Wadi al-Jarf is the present name for an area on the Red Sea coast of Egypt, 119 km (74 mi) south of Suez, the site of the oldest known artificial harbour in the world, developed about 4500 years ago. It is located at the mouth of the Wadi Araba, a significant communication corridor between the Nile Valley and the Red Sea, crossing the Eastern Desert. The site is across the Gulf of Suez from the small Sinai fortress of Tell Ras Budran. A similar ancient port is Ain Sukhna, north of Wadi al-Jarf.
J. G. Wilkinson first discovered the site in 1832. It was rediscovered by a French team in the 1950s, who named it Rod el-Khawaja. Archaeological work was quickly abandoned when the Suez Crisis broke out in 1956. A joint French–Egyptian team resumed excavation in 2011.
The harbour at the site dates to the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt, approximately 4,500 years ago. Also discovered at the site were over 100 anchors, the first Old Kingdom anchors found in their original context, and numerous storage jars. The jars have been linked with those of another site across the Red Sea, indicating trade between the two locations. Many papyrus fragments were found at Wadi al-Jarf, providing insight into life during the Fourth Dynasty. The papyri are the oldest ever found in Egypt.
Location of Wadi Al Jarf
Wadi al-Jarf is the present name for an area on the Red Sea coast of Egypt, 119 km (74 mi) south of Suez, South Sinai, Egypt.
Discovery
The first known documentation of ancient harbour structures at Wadi al-Jarf was in 1832 when J. G. Wilkinson noted their existence. He discovered a series of galleries cut into the stone, which he believed to be Greek catacombs. In the 1950s, a group of French amateurs in archaeology began to explore some parts of the site, which they named Rod el-Khawaga, but they were expelled during the 1956 Suez Crisis. Their notes were published in 2008, spurring interest in resuming work. Systematic excavation continued in 2011 by a joint Egyptian–French archaeological team led by Pierre Tallet (University Paris IV-La Sorbonne) and Gregory Marouard (The Oriental Institute, Chicago). In April 2013, archaeologists announced the discovery of an ancient harbour and dozens of papyrus documents. Those are the oldest papyri ever found in Egypt (ca. 2560–2550 BC, end of the reign of Khufu).
Artefacts
The harbour complex consists of a ca. 150-metre-long (490 ft) mole or jetty of stones that are still visible at low tide (28.8888°N 32.6815°E), an alamat or navigational landmark made of heaped stones, a 60 m × 30 m (197 ft × 98 ft) building of unknown function that is divided into 13 long rooms, and a series of 25 to 30 storage galleries carved into limestone outcrops further inland. The storage galleries are between 16 and 34 m (52 and 112 ft) long and are usually 3 m (9.8 ft) wide and 2.5 m (8.2 ft) tall. The building of unknown function is the largest pharaonic building discovered along the Red Sea coast.
Inside the galleries lay several boats and sail fragments, some oars, and numerous pieces of ancient rope. Twenty-five stone anchors were found underwater, and 99 were in an apparent storage building. Many anchors bear hieroglyphs, likely representing the names of the boats they came from. The discovery of anchors in their original context is a first in Old Kingdom archaeology.
The port was the starting point for voyages from mainland Egypt to South Sinai mining operations. It is speculated that the harbour may have also been used to launch expeditions to “the mysterious Land of Punt”, a known trading partner of Egypt. The harbour was developed in the reign of the Pharaoh Khufu (2589–2566 B.C.), whose name is inscribed on some of the heavy limestone blocks at the site. That means the harbour predates the second-oldest known port structure by over 1,000 years. There is some trace evidence of use during the early part of the Fifth Dynasty, after which the harbour was likely abandoned.
Storage jars and papyri
Numerous stone food and water storage jars, textile and wood fragments, and a collection of hundreds of papyrus fragments were also found at the site. The jars are characterized by a particular marl composition, previously identified in Fourth Dynasty contexts at other places, including across the Gulf of Suez at Tell Ras Budran. Many of the jars feature the names of people or boats in red ink, indicating their owners.
The papyri are the oldest ever found in Egypt. Ten of the papyri are exceptionally well-preserved. Most of these documents date to the year after the 13th cattle count of Khufu’s reign and describe how the central administration sent food and supplies to Egyptian travellers. One copy is of particular interest: the Diary of Merer, an official involved in building the Great Pyramid of Khufu. Using the diary, researchers reconstructed three months of his life, providing new insight into the people’s everyday lives of the Fourth Dynasty.
Residences
Three groups of buildings were found 500 m (1,600 ft) northwest of the harbour. The rectangular construction and organization of rooms into a cell-like pattern indicated the structures served as dwelling places.
