Possibili vie tra Nilo e Mar Rosso. Rapporto preliminare di un caso di studio interdisciplinare

The SatER team is working on the ancient ways through the Eastern Desert to the Red Sea. C. Stewart has underlined the existence of a linear feature between the Dashur area and Port Suez. A lively debate developed about this fact and a preliminary report is presented here. Our goal is to show the first results as much as to present an interdisciplinary case study and its methodological work. Recent archaeological discoveries have demonstrated the importance of the Red Sea coast in the Pharaonic time. In particular, the French excavations in the sites of Ayn Sukhna and Wadi el-Jarf have revealed the role of the northern part of the Red Sea in relation with the Sinai mines and the royal necropolis areas. Even in later periods, such as the Ramesside Era, a connection between the Memphite area and the region of Port Suez was important. The research of ancient ways through the desert must consider the ability of the ancient Egyptians to optimise the geographical situation (ground, accessibility, security, water supply, winds etc.) and the availability of resources.