2,000-year-old Workshops, Roman Necropolis Uncovered in Egypt’s Western Delta

Nevine El-Aref , Tuesday 30 Dec 2025

Archaeologists in Egypt’s western Nile Delta have uncovered a series of industrial workshops dating back more than 2,000 years, alongside part of a Roman-era necropolis, shedding new light on economic life and burial practices in the region during antiquity.

Egypt

The discoveries were made by a joint Egyptian–Italian archaeological mission from the University of Padua and Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities during excavations at Kom Al-Ahmar and Kom Wasit in Beheira Governorate.

Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the findings are important for understanding daily life and human activity in the western Delta and the inland areas around Alexandria.

He noted that the discoveries enrich research into settlement patterns, funerary traditions, and industrial production, while offering new perspectives on regional interactions from the Late Period through the Roman and early Islamic eras.

The newly uncovered industrial area consists of a large building divided into at least six rooms, explained Mohamed Abdel Badi, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector.

Two rooms were used for fish processing, where archaeologists found around 9,700 fish bones, evidence of large-scale salted fish production, an important economic activity in antiquity.

The remaining rooms appear to have been used for making metal and stone tools, as well as faience amulets.

Excavators also found several unfinished limestone statues and other artefacts at various stages of production. Imported amphora jars and fragments of Greek pottery indicate that the workshops were active as early as the fifth century BCE.

In addition to the industrial complex, the mission uncovered part of a Roman necropolis containing several burials of three main types: simple in-ground burials, burials within pottery coffins, and the burial of children inside large amphorae.

Cristina Mondin, head of the mission from the University of Padua, said the team is currently conducting bioarchaeological analyses on the skeletal remains to determine the diet, age, sex, and health of the individuals buried at the site.

The remains belong to 23 individuals, including men, women, children, and adolescents.

Preliminary results suggest that those buried in the necropolis enjoyed relatively good living conditions, with no clear evidence of serious disease or violent trauma.

Among the most notable finds are dozens of complete amphorae and a pair of gold earrings believed to have belonged to a young girl.

These artefacts have been transferred to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo for further study and conservation.

Together, the discoveries offer a vivid glimpse into the industrial, economic, and social life of Egypt’s western Delta over centuries, reinforcing the region’s historical importance as a hub of production and cultural exchange.