- tell el-farkha - krzysztof cialowicz

EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION – FASCINATIONS AND RESEARCH

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Krzysztof M. Ciałowicz

TELL EL-FARKHA


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Tell el-Farkha

The Nile Valley in the earlieststages of its history entered the scope ofPolish research back in the 1960s whenRomuald Schild and Michał Kobusiewiczjoined the international Combined Pre-historic Expedition to explore FayumOasis, among others. The next expeditionto conduct investigations in the Fayum, aswell as later in the Theban region ofUpper Egypt, was a joint effort with theDeutches Archaeologisches Institut (DAI),which worked in the 1970s and 1980sunder the supervision of Bolesław Ginter,Janusz K. Kozłowski and Joachim Śliwafrom the Jagiellonian University in Kraków.In the 1990s, Professor Lech Krzyżaniakinitiated studies of rock drawings in theDakhla Oasis.

The first Predynastic and EarlyDynastic site to be investigated by Polisharchaeologists on a larger scale was Tellel-Farkha in the eastern Nile delta. It iscomposed of three mounds, called komsin Egypt, lying at the edge of the village of

Ghazala about 120 km to the northeast ofCairo. The mounds rise about 5 m abovesurrounding fields, occupying an area ofmore than 4 ha. An Italian expedition dis-covered Tell el-Farkha in 1987 but stoppedexcavations after a few brief seasons. ThePolish Expedition to the Eastern NileDelta, established by the ArchaeologicalMuseum in Poznań and the JagiellonianUniversity Institute of Archaeology in coop-eration with the Polish Centre of Mediter-ranean Archaeology of Warsaw University,cut the first trenches in 1998. The presentauthor and Dr. Marek Chłodnicki havebeen in charge of the work right from thestart.

The importance of the site for a newunderstanding of the processes leading tothe emergence of Pharaonic civilizationleft no doubt practically from the first sea-son. The early art and architecture of ancientEgypt offers little in the way of parallelsfor both buildings and finds, and the dis-coveries of the last few seasons are truly


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unprecedented. Interest has been world-wide in a deposit of figurines of unmatchedartisanship, crafted of hippo tusks, andgold-sheet figures depicting a Predynasticruler and his son and heir, believed to bethe oldest known from Egypt.

A comprehensive geophysicalsurvey and geological drillings carried outon the site in the first season revealedremains of houses, workshops and gravesconcealed under the three inconspicuousmounds overgrown with sharp grass. Strati-graphical trenches in different places con-firmed the thousand-year history of the site,starting many hundreds of years beforethe emergence of the pharaohs’ state andclearly divided into several phases. Theoldest period is connected with the LowerEgyptian Culture of the autochthonousinhabitants of the Delta, who inhabited thesettlement at Tell el-Farkha from c. 3600 toc. 3300 BC. They were followed by settlersfrom the south, Naqadians or to be moreprecise men associated with the first po-litical centers emerging in Upper Egypt atthe time. The apogee of developmentcame in Protodynastic times and during therule of Dynasties 0 and I (c. 3200-2950 BC).A slump occurred about the middle of theFirst Dynasty, but settlement continued offand on into the early Fourth Dynasty (OldKingdom, c. 2600 BC). It was not until thearchaeologists appeared that life returnedto the forgotten Chicken Hill (for that is thename of the site in translation).

The biggest progress after ten seasonsof fieldwork can be seen on the smallestof the mounds situated farthest to thewest. The oldest levels have revealed largedomestic structures, not recorded previouslyin Egypt, constructed of posts and wattle-and-daub walls. Of much greater impor-

tance in terms of features connected withthe Lower Egyptian Culture horizon werethe remains of the oldest complex of brew-eries (c. 3500-3350 BC). Imports from theNear East and Upper Egypt are strongproof of the role trade by exchange playedin the local economy.

Tell el-Farkha’s position on the trailleading east made it highly attractive forthe Naqadians penetrating into the Deltafrom the south with the express purposeof taking control of trade. There was a de-mand among the Naqada elites for luxurygoods imported from the Levant on onehand and Nubia on the other, to empha-size status and rank.

The Naqadians lived briefly side byside with the Lower Egyptian Culture popu-lation, most certainly interacting with theautochthonous inhabitants, and then theygained predominance. There is no evi-dence of strife or destruction that could beconnected with an invasion of settlersfrom the south. The more likely scenariois a gradual process of assimilation and ac-culturation, with the native population ofthe Delta adopting the more attractiveand modern southern models.

The first undertaking of the new-comers once they had settled in was toerect a huge building on top of the for-gotten breweries. No bigger complex thanthis is known from the Egypt of the day(c. 3300-3200 BC). It measured some 25by 25 m and consisted of an inner court-yard and a number of rooms separated bymassive walls. The objects found inside itare proof of the role of trade in the life ofthe inhabitants. The building may havebeen a residence connected with stores,belonging to a Naqadian official from thesouth of Egypt charged with control over


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the trade between Palestine and the Deltaon one hand and Upper Egypt on theother. He would have been associatedwith one of the early Egyptian rulers re-siding in Abydos or Hierakonpolis, whoserule extended over all or a considerablepart of Egypt. Ultimately the buildingburned down in a huge conflagration,which may have been the effect not somuch of intentional torching as a cata-clysmic earthquake or flood. Were it indeeddestroyed in an act of warfare, it could beconstrued as evidence of a growing rivalrybetween the various centers of poweremerging in Upper Egypt at the time.

Another monumental complex wasraised on top of the torched building,again consisting of several chambers sepa-rated by walls of varying thickness. Votivedeposits were found in two of the rooms.The first of these, discovered in 2001,contained small figurines of baboons anda representation of a prostrating man,whose nakedness suggested that he wasmost probably a captive. There were alsofive rattles decorated with engravings,models of maceheads, miniature vessels ofstone and clay, game counters and a num-ber of beads.

Further excavation in the westernpart of the complex in 2006 revealed inone of the rooms a number of ritual ves-sels, including a small jar, just 23 cm high,covered with a bowl. The jar turned out tobe full of miniature objects, altogether 62pieces. Figurines crafted of hippo tusks,which were equally precious as ivory, de-picted men, women, fantastic creaturesand animals, models of various objectsmade of stone, faience and bone, andminiature vessels of stone. More uniquefigurines, many of which have never before

been recorded for such early periods inEgypt’s history, were discovered in 2007,including a small spoon of greywacke witha crocodile-shaped handle, models ofweapons and hundreds of beads madefrom a variety of materials, such as faienceand semi-precious stones.

The importance of Tell el-Farkha asan administrative and cult center has thusbeen confirmed and there is hope that fur-ther investigations will answer the ques-tion which deity was worshipped here. Inany case, before the middle of the FirstDynasty the complex and the entire west-ern part of the site was abandoned. Thesettlement that continued on the centraland eastern of the mounds obviously lostits status and gradually diminished in im-portance.

The settlement uncovered on theEastern Kom also provided a surprise. Inthe southwestern part of the mound it wasphased with a cemetery and the repeatedchange of function of this area, from set-tlement to burial and back to settlementagain, which is quite exceptional in Egypt-ian conditions, is currently interpreted asreflecting a population change. It seemsless probable at this point that it would bejustified by the changing size of the in-habited area. The oldest of the 66 gravesuncovered so far are dated to the times ofDynasty 0 and I, the youngest to the be-ginning of the Old Kingdom. The Early Dy-nastic burials range from rich to poor,while those from the Old Kingdom belong(at least to date) in the latter category ex-clusively. The medium-rich and rich tombshad chambers lined with mud brick andmany featured massive brick superstructuresreaching a height of 1.5 m. The biggest ofthe tombs measured 9.25 by 6.70 m. The

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richest of the burials in terms of gravegoods included up to 50 clay vessels,mostly up to 1m high, several stone ves-sels, ornaments of semi-precious stonesand gold, clay idols, cosmetic palettes,models of granaries, tools, weapons andofferings of meat and grain as food for thedead.

Many of the vessels bore markswhich are in essence the oldest knownhieroglyphic signs, presumably intendedas a means of identifying the origins of apot or the export destination of the goodsinside it. The names of two successive rulersof Dynasty 0, Iry-Hor and Ka, and that ofking Narmer of Dynasty I have been deci-phered among the signs.

The first of the graves were dug intoa huge structure covering more than400m2 and dated to c. 3200-3100 BC.The regularity of the shape consisting of anumber of chambers separated by massivewalls, 2.5m at the thickest, surrounding analmost square main chamber furnishedwith an evident shaft, gives credit to theearly architects and builders. It also throwsnew light on the beginnings of AncientEgyptian architecture. Funerary mastabasof the kind were typical of Dynasties I-IIand especially of the Old Kingdom. As-suming that the structure discovered atTell el-Farkha was indeed a monumentalgrave, it would be earlier than Dynasty Iand thus the earliest of its type knownfrom Egypt. It will take researchers severalseasons to complete the investigations ofthis structure, but even now the finds,which include a stone pendant with aserekh schematically carved with the nameof some ruler and a dagger handle withgeometric ornament crafted of a hippotusk, suggest that the mastaba should be

associated with someone of rank in thepower hierarchy of the day.

The houses found in the northernpart of the Eastern Kom were small in sizeand thin-walled. The rectangular roomsyielded a fairly typical assemblage of ob-jects found in settlement conditions: nu-merous ovens, tools, stone and clayvessels and their fragments. Once again,however, Tell el-Farkha had a surprise instore for the excavators. One of the roomscontained a few dozen pieces of goldsheet accompanied by a hoard of ostrich-eggshell and carnelian beads and twolarge and perfectly crafted flint knives, 30and 50 cm long respectively, undoubt-edly of ritual function. This deposit provedto be a hundred years older than the ori-gins of the first Egyptian state. Judging bythe archaeological context of the deposit,it must have been hidden away here, pos-sibly in fear of an approaching invasion orperhaps as loot pillaged by the inhabitantof Tell el-Farkha elsewhere. Whatever thereason, the owners did not live to recoverwhat they had hoarded here. It is tempt-ing to think that the objects were savedfrom the raiders who burned down theresidence on the Western Kom, but this isonly one of the possible explanations.What was clear from the moment of dis-covery was that the hoard was even olderthan the structure in which it was found.Once cleaned and studied, the gold frag-ments turned out to be the precioussheath of two naked figures of standingmen, representing in all likelihood an earlyruler and his young progeny and heir.

Last but not least, there is the centralmound which has been identified as anordinary settlement of farmers, herders,fishermen and artisans, subordinated to


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the elites residing on the western mound.Even so, the jewelry found here, the cop-per artifacts, imported pottery and sealsand impressions of seals leave little doubtregarding the affluence of this populationand their avid participation in long-rangetrade. Excavations have uncovered anumber of architectural phases, eachending in destruction. The traditionalalignment of all buildings across layers isNE-SW. In most cases, walls from 45 to60 cm thick surrounded rooms groupedaround rectangular courtyards and con-taining numerous ovens and hearths,often still with pots standing on them. Flintworkshops were also identified. The firstbrewery in this part of the site was dis-covered in 2007. Studies of the faunaland botanical remains have provided arich documentation of everyday life ofthe ordinary inhabitants of Tell el-Farkha.

Looking back at ten seasons of workon the site, one appreciates its uniqueness.The zonal division into the residential andcultic complex on the Western Kom, the do-

mestic and economic quarter on the centralmound and the cemetery and settlementon the eastern one has provided an excep-tional opportunity to trace the origins, riseand fall of an important administrative cen-ter existing at the time of the emergence ofthe pharaoh’s state. The size and elabo-rateness of the complex is comparablepractically only with Hierakonpolis. It hasalso been disproved once and for all thatthe Lower Egyptian Culture of the Deltadisappeared in effect of an armed invasionfrom the south. The Naqadians appear tohave infiltrated slowly into northern Egypt,settling in empty areas, as well as in exist-ing centers, and introducing a civilizationalmodel that the local population adoptedquickly and freely. The same phenomenonhas been observed on other sites exca-vated recently in the Delta. The most im-portant reason seemingly for this expansionwas control of the eastern trade routes,necessitated by the ever-growing demandfor luxury goods coveted by the powerelites of Upper Egypt.

Cultural phases and approximate dating corresponding to the most important discoveries on Tell el-Farkha

Brewery complex: Western Kom

Lower Egyptian Culture (c. 3600–3300 BC)c. 3500–3300 BC

Residence of the Naqada governor: Western Kom

Naqada Culture (c. 3300–3100 BC)c. 3300–3200 BC

Mastaba: Eastern KomGold figures: Eastern Kom

c. 3200–3100 BCc. 3150–3100 BC



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Select bibliographyM. CHŁODNICKI, K.M. CIAŁOWICZ, Tell el-Farkha. Explorations 1998 - 2004, PAM X - XVI (Reports1998-2004), 1999-2005M. CHŁODNICKI, K.M. CIAŁOWICZ et al., Tell el-Farkha seasons 1998 - 1999. Preliminary report,MDAIK 58, 2002, pp. 89-117M. CHŁODNICKI, K.M. CIAŁOWICZ et al., Polish excavations at Tell el-Farkha (Ghazala) in theNile Delta. Preliminary report 1998-2001, Archeologia LIII (2002), 2003, pp. 63-118M. CHŁODNICKI, K.M. CIAŁOWICZ, Tell el-Farkha (Ghazala)1998-2002, Archéo-Nil 13, 2003,pp. 47-54M. CHŁODNICKI, K.M. CIAŁOWICZ et al., Polish excavations at Tell el-Farkha (Ghazala) in theNile Delta. Preliminary report 2002-2003, Archeologia LV (2004), 2005, pp. 47-74M. JUCHA, The Pottery of the Predynastic Settlement. Tell el-Farkha II, Kraków-Poznań 2005

Cult and administrative center with votive deposits: Western Kom

Rich graves: Eastern KomDynasty 0 – mid Dynasty I (3100–3000 BC)

Abandonment of the Western KomGraves of average wealth: Eastern Kom

Common settlement: Central Kom

mid Dynasty I - Dynasty II(c. 3000-2700 BC)

Poor graves: Eastern Kom Poor settlement: Central Kom

Old Kingdom: Dynasty III(c. 2700–2600 BC)

Final abandonment of the site Old Kingdom: beginning of Dynasty IV (c. 2600–2550 BC)


Plan of the Tell el-Farkha site (Drawing M. Sip)

Excavations on the Eastern Kom (Photo R. Słaboński)


One of the breweries of Lower Egyptian date from the Western Kom (Photo R. Słaboński)

An Early Dynastic deposit from the Western Kom (Photo R. Słaboński)


Stone jars from one of the Early Dynastic graves onthe Western Kom (Photo R. Słaboński)

Predynastic mastaba on the Eastern Kom (Photo R. Słaboński)


The smaller of the gold-sheet figuresfrom the settlement on the Eastern Kom (Photo R. Słaboński)

Exploration of a brewery on the Central Kom(Photo R. Słaboński)


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