While humans dream of venturing to other planets and creating a virtual world with the help of artificial intelligence, it seems that the hand that was holding on to the past is starting to lose its grip. In the race to develop the future, the rich depths of the past are lost.
Ones that define our origins, reveal our evolution and connect us to each other more than we already do.The recent discovery in Egypt has inspired many to continue to touch the grass with human civilization’s past. On Saturday, the country announced two major archaeological discoveries. Among them, a well-preserved Byzantine-era residential city in the Western Sahara.
A slice of the past
Archaeologists also discovered baking ovens, kitchens, and stone grinding tools that were used to cook food.
The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said that the first discovery reveals details of daily life, urban development, and economic activities in the Dakhla Oasis in the fourth century, when the country was part of the Byzantine Empire.
Hisham Al-Laithi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that the discovered neighborhoods included north-south roads intersecting with east-west streets to form open squares and public squares.A basilica church dating back to the middle of the fourth century also stands at the head of the settlement, overlooking the main streets. Mahmoud Masoud, head of the archaeological mission, said that in addition to this, there are two watchtowers to protect the parties.
A heavily fortified structure with thick defensive walls and several houses consisting of reception halls and domed roofs were also found in the area. Among them is the House of Theseus, identified as a church deacon and dating from the second half of the 4th century, which archaeologists believe served as a house church before the basilica was built in the city.Not only were there dwellings and religious institutions, but archaeologists also discovered baking ovens, kitchens, and stone grinding tools that were used to cook food.
Well-preserved bronze coins bearing portraits of Byzantine emperors, Latin inscriptions and Christian symbols were also found at the site, in addition to a collection of gold coins dating back to the era of the Roman Emperor Constantius II, who ruled between 337 and 361.200 pieces of pottery known as Otraka were also discovered, which were used as writing materials, according to Diaa Zahran, head of the Department of Islamic, Coptic and Jewish Antiquities.
These contain inscriptions detailing business transactions, correspondence, and other details of daily life.Dakhla Oasis is located in the New Valley Governorate in western Egypt, in the Western Desert, and is included in the UNESCO Tentative List. It is just one step away from being added to the agency’s World Heritage List.
Rock tombs In Alexandria
Otherwise, archaeologists have found 18 ancient tombs at the archaeological site of Marina El Alamein, which is located about 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of the city of Alexandria on the Mediterranean Sea.
The ministry said that the discoveries include 11 tombs carved into rock with an average depth of 8 meters and 7 surface tombs built of limestone. She added that this discovery brings the total number of graves found at the site to 48.Pottery, amphorae, lamps, panels, altars, and limestone basins were also discovered. The head of the mission, Iman Abdel Khaleq, said that she found a granite coffin measuring 2.5 meters long, and containing skeletal remains that are currently being studied.
They also found near the sarcophagus the remains of a plaster sphinx statue. Abdul Khaleq said that they also found 4 gold pieces placed inside the mouths of some of the deceased, known as the “golden tongue,” a practice linked to funerary beliefs of that era.Marina El Alamein is an archaeological site near the city of El Alamein on the northern coast of Egypt. It was discovered in 1986. Archaeologists believe that the site was the ancient Greco-Roman coastal city of Leucaspes on the Mediterranean, which was built in the 2nd century and flourished until the 4th century.In the wake of the 2011 uprising and coronavirus pandemic, tourism in Egypt is finally beginning to recover after years of political turmoil and violence. The Egyptian government hopes the findings will boost the country’s vibrant tourism sector, driven in part by sightseeing. In addition to the strategic Suez Canal, tourism is a major source of foreign currency for the financially strapped country.A record number of tourists visited Egypt last year, 19 million tourists, an increase of 21% from 2024, according to official figures. The first four months of 2026 witnessed the reception of 6.1 million tourists, compared to 5.7 million during the same period in 2025, according to the figures.