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Zawyet Sultan: Archaeology and heritage in Middle Egypt

The archaeological remains of the ancient Egyptian town of Hebenu, located next to the village Zawyet Sultan to the South of the city of el-Minya in Middle Egypt, offers an excellent insight into the development of a provincial capital over 5000 years, from late prehistory and the Pharaonic period to the Roman empire and up to the present day. The preserved monuments include a pyramid, decorated rock tombs, temple blocks, as well as the extensive remains of the ancient settlement and quarries. The aim of the project is to understand long-term transformations of ancient Egyptian society at a local level through the millennia, using archaeological, geoarchaeological and epigraphic methods in conjunction with historical documents relating to the site. The project is co-directed by Richard Bussmann and Gianluca Miniaci (Pisa University) in cooperation with Egyptian Ministry of State Antiquities. Funding is provided by the Egypt Exploration Society, Cologne University and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Publications

  • Bussmann, R. 2018. Die Pyramide von Zawyet Sultan: lokale Perspektiven. Sokar 36, 6-19.
  • Bussmann, Richard, Gianluca Miniaci, Aly el-Bakry, and Elena Tiribilli 2016. The pyramid, town and cemeteries of Zawyet Sultan. Egyptian Archaeology 48, 38-41.
  • www.zawyet-el-sultan.com