A Study of Three Unpublished Mausoleum Domes in Mit Ghamr City (Dakahlia Governorate)

Abstract

This study examines the architectural archaeological analysis of three remaining mausoleum domes in Mit Ghamr City, which are the Domes of Sidi Khalaf, Arbaeen and al-Wa’ez. The importance of this study lies in shedding light on these domes, revealing their architectural and decorative elements.This study is also an attempt to date these domes based on the oldest references to them in the documents so far and on a translation found for one of the owners of these mausoleum domes. This is in addition to tracing the different architectural elements of these three domes, in assimilation with other domes, whether in Cairo or the Delta cities, in different eras, in order to arrive at the accurate date of establishment of these domes.The study tackles the architectural analysis of the different architectural elements of the three mausoleum domes to proceed with the architectural development of the domes of the Delta cities in general.A documentary analytical archeological studyIt is worth noting that despite the archaeological importance of these domes, they are not registered in the census of Islamic and Coptic antiquities. The lack of registration had a great impact on the infringement of these domes by the people, as well as the residential encroachment that surrounded Arbaeen and al-Wa’ez Domes, which naturally led to concealing many of their architectural details. This represented a difficulty in studying these mausoleum domes and in taking their pictures with the required accuracy, for it was often swiftly done. Therefore, the study recommended the necessity of registering these domes due to their architectural and decorative importance, and for their distinctiveness in having some important architectural elements that assist in tracing the historical graph of the development of mausoleum domes in Egypt during the different Islamic eras.

Keywords

• shrine
• mausoleum
• dome
• mit ghamr