It was a blustery day in Alexandria (El Eskanderia) and the sea was full of chop. The northerly, known by the ancients as the Etesian wind, was blowing strong.  During the summer months this wind would pick up strength and provide favorable conditions for ancient mariners sailing to Egypt from Greece and the Aegean.  Just […]

The Polish magnetometer team arrived at the dig house just short of 9am.  Their leader, Tomasz Herbich, who is fiercely Polish with a grey mane and arching eyebrows, was accompanied by two younger fellows who were going to do the brunt work.  Rafaat, my second-hand man, was available to chauffeur us around the site.  He’s […]

At the dawn of civilization in the Nile Valley, people settled upon four levees of the Mendesian branch of the Nile.  These sandy embankments protruded from the landscape in a southwest to northeast direction and provided the earliest settlers a safe abode from the annual floodwaters.  Here the first settlement of Mendes, initially known as […]

May 14th 2010- It was just after 9am and the streets of Zamalek were relatively quiet.  The mosque on Marashly Street was jam-packed with men attending Friday morning prayer.  Lime green mats were strewn across the street to accommodate the masses.  Birds fluttered overhead in the trees, the air was warm but not sweltering yet.  […]

May 25th 2010: I had been in Cairo for nearly three weeks now, staying with my Egyptian-American friend, Rana.  This was a much needed break from the hustle of grad school.  I felt my energy recharged and I was excited for the upcoming season at Tell el-Timai.  The archaeological Tell (mound) is located in the […]