{ "type": "FeatureCollection", "name": "site", "crs": { "type": "name", "properties": { "name": "EPSG:4326" } }, "features": [ { "type": "Feature", "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ 29.045111, 25.540111 ] }, "properties": { "id": 11, "site_uri": "https:\/\/4care-skos.mf.no\/site\/11", "modern_name": "\u02bfAyn al-\u01e6ad\u012bda", "ancient_name": "", "typology": "village", "date_from": 0, "date_to": 0, "dating_criteria": "", "place_names": [ { "language": "Arabic", "pl_name": "\u0639\u064a\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u062c\u062f\u064a\u062f\u0629" } ], "trismegistos_uri": "https:\/\/www.trismegistos.org\/place\/3126", "pleiades_uri": "https:\/\/pleiades.stoa.org\/places\/861854258", "paths_uri": "https:\/\/atlas.paths-erc.eu\/places\/175", "description": "The settlement of \u02bfAyn al-\u01e6ad\u012bda, DOP site number 31\/405-N3-1, is situated in Dakhla Oasis, c. 2.5 km northwest of the village of Ismant and c. 5 km northwest of the ancient site of Ismant al-\u1e2aar\u0101b, ancient Kellis, with which it appears to have functioned in association. The site comprises five low hills, denoted mounds I-V, of which mound I is the largest; it is only here that excavation work had been conducted. In addition to numerous domestic structures, a church complex was revealed in the central area of the mound. The single-nave church (B5) developed out of a pre-existent east-west oriented building with the addition of an easterly apse which protruded into B12, a north-south running street to the east of the church, thus interrupting circulation. The structure is adjoined to the north by a curious open hall (A46), through which one entered the church. A second opening between the two spaces contained a podium, attesting to the fact that A46 functioned in association with the church, though in exactly what form remains unclear (Aravecchia 2022). The remainder of the complex is formed by various spaces to the north of B5 and A46, including areas for food preparation (B6). Further attestation of Christianity at the site derives from the documentary sources, including at least one ostracon (no. 1) and several inscriptions within the church complex (Aravecchia et al. 2018: 512, 529-538). It has been hypothesised that the site served as a monastic settlement on account of the clustered configuration of the southern part of mound I which, rather than comprising independent domestic units, appears to have a spatial arrangement intended to serve those living a communal life (Aravecchia et al. 2018: 275-282). Although the Christian ostracon indeed references two apas, this is not sufficient evidence to demonstrate the hypothesis.\r\nThe fourth century occupation of the site is well attested, with the ceramic corpus spanning from the early fourth to the beginning of the fifth century CE, with very few exceptions (Aravecchia et al. 2018: 285-446). Additionally, 11\/12 ostraca and at least 27 coins, though likely more, are attributable to this period (Aravecchia et al. 2018: 447-507). The most significant evidence for pre-fourth century occupation at the site is the apparent temple, the so-called \u201cWest Complex\u201d, situated near the western edge of mound I (Aravecchia et al. 2018: 262-268).", "archaeological_research": "The first work conducted on the site was a preliminary survey undertaken by the Dakhleh Oasis Project (DOP) in 1980. This was followed by three seasons of excavation carried out by the Supreme Council of Antiquities between 1993 and 1995, directed by Ahmed Salem and Kamel Bayoumi (Bayumi 1998). The most recent, and extensive, work is that of an American mission directed by Roger Bagnall (in collaboration with Ahmed Salem from 2006-2009), with Nicola Aravecchia acting as field director. Three excavation seasons were conducted (2006-2008), all of which were financed by Columbia University, while two study seasons occurred under the auspices of New York University (2009-2010). This work expanded upon that conducted by the SCA in Area A, and expanded to Area B, with topographical surveys conducted on mounds II-V.", "bibliography": "\u2022 Aravecchia, N. 2006. \u201cAin al Gadida 2006 Excavations: Field Director\u2019s Report.\u201d Accessed April 21, 2020. https:\/\/www.amheida.org\/inc\/pdf\/Report2006AG.pdf\u2022 Aravecchia, N. 2007. \u201cAin el-Gedida 2007 Excavations: Field Director\u2019s Report.\u201d Accessed April 21, 2020. https:\/\/www.amheida.org\/inc\/pdf\/Report2007AG.pdf\u2022 Aravecchia, N. 2008. \u201cAin el-Gedida 2008 Excavations: Field Director\u2019s Report.\u201d Accessed April 21, 2020. https:\/\/www.amheida.org\/inc\/pdf\/Report2008AG.pdf\u2022 Aravecchia, N. 2009a. \u201cAin el-Gedida 2009 Study Season: Field Director\u2019s Report.\u201d Accessed April 21, 2020. https:\/\/www.amheida.org\/inc\/pdf\/Report2009AG.pdf\u2022 Aravecchia, N. 2009b. \"Christians of the Western Desert in Late Antiquity: the Fourth-Century Church Complex of \u2018Ain el-Gedida, Upper Egypt.\" Ph.D. Dissertations, University of Minnesota.\u2022 Aravecchia, N. 2010. \u201cAin el-Gedida 2010 Study Season: Field Director\u2019s Report.\u201d Accessed April 21, 2020. https:\/\/www.amheida.org\/inc\/pdf\/Report2010AG.pdf\u2022 Aravecchia, N. 2012. \u201cThe Church Complex of 'Ain el-Gedida, Dakhleh Oasis.\u201d In The Oasis Papers 6: Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference of the Dakhleh Oasis Project, edited by R.S. Bagnall, P. Davoli and C.A. Hope, 391-408. Oxford: Oxbow.\u2022 Aravecchia, N. 2015. \u201cChristianity at Trimithis and in the Dakhla Oasis.\u201d In An Oasis City, edited by R. S. Bagnall, N. Aravecchia, R. Cribiore, P. Davoli, O. E. Kaper and S. McFadden, 119-148. New York: NYU Press.\u2022 Aravecchia, N. 2018. Amheida IV. \u2018Ain el-Gedida: 2006-2008 Excavations of a Late Antique Site in Egypt\u2019s Western Desert. New York: New York University Press.\u2022 Aravecchia, N 2022. \u201cCatechumens, Women, and Agricultural Laborers: Who Used the Fourth-Century Hall at the Church of Ayn el-Gedida, Egypt?\u201d Journal of Late Antiquity 15, 1: 193-230.\u2022 Bayumi, K. 1998. \u201cExcavations at \u2018Ain al Gadida in the Dakhleh Oasis.\u201d In Life on the Fringe. Living in the Southern Egyptian Deserts during the Roman and early-Byzantine Periods, edited by O. E. Kaper, 55-62. Leiden: Research School CNWS, School of Asian, African, and Amerindian Studies.\u2022 Blondaux, L. 2008. Painted Plaster from \u02bfAin el-Gedida. Unpublished.\u2022 Bowen, G. E. 2019. \u201cChristianity in Dakhleh Oasis: An Archaeological Overview.\u201d In The Oasis Papers 9, A tribute to Anthony J. Mills after Forty Years of Research in Dakhleh Oasis. Proceedings of the Ninth International conference of the Dakhleh Oasis Projects, edited by Gillian E. Bowen and Colin A. Hope, with the assistance of Bruce E. Parr, 369. Oxford and Philadelphia: Oxbow Books.\u2022 Dixneuf, D. 2012. \u201cCeramics from \u2018Ain el- Gedida, Dakhleh Oasis: Preliminary Results.\u201d In The Oasis Papers 6: Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference of the Dakhleh Oasis, edited by R. S. Bagnall, P. Davoli and C. A. Hope, 495-70. Oxford: Oxbow Books.\u2022 Ghica, V. 2012. \u201cPour une histoire du christianisme dans le d\u00e9sert occidental d\u2019\u00c9gypte.\u201d Journal des Savants 2: 189-280.\u2022 Ghica, V. 2016. \u201cVecteurs de la christianisation de l\u2019Egypte au IVe si\u00e8cle \u00e0 la lumi\u00e8re des sources arch\u00e9ologiques.\u201d In Acta XVI Congressus Internationalis Archaeologiae Christianae, Rome 22-28.9.2013, edited by Olof Brandt and Gabriele Castiglia, 241 and fig. 9f. Citt\u00e0 del Vaticano: Pontificio Istituto di Archeologia Cristiana.\u2022 Mills, A. J. and K. A. Worp. 2000. \u201cA Poll Tax Receipt from el-Gedida (Dhakhleh Oasis).\u201d Zeitschrift f\u00fcr Papyrologie und Epigraphik 133: 187-9.\u2022 Pike, G. 2006. \u2018Ain el-Gedida 2006: Pottery. Unpublished.", "external_links": [], "authors": [ { "author": "Rhiannon Williams", "year": "2020" }, { "author": "Victor Ghica", "year": "2020" } ] } } ] }