-= Tell el-Borg =-

:: To learn about of the archaeological history of this region, particularly during the New Kingdom period, and to investigate Tell el-Borg’s role in the region and relationship to other NK sites.

:: To reconstruct Egypt’s Frontier defense system during the New Kingdom, including ongoing investigation of the East Frontier Canal.

:: To clarify the route of the military highway that connect Egypt to ancient Canaan.

:: To make available to scholars and interested parties the results of our work in a timely manner through publications, lectures, and via the internet.

// CONTACT

:: Tell el-Borg 2001: SCA Report ::

Tell el-Borg 2001: A Report for the Supreme Council of Antiquities
By James K. Hoffmeier
East Frontier Archaeological Project
Trinity International University, Deerfield, IL

The second season of excavations at Tell el-Borg, North Sinai, were conducted between March 10 and April 22, 2001. Team members included:

Dr. James Hoffmeier - Director
Ms. Lyla Brock - Assistant Director & artist
Mr. Jim Knutstad- Field Supervisor & architect
Dr. Thomas Davis – Field Supervisor
Dr. Greg Mumford – Field Supervisor
Ms. Rosa Frey - Assistant Field Supervisor
Mr. Scott Haddow – Assistant Field Supervisor and Anthropologist
Dr. Ben Scolnic – Square Supervisor
Mr. Ron Bull – Square Supervisor
Mr. Ashraf Melika – Field Assistant
Mr. Jeremy Cheek – Field Assistant
Mr. Stephen Olson – Field Assistant

Dr. Sthephen Moshier – Geologist
Dr. Ali el-Kalani – Geological Survey of Egypt
Lauren Powell – Geological Assistant

Ms. Heather Alexander – Photographer
Mr. Harvey Miller – Digital Photographer

Aaron Burke – Data Entry Supervisor & Square Supervisor
Linda Wilding – Data Entry
Amy Olson – Data Entry

Mrs. Rexine Hummel – Pottery Analyst
Ms. Valerie Broucek – Pottery Assistant

Ms. Noël Siver – Conservator
Mrs. Dolores Ward – Conservation Assistant
We enjoyed the support of the Sinai Archaeological Centre and its director, Dr. Mohammad Abdel Samea, and the Director of North Sinai, Mr. Mohammad Abdel Fatah. Our inspectors, Mr. Mahmoud Mansour, Mr. Sayed Abdel Aleem, and Mr. Hisham Hussin, were most helpful in every way. Above all, we are thankful to Dr. Mohammad Abd el-Maksoud who first invited us to work at Tell el-Borg for his unwavering advocacy for archaeological research in North Sinai.

This season included several areas of research:
1. Magnetometer survey
2. Geological study of the region around Tell-el Borg
3. Excavations in Fields II, III, and IV.

1. Magnetometer Survey: We continued the work begun in January and were able to recognize several features which were investigated. We were most successful in finding a tomb in Field III, traces of walls in Field II, and part of the moat in Field IV. More magnetometer work is needed in the northern areas of the tell, and on the east side of the canal, opposite Field IV.

2. The regional geological survey was directed by Dr. Stephen Moshier. This venture was a joint collaboration with the Geological Survey of Egypt which was represented by Dr. Ali el-Kelani.

3. Field II was divided into two areas (1 & 2). Dr. Greg Mumford supervised work in the “stepped, stone pit” that was begun last season. The steps are made of reused talatat (52 cm long). Last season a stamped jar handle of Smenkhkara and another of Tutankhamun were found in the fill left behind by the recent robber activity. This season, a second stamped vessel with a cartouche with hprw rc (Tut-ankh-Amun) was noticed on the bottom of a vessel discovered last year. It too came from this same area further indicating a late 18th Dynasty (Post Akhenaten) date for the usage of this structure. It might also be the case that this installation is Ramesside, having cut through a late 18th Dynasty stratum.

The purpose of the stepped-structure of remains a puzzle. It may have had something to do with water. The rock construction is rather rough, and no plaster on the rocks was visible to suggest it was a cistern for storing water. It may have been a well of some sort. Alternatively, some sort of industrial complex is another possibility for the unusual structure. Interestingly, a similar structure subsequently appeared Field IV (see below).

Field II, area 1 is called the “temple area.” Within this area the large granite block and an alabaster block were exposed last year. Also, this area is covered by hundreds of chips of limestone, granite, and other hard stones, suggesting a violent destruction occurred. Under the supervision of Dr. Tom Davis a mud-brick structure was uncovered that in some places only a one brick of thickness survived, and the east end of the structure was completely destroyed when bulldozing occurred to create the parameter when the military occupied the site. Two building phases are represented in this building. A pit just north of the structure contained potsherds, animal bones, and fragments of a small royal statue. The nemes-crown and uraeus confirm its royal identity, but no text was discovered on the surviving pieces to provide the name of the monarch. We hope that further excavations may produce the missing pieces.
Field III contains the cemetery of Tell el-Borg. Four tombs were cleared last season which had been exposed and partially destroyed by the As-salam irrigation project between January and March 2000. Additionally, this area was plundered in ancient times and again in recent years to judge by the many, sand filled pits surrounded by recently broken potsherds and bone fragments. This season we excavated west of the salvage area from last season, a location that indicated presence of a large structure by our magnetometer. Indeed this feature turned out to be a tomb that was badly destroyed during the robbing. It measures 7.7 by 3.3 meters. Early in the clearance a sherd was discovered with the stamped cartouche of Amenhotep II - c3 hprw (rc). The other potsherds discovered within the tomb suggest a later 18th to 19th Dynasty date, suggesting that the stamped sherd may not have originated in this tomb. Outside the tomb the remains of a clay coffin was recovered which is being conserved and reconstructed. Our anthropologist, Scott Haddow, who directed the excavations in this tomb, is studying the human remains.
Field IV is the fortress area discovered last year. At the close of that season we knew that there were two building phases to judge from the relationship of Wall C to Wall D, the latter of which had a fosse (moat) associated with it. This season’s work revealed at least three building phases that could represent as much as two centuries of usage. Unfortunately, so much destruction of the fort area resulted from the bulldozing in connection with the construction of the adjacent canal that most of the ceramic remains associated with the building phases were removed. Careful study of the remaining pottery is required to sort out the chronology of the building phases. A provisional dating scheme of mid-18th Dynasty for phase 1, late 18th Dynasty (post-Amarna) for phase 2, and 19th Dynasty for phase 3 might be suggested.
The biggest surprise was the discovery that the foundation of outer walls of the fosse was made of fired brick (35 X 17 X 6 cm) nine layers in height. This is a remarkable discovery as fired bricks are rarely found in New Kingdom architecture. In fact, we are still searching for parallels for this phenomenon.
Further investigation of Wall A in Field IV resulted in discovering that it too was a fosse, and not a wall as previously thought. It too utilized fired brick (mostly broken pieces) laid on top of limestone blocks. Based upon the different construction technique between the two fosses, it appears that they are not related. Which wall system Fosse A is associated with remains uncertain, but it is likely part of the second or third phase.
East of the outside fosse wall, a stepped stone structure was exposed. It looks like the one discovered in Field II. Complete excavation of this feature will have to wait until next year.
Towards the end of the season we discovered a good collection of potsherds at the top of the fill in Fosse D. Included in this group was a stamped jar handle with the cartouche of Smenkhkara (cnh hprw rc). Since this fosse was filled in order to build phase two of the fort (i.e. Wall C), it suggests that Phase 2 was constructed at the very end of Akhenaten’s reign or just after his death.
A few sondages were sunk in line with Fosse A across the canal, but we were unable to find any traces of it. We need to conducted a thorough magnetometer survey of the area east of the canal to see if this structure or any of the Field IV walls survived on the opposite bank.

Conclusion & Future Plans

This was a fruitful season that answered some questions, but raised other ones. We now have evidence for occupation at Tell el-Borg during the reigns of Thutmose III and Amenhotep II) as well as later in the 18th Dynasty (Smenekhkara and Tutankhamun and during the reign of Ramesses II. While new evidence emerged about the fortress, its full extent and its configuration remain unknown.
At least another season is required to determine, through magnetometery and digging sondages, the parameter of the fort. We would very much like to learn where the temple stood from which the inscribed Ramesside blocks were discovered last year in Field I. The mud-brick structure we excavated in Field II shows no evidence of having utilized these limestone blocks. The “stepped structure” in Field II may well have been constructed from re-used temple blocks. Field II, area 1 is covered with hundreds of limestone chips, like those used in the filling of Fosse D in Field IV. So it would appear that a stone temple once stood some where in Field II, but this is far from certain.
Thus in the future we will have to direct further investigation in Field II and to its north, it as well as in Field IV, especially on the east side of the canal.

We look forward to further collaboration with our colleagues in the SCA!

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