New evidence of metallurgical production during the Ptolemaic period in the ancient harbor of Berenike (Eastern Desert) in Egypt

Abstract

Recent excavations in the southwestern part of the embayment that served as the ancient harbour of Berenike uncovered, among others, a metallurgical furnace from late Hellenistic times. An analysis of this discovery, made in trench BE14/15-102, offers insight into metallurgical production taking place in the harbour zone in the last years of the Ptolemaic kingdom. The early Roman phase, as attested in this trench, indicates a restructuring of this part of the harbour and its new, changed function as an open-circulation area, probably with some wealthy residences nearby.

Keywords

• Berenike
• harbor
• Late Hellenistic
• metallurgical production
• copper melting
• intaglio