Egypt Announces Byzantine City and Greco-Roman Tombs at Two Sites

Egyptian authorities announced two archaeological discoveries on Saturday. One is a well-preserved Byzantine-era residential settlement at the Dakhla Oasis in the western desert. The second consists of 18 tombs uncovered at the Marina el-Alamein site west of Alexandria.

The Dakhla settlement includes north-south and east-west streets that form open squares, a mid-fourth-century basilica church, and two watchtowers. Archaeologists also found bread ovens, kitchens, grinding tools, bronze and gold coins, and about 200 pottery fragments used for writing.

The new finds bring the total number of tombs at the location to 48. Artifacts recovered include pottery, amphorae, lamps, an eight-foot granite sarcophagus, and four gold pieces placed in the mouths of some of the deceased. The ministry statement said the site is believed to be the remains of the ancient Greco-Roman port city of Leukaspis, which was active from the second to the fourth century.

A fourth-century tsunami is cited as a factor in the city's decline.

Egyptian officials have stated that discoveries of this type are intended to support the country's tourism sector. Tourism and the Suez Canal are described as major sources of foreign currency. Official figures show 19 million tourists visited Egypt last year, a 21 percent increase from 2024, and 6.1 million tourists arrived in the first four months of 2026.