Tell Atrib

Ancient Egyptian Hut-ta-heri-ib(.t)
Greek Athribis
Coptic Athrebi/Atrepe

Type of site:

City

Location:

Egypt
Modern city of Benha in south-eastern Nile Delta
Historical capital of the tenth nome of Lower Egypt

Dating:

– Late Period (Twenty-fifth–Twenty-sixth dynasty), pharaohs Taharqa (689–664 BC) and Amasis (approximately 570–526 BC)
– Ptolemaic-Roman period (3rd century BC–4th century AD)
– Late antique period (5th–7th century AD)

Most interesting finds:

Kom A:
– Remains of two temples from the Late Period (Taharqa, Twenty-fifth dynasty, and Amasis, Twenty-sixth dynasty)
– Limestone funerary stele of a woman called Anch-ren from the Late Period
– Large Roman bath complex from the Julio-Claudian period, rebuilt during the reigns of Trajan and Hadrian (wall paintings, mosaics, pottery, terracotta, coins)
– Unique set of several dozen lime-kilns
Kom Sidi Youssuf:
– Baths from the early and middle Ptolemaic period
– Workshops from the Ptolemaic period
– Pottery kiln
– Assemblage of pottery and terracotta figurines
– Roman villa
– One of the oldest churches in Egypt, partly built of fragments of earlier Roman buildings, e.g., columns

History of the research:

Dates of PCMA mission’s work:

1957–1999

Type of research:

Excavations

Directors:

– Kazimierz Michałowski (1957–1968)
– Barbara Ruszczyc (since 1969, 1979–1984)
– Karol Myśliwiec (1985–1995)
– Hanna Szymańska (1998–1999)

Co-operating institutions:

– Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw
– Research Center for Mediterranean Archaeology, Polish Academy of Sciences (now Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures, PAS)
– National Museum in Warsaw
– Archaeological Museum of Kraków
– Coptic Committee
– Egyptian Antiquities Organization

Additional information:

Tell Atrib, ancient Athribis, located in the Nile Delta on the outskirts of the city of Benha, 50 km north of Cairo, was the first site in Egypt researched by Prof. Kazimierz Michałowski after the Second World War. Initially, the excavations were conducted by the National Museum in Warsaw but from the third season were taken over by the University of Warsaw Archaeological Center in Cairo.

Description of the site and research:

Professor Kazimierz Michałowski began work on the so-called Kom A, presently located in the middle of a district called New Benha. He discovered foundations of temples from the times of Taharqa and Amasis, with foundation deposits of both pharaohs. He also uncovered a large Roman-period bath complex.

At the end of the 1960s, Dr. Barbara Ruszczyc became the new director of the mission and started work on Kom Sidi Youssuf. The name derived from the tomb of Sidi Youssuf which stood on the top of this hill. At the request of the Coptic Committee, the team focused on finding traces of the oldest Christian basilica from the 4th century AD which, according to Arabic sources, was supposed to have golden columns. The excavations confirmed the existence of a basilica in this area.

In 1985, Prof. Karol Myśliwiec took over the direction of the mission and continued excavations on the southern side of the kom, exploring deeper layers: Roman and Ptolemaic ones. Work in Tell Atrib was completed by Prof. Hanna Szymańska.

An extensive residential quarter built of mud brick was uncovered. Worthy of note in the part of the city dating to the Roman period is a Roman villa with a representative room featuring a triclinium and a pool with built-in amphorae. There was also an interesting sewer system. In the Ptolemaic period (3rd–2nd century BC), the town boasted a considerably large workshop district which produced clay vessels and figurines, among others. Of interest are a pottery kiln and a set of unfired vessels. Two bath complexes, one from the 3rd century BC, the other from the 2nd century BC, were located in the residential quarter.

Traces of settlement around Kom Sidi Youssuf were found in several stratigraphically separated and well-dated layers from different periods: early Ptolemaic (end of the 4th–3rd century BC), middle Ptolemaic – reigns of Ptolemy V and VI (205–145 BC), late Ptolemaic/early Roman (1st century BC–1st century AD), Roman (1st–3rd century AD), late Roman and Byzantine (4th–7th century AD).

Project bibliography:

Myśliwiec, K. (2020). More about the Dionysian thiasos in Ptolemaic Athribis (Lower Egypt), In K. Jakubiak, A. Łajtar (eds), Ex Oriente Lux. Studies in Honour of Jolanta Młynarczyk, 73–84.

Południkiewicz, A. (2020). Braziers from Athribis (Nile Delta), In K. Jakubiak, A. Łajtar (eds), Ex Oriente Lux. Studies in Honour of Jolanta Młynarczyk, 85–96.

Górecki, T. (2017). Remnants of a Byzantine church at Athribis. In G. Gabra and H.N. Takla (eds), Christianity and monasticism in northern Egypt: Beni Suef, Giza, and the Nile Delta. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press.

Łajtar, A. and Południkiewicz, A. (2017). Medicinal vessels from Tell Atrib (Egypt). Études et Travaux, 30, 315–337.

Myśliwiec, K. (2017). Baths from the Ptolemaic Period in Athribis (Tell Atrib, Lower Egypt). In B. Redon (ed.), Collective baths in Egypt 2: new discoveries and perspectives (pp. 65–82). Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientale.

Południkiewicz, A. (2016). Painted decoration on water jars from Byzantine Athribis in the Egyptian Delta. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 25, 781–798.

Tybulewicz, R. (2015). Two terracotta incense burners with “horns” and vine scroll decoration from Tell Atrib (Egypt). Études et Travaux, 28, 191–200.

Myśliwiec, K. (2014). Quelques aspects du syncrétisme dans l’œuvre des artisans de l’Athribis ptolémaïque. In G. Tallet and C. Zivie-Coche (eds), Le myrte et la rose: mélanges offerts à Françoise Dunand par ses élèves, collègues et amis I (pp. 161–170). Montpellier: Équipe Égypte nilotique et méditerranéenne.

Welc, F. (2014). Tell Atrib 1985–1995, IV. Faience objects (=PAM Monograph Series 5). Warsaw: University of Warsaw Press.

Derda, T. and Łajtar, A. (2013). Inscriptions on ceramics from Tell Atrib (ancient Athribis) in the Nile Delta. Études et Travaux, 26/1, 173–191.

Południkiewicz, A. (2013). “Gnathia” lekanai from Tell Atrib. Études et Travaux, 26/2, 529–535.

Welc, F. (2013). Faience workshop in Ptolemaic Athribis (Tell Atrib) in the Nile Delta. Archaeological evidence. Études et Travaux, 26/2, 719–735.

Młynarczyk, J. (2012). Tell Atrib 1985–1995, III. Terracotta oil lamps. Warsaw: Neriton.

Myśliwiec, K. (2011). L’acquis des fouilles de Tell Atrib pour la connaissance de l’époque ptolémaïque. In H. Meyza and I. Zych (eds), Classica orientalia: Essays presented to Wiktor Andrzej Daszewski on his 75th birthday (pp. 387–398). Warsaw: PCMA UW; Wydawnictwo DiG.

Południkiewicz, A. (2011). “Megarian” bowls from Tell Atrib. In H. Meyza and I. Zych (eds), Classica orientalia: Essays presented to Wiktor Andrzej Daszewski on his 75th birthday (pp. 425–439). Warsaw: PCMA UW; Wydawnictwo DiG.

Szymańska, H. (2011). Two “armed” terracottas from Athribis. In H. Meyza and I. Zych (eds), Classica orientalia: Essays presented to Wiktor Andrzej Daszewski on his 75th birthday (pp. 451–459). Warsaw: PCMA UW; Wydawnictwo DiG.

Welc, F. (2011). Decorated Ptolemaic faience bowls from Athribis (Tell Atrib), Nile Delta. Études et Travaux, 24, 243–269.

Krzyżanowska, A. (2009). Tell Atrib 1985–1995, II. Les monnaies. Warsaw: Neriton.

Myśliwiec, K. (2009). Contexte archéologique. In A. Krzyżanowska, Tell Atrib 1985–1995, II. Les monnaies (pp. 15–72). Warsaw: Neriton.

Myśliwiec, K. (2007). Tell Atrib. In E. Laskowska-Kusztal (ed.), Seventy years of Polish archaeology in Egypt (pp. 135–144). Warsaw: PCMA UW.

Południkiewicz, A. (2007). Tell Atrib. Catalogue nos 64–67. In A. Majewska (ed.), Seventy years of Polish archaeology in Egypt: Egyptian Museum in Cairo, 21 October – 21 November 2007 (pp. 150–157). Warsaw: PCMA UW.

Szymańska, H. (2007). Tell Atrib. Catalogue nos 56–64. In A. Majewska (ed.), Seventy years of Polish archaeology in Egypt: Egyptian Museum in Cairo, 21 October – 21 November 2007 (pp. 136–151). Warsaw: PCMA UW.

Szymańska, H. (2005). Terres cuites d’Athribis (=Monographies reine Elisabeth 12). Turnhout: Brepols.

Myśliwiec, K. (2004). Ägyptisches und Griechisches im Werk der Künstler von Athribis. Form und Sinn. Städel-Jahrbuch, 19, 463–486.

Myśliwiec, K. (2004). Eros on the Nile. London: Duckworth.

Myśliwiec, K. and Południkiewicz, A. (2003). A center of ceramic production in Ptolemaic Athribis. In C.A. Redmount and C.A. Keller (eds), Egyptian pottery: Proceedings of the 1990 Pottery Symposium at the University of California, Berkeley (pp. 133–152). Berkeley: University of California.

Myśliwiec, K. (2001). Isis, Hathor ou Cléoptare ? – à propos d’une figurine trouvée à Tell Athribis. Études et Travaux, 19, 263–275.

Myśliwiec, K. (2000). Researches on Hellenistic pottery from Athribis (Lower Egypt). In 5. Epistēmonikē synantēsē gia tēn Hellēnistikē keramikē: chronologika provlēmata, kleista synola-ergastēria: praktika (pp. 253–258). Athens: Ekdosē tou Tameiou Archaiologikōn Porōn kai Apallotriōseōn.

Myśliwiec, K. (2000). Rescue excavations. In Z. Sztetyłło and K. Myśliwiec, Tell Atrib 1985–1995, I (=Travaux de Centre d’archéologie méditerranéenne de l’Académie polonaise des sciences 34) (pp. 9–49). Warsaw: Neriton.

Południkiewicz, A. (2000). Hellenistic pottery from workshops at Athribis (Egypt). In 5. Epistēmonikē synantēsē gia tēn Hellēnistikē keramikē: chronologika provlēmata, kleista synola-ergastēria: praktika (pp. 263–266). Athens: Ekdosē tou Tameiou Archaiologikōn Porōn kai Apallotriōseōn.

Szczepkowska, J.K. (2000). A group of ceramic bread stamps from Ptolemaic workshops in Tell Atrib (Egypt). In 5. Epistēmonikē synantēsē gia tēn Hellēnistikē keramikē: chronologika provlēmata, kleista synola-ergastēria: praktika (pp. 259–262). Athens: Ekdosē tou Tameiou Archaiologikōn Porōn kai Apallotriōseōn.

Sztetyłło, Z. (2000). Pottery stamps. In Z. Sztetyłło and K. Myśliwiec, Tell Atrib 1985–1995, I (=Travaux de Centre d’archéologie méditerranéenne de l’Académie polonaise des sciences 34) (pp. 9–49). Warsaw: Neriton.

Myśliwiec, K. (1999). Fruchtbarkeitskult und erotische Kunst im ptolemäischen Athribis (Unterägypten). In H. Felber and S. Pfisterer-Haas (eds), Ägypter – Griechen – Römer: Begegnung der Kulturen (pp. 47–81). Leipzig: Wodtke und Stegbauer.

Szymańska, H. (1999). Report on the activities of the Polish–Egyptian Archaeological Mission at Tell Atrib, 1998. Annales du Service des Antiquités de l’Égypte, 74, 75–82.

Myśliwiec, K. (1998). Eros nad Nilem (Eros on the Nile). Warszawa: Prószyński i S-ka.

Myśliwiec, K. (1998). La fonction des bains publics de l’époque ptolémaïque à Athribis. Kwartalnik Historii Kultury Materialnej, 46, 123–138.

Myśliwiec, K. and Bakr Said, M. (1998). Polish–Egyptian excavations at Tell Atrib in 1994–1995. Études et Travaux, 18, 179–219.

Myśliwiec, K. (1997). Ein frühptolemäisches Königsbildnis aus Athribis (Nildelta). Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts. Athenische Abteilung, 112, 307–315.

Myśliwiec, K. (1997). Ermouthis à Athribis. In J. van Dijk (ed.), Essays on ancient Egypt in honour of Herman te Velde (pp. 259–266). Groningen: Styx Publications.

Myśliwiec, K. (1997). Phallic figurines from Tell Atrib. In J. Aksamit et al. (ed.), Essays in honour of Prof. Dr. Jadwiga Lipińska (=Warsaw Egyptological Studies 1) (pp. 119–138). Warsaw: National Museum in Warsaw; Pro-Egipt.

Ruszczyc, B. (1997). Kościół pod wezwaniem Świętej Dziewicy w Tell Atrib (The Church of the Holy Virgin in Tell Atrib). Warsaw: Upowszechnianie Nauki – Oświata “UN-O.”

Myśliwiec, K. (1996). Athribis, entre Memphis et Alexandrie. Dossiers d’Archéologie, 213, 34–43.

Myśliwiec, K. (1996). In the Ptolemaic workshops of Athribis. Egyptian Archaeology, 9, 34–36.

Myśliwiec, K. (1996). Les ateliers d’Athribis ptolémaïque. Archeologia, 47, 7–20.

Myśliwiec, K. (1996). Tell Atrib: excavations 1995. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 7, 53–60.

Myśliwiec, K. (1996). Tell Atrib: prace wykopaliskowe w sezonie 1995 (Tell Atrib: excavations in the 1995 season). Raporty Wykopaliskowe, 7, 80–88.

Południkiewicz, A. (1996). Tell Atrib near Benha. Bulletin de Liaison de la Céramique Égyptienne, 19, 13–15.

Kiss, Z. (1995). Effigie d’un notable d’Athribis romaine. Études et Travaux, 17, 43–51.

Laskowska-Kusztal, E. (1995). La stele d’Horus sur les crocodiles d’Athribis. Études et Travaux, 17, 85–93.

Łajtar, A. (1995). A Greek legend to a sculptured monument from Tell Atrib, Lower Egypt. Études et Travaux, 17, 117–120.

Mieliwodzki, P. (1995). Terra sigillata from two seasons of excavations at Tell Atrib (1991/1992). Études et Travaux, 17, 121–131.

Myśliwiec, K. (1995). Artists and artisans in Ptolemaic Athribis (Lower Egypt). Bulletin of the American School of Classical Studies.

Myśliwiec, K. (1995). Froschmäusekrieg in Athribis? Neueste Entdeckungen in Tell Atrib (Ägypten). Antike Welt, 26(4), 320–321.

Myśliwiec, K. (1995). L’habitat d’Athribis à la lumière des fouilles récentes. Topoi, 5(1), 119–131.

Myśliwiec, K. (1995). Tell Atrib. In M.L. Bernhard (ed.), Od Nilu do Eufratu: polska archeologia śródziemnomorska 1981–1994 (pp. 35–43). Warsaw: Uniwersytet Warszawski, Centrum Archeologii Śródziemnomorskiej im. prof. Kazimierza Michałowskiego.

Myśliwiec, K. (1995). Tell Atrib 1994. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 6, 37–47.

Myśliwiec, K. (1995). Tell Atrib 1994. Raporty Wykopaliskowe, 6, 20–30.

Myśliwiec, K. and Abu Senna, S. (1995). Polish–Egyptian excavations at Tell Atrib in 1991–1993. Études et Travaux, 17, 205–240.

Niedziółka, D. (1995). The shabtis discovered by the Polish–Egyptian Mission in Tell Atrib. Études et Travaux, 17, 241–252.

Południkiewicz, A. (1995). Unfired pottery from ceramic workshops at Tell Atrib. In H. Meyza and J. Młynarczyk (eds), Hellenistic and Roman pottery in the Eastern Mediterranean: Advances in scientific studies. Acts of the II Nieborów Pottery Workshop, Nieborów, 18–20 December 1993 (pp. 299–329). Warsaw: Research Center for Mediterranean Archaeology, Polish Academy of Sciences.

Scholl, T. (1995). “Kilns” of the Ptolemaic period at Tell Atrib. In H. Meyza and J. Młynarczyk (eds), Hellenistic and Roman pottery in the Eastern Mediterranean: Advances in scientific studies. Acts of the II Nieborów Pottery Workshop, Nieborów, 18–20 December 1993 (pp. 423–430). Warsaw: Research Center for Mediterranean Archaeology, Polish Academy of Sciences.

Scholl, T., Daszkiewicz, M., and Raabe, J. (1995). “Kilns” from the Ptolemaic Period in Tell Atrib. Études et Travaux, 17, 279–307.

Szczepkowska, J.K. (1995). A stamp with a representation of Eros riding a dolphin from Tell Atrib. Études et Travaux, 17, 309–318.

Myśliwiec, K. (1994). Athribis – eine hellenistische Stadt im Nildelta. Antike Welt, 25(1), 35–46.

Myśliwiec, K. (1994). Garncarze z Athribis (Potters from Athribis). Wiedza i Życie, 4, 11.

Myśliwiec, K. (1994). Isis-Aphrodite “Anasyrmène” et le culte de la déese nue à Athribis ptolémaique. In C. Berger, G. Clerc, and N. Grimal (eds), Hommages à Jean Leclant III. Études isiaques (=Bibliothèque d’étude 106/3) (pp. 385–389). Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientale.

Myśliwiec, K. (1994). Polsko-egipskie wykopaliska w Tell Atrib w 1993 (Polish–Egyptian excavations at Tell Atrib in 1993). Raporty Wykopaliskowe, 5, 42–49.

Myśliwiec, K. (1994). Tell Atrib 1993. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 5, 40–47.

Myśliwiec, K. (1994). Tell Atrib/Benha 1991–1993. Bulletin de Liaison de la Céramique Égyptienne, 18, 33–36.

Szymańska, H. (1994). Terres cuites d’Athribis representant des vieilles femmes. Materiały Archeologiczne, 27(2), 29–37.

Myśliwiec, K. (1993). Tell Atrib, 1992. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 4, 32–39.

Myśliwiec, K. (1993). Tell Atrib, 1992. Raporty Wykopaliskowe, 4, 34–41.

Myśliwiec, K., Herbich, T., Krzyżanowska, A., Sztetyłło, Z., and Łukaszewicz, A. (1993). Polish excavations at Tell Atrib in 1985. Annales du Service des Antiquités de l’Égypte, 72, 53–80.

Myśliwiec, K. (1992). A Lower Egyptian sculptors’ “school” of the Late Dynastic – Early Ptolemaic Period. Bulletin of the Middle Eastern Culture Center in Japan, 6, 191–220.

Myśliwiec, K. (1992). Excavations at Tell Atrib in 1985. Études et Travaux, 16, 383–392.

Myśliwiec, K. (1992). Polish–Egyptian excavations at Tell Atrib in 1991. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 3, 24–28.

Myśliwiec, K. (1992). Some Ancient Egyptian aspects of Hellenistic cults in Athribis. In A. Wezler and E. Hammerschmidt (eds), Proceedings of the XXXII International Congress for Asian and North African Studies: Hamburg, 25th–30th August 1986 (pp. 16–19). Stuttgart: Franz Steiner.

Myśliwiec, K. (1992). Some Ancient Egyptian aspects of Hellenistic cults in Athribis. In S. Jakobielski and J. Karkowski (eds), 50 years of Polish excavations in Egypt and the Near East: Acts of the Symposium at the Warsaw University 1986 (pp. 260–265). Warsaw: Centre d’archéologie méditerranéenne de l’Académie polonaise des sciences.

Myśliwiec, K. (1992). Sprawozdanie z polsko-egipskich wykopalisk w Tell Atrib w 1991 roku (Report on Polish–Egyptian excavations at Tell Atrib in 1991). Raporty Wykopaliskowe, 3, 23–25.

Myśliwiec, K. and Abdel Haq Rageb, M. (1992). Fouilles polono-égyptiennes à Tell Atrib en 1986–1990. Études et Travaux, 16, 393–416.

Myśliwiec, K. and Szymańska, H. (1992). Les terres cuites de Tell Atrib. Rapport préliminaire. Chronique d’Égypte, 67, 112–132.

Południkiewicz, A. (1992). Local imitations of Greek pottery found in Tell Atrib. Cahiers de la céramique égyptienne, 3, 95–101.

Scholl, T. (1992). Produkcja terakot w Tell Atrib w okresie ptolemejskim (Pottery production in Ptolemaic Tell Atrib). Studia i Materiały Archeologiczne, 9, 101–106.

Myśliwiec, K. (1991). Polish–Egyptian excavations at Tell Atrib in 1990. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 2, 25–30.

Myśliwiec, K. (1991). Polsko-egipskie wykopaliska w Tell Atrib w 1990 roku (Polish–Egyptian excavations at Tell Atrib in 1990). Raporty Wykopaliskowe, 2, 20–26.

Południkiewicz, A. (1991). Tell Atrib/Benha, 1989. Bulletin de Liaison de la Céramique Égyptienne, 15, 13–15.

Górecki, T. (1990). Coptic painted amphorae from Tell Atrib: introductory remarks on decoration. In W. Godlewski (ed.), Coptic and Nubian pottery: International workshop, Nieborów August 29–31, 1988, I (pp. 34–48). Warsaw: National Museum in Warsaw.

Myśliwiec, K. (1990). Hellenistic sculptures found at Tell Atrib (Egypt) in 1985. In Akten des XIII. Internationalen Kongresses für Klassische Archäologie, Berlin 1988 (pp. 457–458). Mainz am Rhein: Philipp von Zabern.

Myśliwiec, K. (1990). Isis à Athribis. Études et Travaux, 15, 285–296.

Myśliwiec, K. (1990). Polish–Egyptian excavations at Tell Atrib in 1989. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 1, 5–9.

Myśliwiec, K. (1990). Polsko-egipskie wykopaliska w Tell Atrib w 1989 roku (Polish–Egyptian excavations at Tell Atrib in 1989). Raporty Wykopaliskowe, 1, 13–18.

Myśliwiec, K. (1989). Dreihenklige Gefässe in Ägypten. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Abteilung Kairo, 45, 239–247.

Myśliwiec, K. (1988). Polish archaeological work at Tell Atrib and Saqqara (1985–1988). In Fifth International Congress of Egyptology, October 29–November 3, Cairo, 1988. Abstracts of papers (p. 201). Cairo: International Association of Egyptologists.

Myśliwiec, K. and Herbich, T. (1988). Polish archaeological activities at Tell Atrib in 1985. In E.C.M. van den Brink (ed.), The Archaeology of the Nile Delta, Egypt: problems and priorities (pp. 177–203). Amsterdam: Netherlands Foundation for Archaeological Research in Egypt.

Myśliwiec, K., Sztetyłło, Z., and Krzyżanowska, A. (1988). Remains of a Ptolemaic villa at Athribis. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Abteilung Kairo, 44, 183–197.

Myśliwiec, K. (1987). Egipscy i greccy bogowie Athribis (Egyptian and Greek gods of Athribis). Meander, 42(2–3), 59–69.

Meyza, H. (1986). Tell Atrib (1986). Bulletin de Liaison de la Céramique Égyptienne, 11, 18–19.

Myśliwiec, K. (1986). Tell Atrib 1985. Bulletin de Liaison de la Céramique Égyptienne, 11, 16–18.

Vernus, P. (1978). Athribis: textes et documents relatifs à la géographie, aux cultes, et à l’histoire d’une ville de delta égyptien à l’époque pharaonique (=Bibliothèque d’étude 74). Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientale.

Młynarczyk, J. (1973). Egyptian types of terracotta lamps from Tell Atrib. Études et Travaux, 7, 81–113.

Tell Atrib

Ancient Egyptian Hut-ta-heri-ib(.t) Greek Athribis Coptic Athrebi/Atrepe

Type of site:

Location:

Dating: