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.

Excavations were started at the site on February 14 at the extensive Ptolemaic cemetery to the east of the Roman cemetery which was already known for its mummy portraits. The larger tombs had apparently been opened in antiquity and the excavator notes little of the recovered cartonnage was salvageable but some minor objects were  recovered.  The Roman cemetery was also excavated and some mummy portraits were found.