon disappear is a constant threat to the important work being done in Helwan.
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