HIERAKONPOLIS, ANCIENT EGYPTIAN TOWN, IMPERILED BY GROUNDWATER

Hierakonpolis in southern Egypt has valid claim to be the early capital of that nation-state, 3200 BCE. The ancient Egyptians revered this place as a national shrine to kingship into Roman times. International interest in Hierakonpolis was established in 1897 with exceptional monuments of early kings excavated by Quibell and Green. Little was done to document the town's history until the excavations 1967-94 of Walter Fairservis. Groundwater prevented excavation below 4 m in 1898, 2 m 1969 and 1.5 m 1978. Surface pools are recent developments, multiplied by tenfold since 1999. Water from irrigation of adjacent fields and salt accumulation harm architecture and artefacts, even at depths of 2 m (2000).

This ancient town has its own complex of groundwater conduits via former irrigation troughs, ancient drains, silos, sand foundations and pottery. Its mudbrick architecture may offer some barriers to groundwater flow, but sand foundations are common. Beyond the surface pools, salt accumulation (1 cm thick) exists in areas dense in pottery at 0.15-0.30 m below the surface of this site (1999). Roman amphora (found 1898) served as a 3 m drain in the ancient temple area suggesting that groundwater in antiquity, post 200 BP, was shallow. The ancient temple did provide water; its well (found 1898) was in use into Roman times, if not later (archaeological evidence to be re-studied).

Our Temple-Town Hierakonpolis Project (1997- present) evaluates this exceptional town in its region. Its temple-town in the alluvium is the culmination of settlements, predynastic (before the kings of unified Egypt) in the desert directly to the south in and along the Wadi Abu Sufian. We have found new evidence in 2000-1 indicating that Hierakonpolis Town preserves the earliest occupation (archaeological quadrant 10N5W) dating to 4000-3800 BCE.

This multidisciplinary project integrates current technological advances in the geosciences with archaeological and historical exploration to learn this ancient town's origin, local and regional resources and human response. Hydrogeological mapping, seismic imaging and geological sampling probe strata, essential to the full history of this important town. We are developing methods to conserve this important site. This report will present archaeological data and challenges of working in this site.