The remains of an ancient residential complex including homes and a possible wine press were unearthed near the Temple of Sekhmet in Mit Rahina, Egypt. Grape seeds found inside the limestone structure strengthen the case that it was once used to produce wine.
The work is providing new evidence about daily life and changing settlement patterns in ancient Memphis, where 3,000-year-old rock-cut tombs discovered at nearby Saqqara have also provided new evidence about the region’s New Kingdom history.
Residential complex and wine press uncovered
The Temple of Sekhmet formed part of the Great Temple of Ptah, the main religious complex of ancient Memphis. Dr. Hisham El-Leithy, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said researchers began by cleaning and documenting the temple before expanding excavations into surrounding areas.
Among the finds are the remains of a mud-brick residential complex. Archaeologists also recovered stone blocks and statue fragments, some of which may have originally belonged to the Great Temple of Ptah. East of the temple, the team uncovered a limestone structure believed to be a wine press.
It has an upper basin that slopes toward a central opening and a lower basin designed to collect liquid. Openings could hold amphorae used for collection or storage. Grape seeds discovered inside provide further evidence of wine production.
Ramesses II-era artifacts found at site
The excavations also yielded artifacts from several periods. Stone blocks and statue fragments largely date to the New Kingdom, particularly the reign of Ramesses II.
Other recent discoveries in Egypt have also highlighted the pharaoh’s long reach, including a large inscription naming Ramesses II found at an ancient temple site.
The pieces at Mit Rahina were made from limestone, red granite and schist. Other finds include pottery, faience amulets, terracotta and limestone figurines, ostraca and votive stelae. Mohamed Abdel Badie, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, said the evidence points to continued settlement from the Third Intermediate and Late periods through the Ptolemaic and Greco-Roman eras.
Another piece of archaeological evidence in Egypt has similarly revealed settlements that remained active into the Greek and Roman periods. Parts of the Mit Rahina area were later used for housing as the temple’s role as a major religious center declined.
Evidence points to centuries of settlement
The Temple of Sekhmet was discovered accidentally in 1959 during construction of a house. Egyptian antiquities inspector Mohamed Abdel Tawab El-Hetta excavated the site in 1961-62. Archaeologists documented its visible remains again in 2015. The Egyptian-Chinese mission later began the first new excavations there since 1962.
Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy said the mission reflects broader archaeological cooperation between Egypt and China. Dr. Riham Zaki of the Supreme Council of Antiquities and Dr. Chen Jie, deputy director of the Shanghai Museum, led the mission.
The team plans to continue excavations and architectural documentation in future seasons, seeking a clearer picture of how this part of ancient Memphis developed and changed over time.
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