Abu Mina

Abu Mina, Early Christian and Medieval Pilgrimage Center

Early Christian pilgrimage centre, developed since the end of the 4th century A.D. at the tomb of St. Menas with several churches, pilgrimage centers and dwelling houses.

Location

ca. 60 km to the west of Alexandria.

History

Early Christian pilgrimage centre, developed since the end of the 4th century A.D. at the tomb of St. Menas. Until the beginning of the 7th cent. continuously enlarged, following the rules of ancient town-planning. Ca. 619 destroyed during the Persian occupation. Since 629 small reparation activities. In 643 the site was handed over to the monophysite national Coptic Church, since then, above the ruins of the old town, a completely new settlement came into being which followed other organizational principles. The final abandonment of the site occurred during the 10th/11th century.  

Objectives

Verification of the architectural design and of the most important public buildings, of the arrangements for the cult as well as of the town in general. Setting up of a corpus of Early Christian and medieval pottery, and of the coins which contribute considerably to the understanding of the historical developement of the site. Study and restoration of the 6th century paintings discovered in individual buildings (also of those found in the neighborhood) which are partly of a very high artistical standard. 

History of Research

Discovery of the site and first excavations in 1905-07. Research and restoration at the site by the Graeco-Roman Museum of Alexandria in 1925 and 1929, and by J.B. Ward Perkins in 1942. Resumption of the excavation in 1959 by the Coptic Museum Cairo, since 1961 continued by the DAI Cairo. 

Previous Activities

	Das Doppelbad, im Hintergrund das sog. Ostrakahaus

Since 1961, excavation campaigns of between 1 - 3 months have been carried out annually by the DAI Cairo. Architectural verification of the architectural design of the churches and their associated buildings (Great Basilica, Tomb-Church ['Gruftkirche'], North Basilica, East Church), of the Baptistry, Double Bath and some of the resthouses for the pilgrims. Begin of the verification of the layout of the township as a whole, i.e. locating the colonnaded streets, living quarters and workshops (pottery kilns and wineries etc.). 

Current Work

	Die Nordseite des Pilgerhofs von Nordwesten gesehen

Excavation and restoration of the peristyle building (large pilgrimage hostel) and other resthouses to the west of the large central Pilgrimage Square. Final investigations of the baptistry and the so-called Ostraca-house, survey of the medieval town, documentation of finds: architectural sculpture, small finds (of bone, bronze, glas), coins, and pottery. 

Methods

Stratigraphical excavation and detailed survey (stone by stone) of all the architectural remains. To locate the town wall, of which over long distances only the underground foundation trenches - refilled long ago by wind blown sand - survive, a geophysical survey technique with electrical resistivity sensing of the soil has been used. The shape of the Early Christian town has until now only been superficially investigated by mapping (1:250) the visible remains at the surface, with occasionally also by cleaning the edges of the plastering along the walls.  

Results

	Das Nordbad am Rande des kirchlichen Zentrums

Because the ancient metropoleis, situated in the fertile regions of the country in the Delta and Upper-Egypt are, with a few exceptions, still used today as urban settlements with the consequence that the once erected buildings were lost a long time ago and replaced by other buildings, the pilgrimage center of Abu Mina, situated at the margin of the desert, is very important for the understanding of the late antique architecture in Egypt. The Great Basilica of the late 5th cent. is the largest church so far discovered in Egypt. The Justinian Tomb Church III (6th cent) and the East Church II belong to a building type (tetraconchoi), which has not been discovered elsewhere in Egypt. The North Basilica and the East Church I with a return aisle unknown outside Egypt represent the local style of the ecclesiastical architecture in Egypt. Of the resthouses until now three different types have been discovered which in their design apparently display the social status of their guests. Also of importance is a building at the southern side of the central group of churches, which has to be interpreted as a centre of incubation. The numerous houses, of which some are connected with private burial chapels offer a clear picture of the late-antique dwelling-houses in Egypt. Finally, in the general layout of the town the surveying hand of an architect, who still respected the ancient principles of town planning, is clearly recognizable. Abu Mina may be thus understood as one of the last town foundations of the antiquity. Contrary to this no principles of town planning can be observed in the medieval re-settlement, overlaying the ancient remains. 

Cooperation

Egyptian Antiquities Service
Franz Josef Dölger-Institut in Bonn
Seminar für Christliche Archäologie at the University of Bonn 

Further Contact Partners

Dr. Peter Grossmann, c/o Deutsches Archäologisches Institut (DAI) in Kairo, Email: sekretariat@kairo.dainst.org, sonst privat: Valtinon 50, GR-11474 Athen, Tel. 00301-6429924

Bibliography

K.M. Kaufmann, Die Menasstadt und das Nationalheiligtum der altchristlichen Aegypter. Ausgrabungen der Frankfurter Expedition am Karm Abu Mina 1905-1907. I (Leipzig 1910)
P. Grossmann, Abu Mina. I. Die Gruftkirche und die Gruft (AV 44, Mainz 1989)
P. Grossmann, Abu Mina. II. Das Baptisterium (AV 54, Mainz 2004)
diverse Vorberichte in deutscher und englischer Sprache in: Mitteilungen des DAI Kairo (MDAIK); Archäologischer Anzeiger (AA); Bulletin de la Société d'Archéologie Copte (BSAC)
ein zusammenfassender Bericht erschien zuletzt in: M. Krause (Hrsg.), Ägypten in spätantik-christlicher Zeit [Sprachen und Kulturen des christlichen Orients 4, 1998] 269-293.