Artefacts of Excavation

The excavations were sponsored by the Graeco-Roman branch and thus were concerned with recovering papyri from the Graeco-Roman period rather than objects or material from different time periods.

The excavation season lasted from December 6-March 8. A large amount of both literary and documentary papyri from the second century BCE to the seventh century CE was recovered, in fact a larger amount of papyri was recovered than in 1895. The last few days of the excavation was spent investigating the cemetery which ranged in date from the New Kingdom to the Late Antique.

An unnamed site 13 kilometres to the south was excavated for one day but the cartonnage was damaged by damp and so it was not investigated further.

Objects that were recovered include: ostraca, bronze statuettes, a bronze sistrum, faience bowls, mosaic glass, an female alabaster head, coins, tolkens, dice, beads, amulets, reed pens, lamps, terracotta figurines, brushes, combs, and bronze and iron implements, rag dolls, baskets and slippers. 

131 boxes of papyri were recovered.