2015/02/27 by Kathryn A. Bard, Rodolfo Fattovich · 1 citation
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Archaeology and Historical Studies #Global Maritime and Colonial Histories #Ancient Egypt and Archaeology
paper · doi:10.5615/neareastarch.78.1.0004
openalex publication_date 2015/02/27 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
Mersa/Wadi Gawasis was the site of an ancient Egyptian harbor on the Red Sea, which was mainly used during the Middle Kingdom (ca. 2055–1650 b.c.e.) for seafaring voyages to Punt and Bia-Punt. Excavations at the site from 2003–2011 have uncovered ceremonial structures located along a cliff above the shoreline, and eight man-made caves/galleries, which were mainly used for storage. No permanent architecture has been found at the site, suggesting that it was only used as a temporary harbor before and after voyages. Most supplies for the expeditions, including pottery, seeds of emmer wheat and barley, timber and papyrus ropes for the ships, were carried from the Nile Valley across the eastern desert by means of donkey caravans. Foreign ceramics found at the site from the Gash lowlands, Eritrea, and Yemen suggest that Punt was located in the southern Red Sea region.