Delta SurveyA British Academy Research Project Information on the archaeological sites of the Delta is presented here in the form web-pages containing an alphabetical listing of sites. Where a substantial amount of information is available, or photographs of the site exist, links are provided to supplementary pages. The site-names in most cases are those of the Survey of Egypt maps. The material is offered as a source of reference and a tool for the planning of new projects. The letters 'T' and 'K' in the lists stand for 'Tell' and 'Kom' respectively, Arabic words for 'mound', describing the usual appearance of archaeological sites in the region. We would recommend viewing this area of the website on a desktop computer. You may also be interested to visit the separate Western Delta Regional Survey on Durham University's website here: http://community.dur.ac.uk/penelope.wilson/Delta/Survey.html About Index Sites by SCA number Sites on Google Earth Bibliography Conference & Workshop SAL-SHE Name Location Map ref. Extent No. Notes Literature Salih, K (Saleh) E of Buto 31 12 38N 30 48 53E levelled 278 DAI 1983 survey found the mound destroyed, but sherds in the fields over an area 100m long. Three examples of Roman to Coptic date noted by Ballet and von der Way (1993). More recently investigated by Robert Schiestl. P Ballet and T von der Way, MDAIK 49 (1993), 18; Schiestl, 2010a, 11-13;id. 2017a. Salwa, K N of Biyala 31 19 40N 31 13 36E overbuilt 116 Attempt to locate the site by J and P Spencer in 1997 failed after long excursions along dirt tracks. CORONA images from the 1960s show an area of wasteland with mound remnants just being reclaimed. Ezba Kom es-Sahayet is 1.5 km to W of the site location. - Samahat, K es- N of Kafr es-Sheikh 31 11 49N 30 57 52E destroyed 6 On the 1914 map, shown as a mound of 420 x 220m. No traces remain, only cultivated fields. SoE 1:50,000 (1914). Samara, T 15km NE of Simbellawein 30 55 16N 31 36 48E 290 x 215 x 6m in 1987 175 Visited by J and P Spencer in 1990: a low black mound with a Late Predynastic to Early Dynastic cemetery. Part covered by modern cemetery. SCA excavations in 2000. Details and photos SCA Daqahliya - Dameitta register no. 050303 (location marked erroneously as 050304 on SCA map). SoE 1:25,000 series, 91/660. See Leclant, Or .52 (1983), 472; Or. 54 (1985), 349 and BIFAO 104 (2), 2004, 705. Samedi, K Canopus 31 18 46N 30 03 24E part overbuilt 223 Part of ancient Canopus, remains of mound in a built-up area. - Sami, T 7km SE of San el Hagar 30 56 21N 31 57 41E levelled 623 Indicated as an unnamed Tell on the edge of inundated land on 1914 map. Now just fields at the edge of a small village. SCA Sharqiya register 13060009. SoE 1:50,000 (1914). Sammanud At Sammanud town 30 57 32N 31 14 30E Overbuilt 76 Ancient Sebennytos. The mound is quite elevated but is totally covered by the modern town. Temple site destroyed long ago: blocks collected in an open-air store by the SCA. Details SCA Gharbiya register no. 080204. PM, iv. ASAE 11 (1911), 90-6; Naville, Mound of the Jew, 23-6 and pl.VI. Leclant & Clerc, Or. 69 (2000), 218-9. Samn, K es- N of Cairo 30 12 55N 31 17 02E destroyed 52 A town on an ancient site.. SoE 1:50,000 (1914 Samuni, T el- 3.5km E of Dahtamun 30 40 48N 31 44 30E destroyed 541 Amsterdam University survey reported part of the site had been levelled and the rest overbuilt by village of Ezba Nicola Saluka. Details SCA Unregistered site no. 130004, under the name Tell ed-Dummiyin. SoE 1:25,000 series, 88/675; Brink, MDAIK 43 (1987), 7ff., 23. San el Hagar N of Husseiniya 30 58 30N 31 53 00E Massive extant mound 166 Major site not subject of this survey Ancient Tanis. See bibliography for excavations and discoveries. SCA Sharqiya register 13060010. ESA 1:50,000 map (1996), sheet NH36-J4d. For bibliography, click here: San el-Hagar Sandala 20 km E of Desuq 31 09 20N 30 50 12E 100m long and 15m high (1983) 470 DAI drill-core tests in 1983. The archaeological mound is situated in the middle of the village, partly overbuilt by houses and modern tombs. Details See MDAIK 40, 323; P Ballet and T von der Way, MDAIK 49 (1993), 18 and Fig. 17, no. 58. SCA Kafr es- Sheikh register no. 090154. On SoE 1:100,000 (1916) map as village of 'Sandila'. Sandanhor S of Benha 30 24 09N 31 12 12E overbuilt 692 A modern town on an ancient site. SCA Qalubiya register no. 070104. Sangaha, Gez. SW of Tell Rak 30 50 51N 31 38 45E part levelled 592 Listed in Amsterdam University 1984-5 survey as having been partly levelled for agriculture or settlement. Ancient site on sand gezira. Early Dynastic sherds reported. Artibus Asiae 21 (1958), 86; Brink, in MDAIK 43 (1987), 21, 23. Sangar, T In Lake Burullos 31 29 57N 30 55 10E 700 x 400m (2007) 599 On SoE 1:100,000 map (1916) only as island of Geziret Sangar, not as ancient site. The ancient mound is at the south end. Visited by Penny Wilson for the Delta Survey in 2012. An area of 90 x 140m with pottery and brick was noted. The pottery was Late Roman to Islamic; red slipped wares and glazed wares. SCA Kafr es-Sheikh register no. 090150 Sanhur, T 7 km N of Minshat Abu Omar 30 57 54N 32 00 59E 750 x 600m (2001) 197 Visited in November 2001 by J and P Spencer. A very large and high mound with sandy surfaces, littered with fired bricks, ceramic slag and glass fragments. Details and photos SCA Sharqiya register 13060016. Foucart, Rec Trav. 20, 168; id., in ASAE 2 (1901), 79. See Details page for more references. Sanyura, T el- 8km NE of Kafr Saqr 30 49 23N 31 43 17E 500 x 200m 678 A sand gezira at the E side of the town. The area under SCA supervision is a strip clear of buildings between the town and the modern cemetery. SCA Sharqiya register 13050071. Saqya, K el- SW of Abu Hummus 30 57 01N 30 11 04E overbuilt 416 On the 1914 map as a small mound. Shown only as a village on ESA 1996 map NH36-I4c. The flattened mound is overbuilt by a village and a small modern cemetery. SCA Beheira register no. 100242. SoE 1:50,000 (1914); 1:100,000 (1916). Sarahig, K el- 4 km N of K Alawi (241) 31 23 12N 30 42 13E 400x 200m (2007) 460 Tell still extant among reclaimed land in 2020. Size reduced to 270 x 112m. On SoE 1:50,000 (1909) map, sheet VII-II NW. SCA Kafr es-Sheikh register no. 090126. Sarari, T N of Awlad Musa 30 49 10N 31 44 10E levelled to fields 564 Amsterdam University survey 1984-5. Site now cultivated. Former tell of 5 feddans. No pottery noted. SoE 1:25,000 series, 90/675; Brink, MDAIK 43 (1987), 7ff., 21. Sauwan, K es- S of Abu Hummus 31 02 10N 30 15 50E overbuilt 386 Hogarth report to EEF in 1895: 'Much dug, not much left, Saite bricks', are his comments (see ref. to P Spencer). Hogarth used the spelling 'Suan'. Covered by village and cemetery. SCA Beheira register no. 100179 (location on SCA map inexact). SoE SoE 1:50,000 (1914); 1:100,000 (1916). P Spencer, in Studies on Ancient Egypt in honour of H S Smith (EES 1999), 305, 309. Sauwan, T K es- - - - - Under this name see also under Kom Sauwan, T (452) - Sebakh, K es- NW of Damanhur 31 05 30N 30 26 00E levelled 287 No trace found by S R Snape during a visit to the area in 1996. Satellite images show fields at the edge of a village, with possible site remnants at 31 05 26N 30 26 25E. - Sebakha, T el- At Es-Sebakha, Near Mansura 30 58 04N 31 21 56E overbuilt 515 GR Town and cemetery NW of tell with Roman tombs of white limestone, rectangular, with gabled roof, used as bath by villagers, noted by Chaban. In 1912 covered only 12 feddans. Koms à Sabakh:12; Chaban, M. 1906, 'Sur Le Tombeau Romain de Tell el Sebakha', in ASAE 7 (1906),17-18. Daressy ASAE 13 (1913), 184; Bietak, Tell ed Daba, II, 112. Sebakhiya, T SW of Husseiniya 30 50 02N 31 52 52E levelled 545 Amsterdam University survey reported the site had been almost destroyed by 1984-5. Dusty surface produced few sherds (Saite, Ptolemaic and Roman). Levelled to cultivation. Tell shows in field pattern to 2016 as a rounded shape of 60m diameter. SoE 1:25,000 series, 90/690; Brink, MDAIK 43 (1987), 7ff., 22. Sefier, T NNW of Biyala 31 18 48N 31 10 48E levelled 603 Satellite images of the area show only fields (2007). SCA Kafr es-Sheikh register no. 090155. Semasem, T el- NE of Cairo 30 11 14N 31 20 28E reduced 723 A tiny tell remnant next to a built complex SCA Qalubiya register no. 070204. Sersana El-Shuhada 30 35 47N 30 54 02E much reduced 640 The archaeological area is surrounded by buildings, which have encroached on the site since SCA excavations began in 1994. Visited for the EES by J. Rowland in 2005 and 2007. Details and photos Daressy, in ASAE 12 (1912), 205. SCA No. 080104 (Menufiya) in 'The Rest of the Lower Egypt Governorates' publication of the SCA (2002); See P. Wilson and J. Rowland in JEA 92 (2006), 10 Shabbas esh-Shuhada SE of Desuq 31 05 27N 30 44 41E destroyed and overbuilt 467 Modern town on site of ancient Shabasa. Islamic cemetery on west, shown on both the 1916 and 1996 maps, might cover part of ancient mound. A small area of the mound at the SE of the town free of buildings in 2005. SoE 1:100,000 (1916); ESA map NH36-M2a; Schiestl 2010b, 7. Shablanga 7km E of Benha 30 28 19N 31 15 36E overbuilt 693 A town on an ancient site. A small mound remnant shows on satellite imagery (2006) at the S edge of the town. SCA Qalubiya register no. 070105. Shagamba 6 km NW of Bilbeis 30 26 57N 31 31 20E covered by modern graves 330 Liverpool University Delta Survey, 1983. Only small high steep-sided mound remains with sheikh's tomb and modern cemetery on top. SCA Sharqiya register 13080004. Petrie, Hyksos & Israelite Cities, 52-4; Tyldesley, Popular Archaeology July 1985, 35-6. Shagara, K esh- N of Biyala 31 13 27N 31 12 36E 300 x 220m (2004) 109 Satellite imagery shows the mound in the cultivated fields, clear of modern structures. Higher at NW and S, with lower centre. Path on the west and canal on the NE side. In March 2016 the whole mound was covered by test-pits, followed in 2021 by the construction of an industrial plant. SCA Kafr es-Sheikh register no. 090102. Shahabya, El- NE of Baltim 31 34 57N 31 08 51E overbuilt 530 Shown only as a village on SoE 1:100,000 map of 1916. Site overbuilt by the town of the same name. SCA Kafr es-Sheikh register no. 090103. Shahedi, El- SE of Itayi el Barud 30 54 00N 30 39 22E overbuilt 709 A village on a levelled mound. SCA Beheira register no. 100204. Shaisha, T - - - - See Ahmar, K el- (99) - Shaleqan 13km NNW of Giza 30 11 26N 31 09 33E overbuilt 734 A town on an ancient site. SCA Qalubiya register no. 070106. Shalshalamun 3.25km SE of Minyet el Qamh 30 29 32N 31 22 53E overbuilt 674 Site overbuilt by the modern town. SCA Sharqiya register no. 13140005. Shaqafiya, T el- W Tumilat 3km S of T el Kebir 30 31 08N 31 57 45E large in 1979 529 American magnetometer survey 1979. Roman sherds and coins. Leclant, Orientalia 48 (1979), 350. Shaqafiya, T el- W Tumilat 20km NE of Bilbeis 30 31 14N 31 47 07E 500 x 200m (2005) 548 Formerly a large sandy mound used as an ancient cemetery. This area is now all cultivated. SCA Sharqiya register no. 13040085. Shaqf, T es- 6km SE of Dahtamun 30 38 05N 31 40 01E destroyed 542 Amsterdam University survey of 1984 reported the tell had been levelled and covered by village of El-Semek. Details SoE 1:25,000 series, 88/675; Brink, MDAIK 43 (1987), 7ff. Sharan, K 10km SW of Abu Hummus 31 02 00N 30 13 57E overbuilt 620 Shown as a medium-sized mound on the SoE 1:100,000 (1916) map (labelled "Saran"). Levelled and overbuilt by a village. SCA Beheira register no. 100144 (position transposed on SCA map with T. Ahad (392). SoE 1:50,000 (1914); 1:100,000 (1916). Shatanuf 13km NW of Ausim 30 14 16N 31 04 30E overbuilt 309 Ancient site completely overbuilt by a modern town. SoE 1:50,000 (1914); 1:100,000 (1916); Plan 4 of Bietak, Tell ed-Daba, II. Shatayein, K esh- 10km SW of Mehalla el-Kubra 30 55 10N 31 04 20E destroyed 74 Named on the 1914 map but without any Tell indicated. Granite statue from here in Cairo Museum.SCA inspectors told J Spencer in 1990 that this site had been destroyed. Satellite imagery (2007) shows only fields in this location. SoE 1:50,000 (1914). PM iv, 43, Kamal, in ASAE 2, 126-7, 193. Shatta, T Suburb of Damietta 31 24 52N 31 51 19E overbuilt 717 Satellite imagery (2007) shows an area of flat wasteland on the west edge of Shatta, cut by lagoons. From the northerly location, no older than Roman. SCA Daqahliya - Damietta register no. 050113. Shehid - - - - See Dundit (507) - Sheikh el Arab, K N of Biyala 31 17 17N 31 12 47E overbuilt 114 Shown as a mound on SoE 1916 map, but as settlement only on the ESA 1:50,000 1996 map. CORONA images show a substantial mound of 500 x 300m clear of structures. The modern village sits directly on the former mound. Details SoE 1:100,000 (1916). Sheikh Ibeid, K el- Just SE of Tala 30 40 06N 30 58 50E overbuilt 36 Shown as village only on SoE 1914 map, since developed into a town. SoE 1:50,000 (1914); 1:100,000 (1916); ESA 1996 map NH36-I5b. RAD-SAL Back to top SHE-SOW