Discovery of an Egyptian Monastic Complex from the Roman colonial era
Il Cairo – Amr AbduLRahman
The Egyptian archaeological mission affiliated with the Supreme Council of Antiquities announced the discovery of the remains of an ancient residential complex for Egyptian monks dating back to the Byzantine-Roman colonial era, in the village of Al-Duweir in Sohag Governorate.
The discoveries included mud-brick buildings with halls containing places of worship and domed living rooms, as well as basins for storing water, a possible main church, and various artifacts that support an understanding of monastic life in Upper Egypt during that important historical period.
According to the sources, it provides direct evidence of monastic life in Upper Egypt during the Byzantine colonial era and highlights the richness and diversity of ancient Egyptian culture and the influence of the Christian message on it, thus promoting cultural tourism.
According to sources at the Ministry of Antiquities, the details of the discovery are as follows:
Location: Al-Duweir village, Tama district, Sohag Governorate, Egypt.
Era: Roman-Byzantine colonial period.
Among the most notable discoveries are:
Residential buildings: Rectangular halls and small vaulted rooms for the monks.
Places of worship: Some halls contain what appear to be prayer rooms.
Main church: A larger building believed to have been the church of the monastic complex.
Service facilities: Water storage basins or basins for industrial activities.
Archaeological finds: Amphorae, ostraca (pottery fragments) with Coptic inscriptions, household items, and architectural stone fragments.
