[Centre for Egyptological Studies of the RAS]

Archaeology

Deir el-Banat

General Information

The Convent. General View

Archaeological complex Deir el-Banat («a female convent») is located in the Fayoum Governorate, in two kilometers from the convent Deir el-Naklun.

At the central part of the complex the ruins of a Medieval convent have preserved. The central building was a church, build on rock-cut foundation with fired bricks. Nowadays it is almost destroyed though at the beginning of the XX century it was considered as «well preserved». The church had a western narthex and a three-aisled naos. There are remains of small rooms adjoining to the northern and, most probably, to the southern sides of the church. To the west and the east of the church the remains of living quarters (?) are located. These were erected in mudbrick, though it is evident that they were rebuilt several times. One of the buildings could be a refectory, where the monks could have community meals.

The Southern Necropolis. General View

According to the authors of the «Coptic Encyclopedia» the monastery could be built at the place of an earlier convent. The surface material, including ceramics, different spices of glassware, fragments of textiles, architectural fragments, date to I–XI centuries AD. It is possible to suggest that the monastery was destroyed during persecution of the Christians that took place during the reign of Fatimid ruler Al-Khakim (1015–1020).

To the north and the south of the monastery there are two large cemeteries. The burials of the upper layer of the necropolis date to early Christian period, while the lower ones — to the Graeco-Roman period.

In 2002 the Centre for Egyptological Studies of the RAS was granted a permission to conduct archaeological and anthropological survey at the site of Deir el-Banat. In May 2003 the first field season was held.

A. Krol