Location: 12 km North of Al- Minya, Minya Governorate Map
Akoris, known today as Tihna el-Gebel in Arabic, is an ancient archaeological site located in Middle Egypt, approximately 230 kilometers south of Cairo on the east bank of the Nile River within the modern Minya Governorate. The site, part of the ancient Hermopolite nome (the 15th nome of Upper Egypt), has been inhabited since the Old Kingdom period around the 22nd century BCE and served as a significant administrative, religious, and quarrying center throughout pharaonic, Ptolemaic, Roman, and Coptic eras. Its ancient Egyptian names evolved over time: Mer-nefer(et) during the Old and Middle Kingdoms, Dehenet in the New Kingdom, and Tahnah or Tehna in Coptic times. Akoris was a vital hub for trade between regions like Meroë and Memphis, as well as for pilgrimage and granite extraction, reflecting its strategic position along the Nile.
Akoris is situated on a conspicuous rocky outcrop overlooking the Nile, characterized by limestone cliffs that were extensively quarried and carved into tombs and temples. The site's coordinates are approximately 28°05′N 30°47′E, nestled in a landscape of arid desert plateaus contrasting with the fertile Nile valley below. This elevated position provided natural defenses and access to resources, including high-quality limestone for construction. Nearby features include ancient quarries and the Fraser Tombs, located about 2 kilometers away, which are part of the broader archaeological zone. The area's geology supported extensive mining activities, with evidence of tool marks and unfinished extractions still visible in the cliffs.
Pre-Dynastic and Early Dynastic Periods
The history
of Akoris, located on the east bank of the Nile approximately 12 km
north of Al Minya in Middle Egypt, begins with traces of human activity
dating back to the Pre-Dynastic and Neolithic eras. Flint tools,
including projectile points, bifacial tools, scrapers, and bladelets,
have been found out of context in areas like the north end of the site,
outside the city wall, and in Chapel B's shaft, suggesting early
occupation from the Paleolithic to early Neolithic periods. The site's
strategic position on a tongue-shaped plateau bounded by wadis and
cliffs made it suitable for early settlement, though substantial
evidence from this time is limited. Nearby, Naqada II tombs and 3rd
Dynasty pyramids indicate regional activity around 3200–2686 BCE.
Old Kingdom (ca. 2686–2181 BCE)
During the Old Kingdom,
Akoris—known then as Mer-nefer(et), meaning "fine canal"—emerged as a
settlement with rock-cut tombs, including the Fraser Tombs, featuring
subterranean chambers (approximately 9m x 1.4m x 2.2m) with false doors.
Human activities are evidenced by late Old Kingdom rock-cut tombs on a
salient crag in the city zone, primarily on the west side. The site
served as an administrative town in the 17th Upper Egyptian nome, with
quarrying and tomb construction highlighting its role in regional
governance and resource extraction. Habitation areas extended north and
eastward from the crag, though pre-New Kingdom habitations remain
undetermined due to natural sand layers beneath later structures.
Middle Kingdom (ca. 2050–1710 BCE)
The Middle Kingdom marked a
period of urbanization at Akoris, still called Mer-nefer(et). Key
features include rock-cut tombs and chapels, such as the Ka Chapel built
by nomarch Khnum-hetep II of Beni Hasan, with shafts and chisel marks
(Mark A: concave grooves from copper chisels). One Middle Kingdom tomb
chapel is on the west side of the crag, and four more on the north side.
Artifacts include a funerary barque model (1/14–1/17 scale, made of
Ficus wood with red ochre and white CaCO3 paint), a royal statue
possibly of Senwosret I, and crocodile mummies in Chapel E. The site
integrated during the First Intermediate Period but declined after the
12th Dynasty, linked to regional nomarchs.
New Kingdom (ca.
1550–1070 BCE)
Renamed Dehenet (meaning "Crag") or Tehna in Coptic,
Akoris saw royal monuments by pharaohs like Amenhotep III and Ramesses
III. Tomb-building ceased, but royal inscriptions persisted, with
overlaps into the Late Dynastic period. Surface finds include pottery
and mud brick walls, but no buildings predate the New Kingdom. Artifacts
like 18th Dynasty coffin paintings and Ramesses III reliefs highlight
continued activity.
Third Intermediate Period (ca. 1070–664 BCE)
Urbanization intensified, with the construction of a fortified wall and
the Temple of Amun under Ramesses V. The site, now T3-dhnt-wr-nhtw
("Crag-Great-of-Victories"), faced a siege by Pi('ankh)y, demolishing
walls. Autonomy in temple-residential areas is evident, with donations
to Amun-Re-Mai-khenty (a local ram-headed deity) by Pinudjem I (21st
Dynasty) and Osorkon III (23rd Dynasty, stela). Mud bricks measured
31–38 × 16–19 × 8–14 cm, with pottery like soot-stained bowls,
Phoenician jugs (750–650 BCE), and ash layers. Chapels D and E show
continuity from earlier periods.
Late Period (ca. 664–332 BCE)
Overlapping with the Third Intermediate, this era saw decreased function
under Assyrian and Persian rule, with no major constructions but
maintained autonomy. The outer wall, surrounding the 14-hectare city and
rising to 7m, was built as a flood barrier, with parts dating to this
period. Rock-cut tombs on the crag's cliff, ravaged by looting, feature
anthropoid coffins (2.0 × 0.6 × 0.3m) with 18th Dynasty paintings, gold
rings, and beads. A wooden stick with Amasis (Ahmose II, 26th Dynasty)
cartouche and pottery (wide-mouthed jars, carinated bowls) indicate Late
Period dates. The cult of Amun-Mai-khenty persisted, referenced in texts
like the Onomastica of Amenope and Papyrus Jumilhac.
Ptolemaic
Period (332–30 BCE)
Akoris gained prominence under Greek influence,
serving religious, military, and economic roles. Inscriptions include
Ptolemy V's to Isis Mochias, stelae to Berenike I/II/III, and
dedications to Osiris, Horus, Thoth, and Seth. Chapel F features reliefs
of Isis nursing Horus and Greek priests, with colored ceilings. Tombs
were reused, with Ptolemaic cartonnage and pottery in debris. Quarrying
at New Minya under Ptolemy III (240s BCE) produced unfinished columns
(up to 17.4–20.7m) and a colossus, with graffiti dating to 246–244 BCE
and resumption around 226 BCE. Mud bricks (30–40 × 14–20 × 8–14 cm) and
artifacts like amphora stoppers, clay seals, and demotic graffiti
reflect rural changes. Southwest excavations revealed rooms (7–8m²) with
finds like faience scaraboids, amulets, and Greek papyrus fragments.
Roman Period (30 BCE–4th Century CE)
Roman improvements included
the Hypostyle Hall with Nero's cartouches (54–68 CE), quarries supplying
stone to Alexandria, and dedications by centurions to Zeus and Serapis.
Emperors like Tiberius (29 CE dedication to Hera/Aphrodite), Caligula
(Suchos/Ammon), and Severus/Geta (202 CE Thoth prayer) left
inscriptions. The site featured fortified walls, a grid layout with
roads (e.g., 8m-wide Sacred Road), drainage systems, and olive presses
(10 found, with stone monoliths). Peak trade to India occurred in the
1st–2nd centuries, with unrest in the 3rd century (Palmyra riots).
Artifacts include coins (Vespasian to Diocletian), pottery (Gaza jars,
red-slip vessels), lamps, glass, and metals. Floods between 284–305 CE
prompted repairs.
Coptic/Byzantine Period (4th–8th Century CE)
Prosperity continued with temple repairs and secularization into
workshops for olive oil, textiles, and pottery. Churches were built in
the north, with monasteries in quarries and kellia cells. Mud bricks
(24–30 cm) dominated, with rooms featuring niches, furnaces, and flour
mills. Population grew in the 7th century, with irrigation systems
(dykes, canals, chain wheels). Papyri and ostraca document taxes,
agriculture (olives, wine, figs), theological texts, and an insurrection
in 689 CE against Muslim rule, leading to repression. Abandonment around
700 CE may stem from Muslim conquest, earthquakes, Bedouin attacks, or
high taxes. Early Islamic parchments (670–8145 Hejira) record trade and
debts.
Modern Archaeological Efforts
Exploration began in the
19th century with George Fraser documenting Old Kingdom tombs.
Systematic excavations started in 1981 by the Japanese Akoris
Archaeological Project from Kanazawa and Nagoya Universities, ongoing
into the 2010s. Efforts focused on the Western Temple Area, quarries,
and southwest habitations, uncovering graves (e.g., 2016 mummy with CT
scans revealing preserved organs and dental issues), pottery, textiles
(350+ samples with Sasanian/Byzantine influences), and inscriptions.
Sponsored by JSPS KAKENHI grants, the project has digitized findings at
www.akoris.jp, revealing over 4,000 years of history.
Akoris is renowned for its well-preserved rock-cut
architecture and multi-period remains, offering insights into ancient
Egyptian rural life, religion, and economy. Major features include:
Rock-Cut Tombs and Chapels: The Fraser Tombs, dating to the Old
Kingdom, are a series of rock-cut burials about 2 km from the main site,
featuring simple chambers and inscriptions. Higher cliffs contain
Ptolemaic and Roman rock-cut chapels dedicated to gods like Isis and
Serapis, with reliefs and Greek inscriptions.
Western Temple Area
(Nero Temple): A prominent rock-cut temple from the Roman period,
featuring columns, pylons, and carvings of Emperor Nero offering to
Egyptian deities. Excavations here revealed layers from Ptolemaic to
Byzantine times, including mudbrick structures and quarried stone.
Quarries and Water Systems: Extensive limestone quarries show evidence
of ancient mining techniques, with unfinished blocks and tool marks. A
notable unpublished water cistern, carved into the rock, highlights
Roman engineering for water storage in this arid region.
Settlement
Remains: Ruins of mudbrick houses, temples, and administrative buildings
from the Ptolemaic era provide data on rural evolution, including
pottery shards and animal bones indicating looting activities.
The
site's artifacts, now archived online through projects like the Official
Archive of Akoris, include inscriptions, stelae, and everyday items that
illuminate social and economic changes over time.
Today, Akoris remains an active research site, with ongoing Japanese-led excavations contributing to understandings of Hellenistic and Roman Egypt. It is less tourist-oriented than sites like Luxor but attracts archaeologists and history enthusiasts. Access is via the nearby village of Tihna el-Gebel, with guided tours available through local operators or the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities. Visitors should note the site's rugged terrain, requiring sturdy footwear, and the intense desert heat, so plan for early morning explorations. Combining a visit with nearby attractions like Beni Hasan tombs or Hermopolis enhances the experience of Middle Egypt's heritage.