Cairo — Egyptian authorities have announced two significant archaeological discoveries, including a remarkably well preserved Byzantine era residential city in the country’s western desert and 18 ancient tombs near the Mediterranean coast, in findings that officials say will further strengthen Egypt’s growing tourism industry.
According to CNN, the discoveries were made at the Dakhla Oasis in Egypt’s Western Desert and the Marina el Alamein archaeological site near Alexandria. Both sites provide new insights into Egypt’s rich historical heritage, spanning the Byzantine, Roman and Greco Roman periods.
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the discovery at the Dakhla Oasis sheds light on urban planning, daily life and economic activity during the fourth century AD, when Egypt formed part of the Byzantine Empire.
Archaeologists uncovered a well organized settlement featuring north south streets intersected by east west roads, creating public squares and open communal spaces. At the center of the settlement stands a basilica church dating to the middle of the fourth century, overlooking the city’s main streets.
The excavation also revealed the remains of two watchtowers that once protected the settlement’s outskirts, along with a heavily fortified structure surrounded by thick defensive walls. Numerous residential buildings containing reception halls and vaulted roofs were also uncovered.
Among the most notable discoveries was the residence of Tisous, identified as a church deacon who lived during the second half of the fourth century. Researchers believe the building functioned as a house church before the construction of the city’s basilica.
Evidence of daily life was also found throughout the site, including bread ovens, kitchens and stone grinding tools used for food preparation.
The archaeological mission uncovered well preserved bronze coins bearing portraits of Byzantine emperors, Latin inscriptions and Christian symbols. A collection of gold coins dating to the reign of Roman Emperor Constantius II, who ruled between AD 337 and 361, was also discovered.
According to Diaa Zahran, head of the Islamic, Coptic and Jewish Antiquities Department, archaeologists recovered approximately 200 pottery fragments known as ostraca. These inscribed pottery pieces contain records of commercial transactions, correspondence and other aspects of everyday life, providing valuable insight into the settlement’s economy and administration.
The Dakhla Oasis, located in Egypt’s New Valley Governorate, is currently included on UNESCO’s Tentative List for possible future inscription as a World Heritage Site.
In a separate excavation at Marina el Alamein, approximately 100 kilometers west of Alexandria, archaeologists uncovered 18 additional tombs, bringing the total number of excavated tombs at the site to 48.
The newly discovered burials include 11 rock cut tombs with an average depth of eight meters and seven limestone built surface tombs.
Ministery of Tourism and Antiquities/AP
Excavations also yielded a wide range of burial objects, including pottery vessels, amphorae, oil lamps, plates, altars and limestone basins.
Mission leader Eman Abdel Khaliq said archaeologists discovered a granite sarcophagus measuring approximately 2.5 meters in length containing human skeletal remains that are currently undergoing scientific analysis.
Nearby, researchers found the remains of a plaster sphinx statue and four gold pieces placed inside the mouths of several of the deceased. The practice, commonly referred to as the “golden tongue,” reflected ancient funerary beliefs intended to help the dead communicate in the afterlife.
Marina el Alamein, first excavated in 1986, is widely believed to be the site of the ancient Greco Roman port city of Leukaspis. Historians believe the city was established during the second century AD and flourished until the fourth century.
The latest discoveries come as Egypt’s tourism sector continues its strong recovery after years of disruption caused by political instability following the 2011 uprising and the COVID 19 pandemic.
Tourism remains one of Egypt’s most important sources of foreign currency alongside revenues from the Suez Canal.
Official figures show that Egypt welcomed a record 19 million international visitors in 2025, representing a 21 percent increase compared with 2024. During the first four months of 2026, the country received 6.1 million tourists, up from 5.7 million during the same period the previous year.
Source: CNN
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