Siwa

Ammoneion - the Oracle of Siwa: studying and protecting the complex of monuments at Aghurmi (A.) and Umm Ubayda (UB.)

Investigations, excavations and restorations on the Akropolis of Aghurmi concentrate on the Temple of the Oracle and the temple of Umm Ubayda (4th cent. BCE).

Location

Das Ammoneion von Südosten

Der Burgberg von Nordwesten

Siwa Oasis - "Ammon/Hammon" in Classical antiquity - is situated on the far side of Egypt's "Western Desert", some 80km from the border with Libya and 300km south of Marsa Matruh on the Mediterranean coast. Extending an average of 17m below sea level the depression is characterized by large expanses of water and "Inselbergs". One of the latter (Qarat A., with spring) carries the acropolis and the Temple of the Oracle, while a "contra temple" (UB.) is situated on a low rise amongst the palm groves below, some 400m further south.

History

	Ammoneion, Gesamtplan
	Akropolis von Aghurmi, Palast und Tempel, Ansicht und Schnitt durch das Brunnenhaus (Blick nach Norden)

It is not before the Eg. Late Period (Amasis, 570-525 BC) that Siwa emerges from historical obscurity, called Santar, a Libyco-Eg. compound meaning "Sa-at-the-end" (of the land/world). Famous throughout the Mediterranean world on account of its Eg.-style oracle and the visit Alexander the Great had paid to god Amun, Siwa goes unmentioned in sources from the Nile valley. Till Roman times the oasis remained a sovereign "sheikh-dom" ruled by a Libyan tribal chief ("basileus"). Cultural ties to neighboring Egypt probably existed long before the 26. Dyn., yet "business wise" (promoting Siwa as a place of pilgrimage and desert trade) the oasis shared common interests with Greeks. During the 1st cent. AD, finally, the "nomus hammoniacus" became part of Roman Egypt. In Byzantine times it belonged to the dioceses of the Libyan eparchy. Known to the Arabs by its indigenous Name (Santariya), the oasis first (708 BC) swatted all attempts to conquer it. Not until the middle of the 12th cent. did Islam gain a foot-hold there.  

Objectives

	Die Akropolis mit dem Orakeltempel

By recording the archaeology and architectural history of the oracular complex not only the original plan of its several sanctuaries and castle should become more defined but also the buildings' functions with regard to religious and oracular practice. As a "melting pot" where Eg. and Greek influences fused Siwa is of particular interest, too. Questions concern relations with Egypt and the Eg. oases, as well as (Cyrenaean-) Greek designs - obliquely hinted at - to use Ammonians as caravan leaders (skopoi) in trade ventures with Nubia (gold?). The only one of its kind amongst Eg. temples and the sole archaeological site where, virtually, one may still walk in the footsteps of Alexander the Gr., the Temple of the Oracle constitutes a unique example of the worlds cultural heritage making urgent attention to preserve it de rigueur.  

History of Research

	Der Orakeltempel

In 1792 W. H. Browne "rediscovered" the oasis initiating a flurry of visits on the part of European travelers as well as scholarly fascination with the ancient oracle that lasted for a century. Drawings and maps of archaeological value, however, are limited to the temple of UB., then in a much better state of preservation and the only site accessible. In 1900 the Egyptologist G. Steindorff was the first to record the relief's and texts and to establish as fact that the ruins on A. were those of the famous Temple of the Oracle. To him and the architects H. Ricke and H. Aubin we owe the first historic and architectural details emerging from in situ. Subsequently, it was the Eg. archaeologist A. Fakhry who greatly improved upon our knowledge of the site and who in the early 1970s had the Temple of the Oracle cleared of surrounding and intrusive dwellings.  

Previous Activities

	Der Orakeltempel während der Restaurierungsmaßnahmen

At the beginning of the project a general topographic map of the archaeological site was drawn up as well as a map showing the geological stratigraphy of the temple mound. Excavations centered first on UB., later moved towards the "dromos"-area between this temple and A. Clearance work in the Temple of the Oracle dealt with the remains of modern debris and intrusive buildings until reaching the bedrock. The building has seen a detailed recording of its architectural features and of the distribution of stone material traced to different quarries as well as charting an assessment of damages (erosion, salt). Reliefs and inscriptions decorating the holy of holies ("cella") were traced at scale 1:1. A systematic study of pottery finds is under way. Concerning the preservation of the monument - i.e. to keep the building from falling off the cliff - reversible temporary emergency measures were introduced initially comprised of steel supports. Meanwhile, the latter have been replaced as much as possible by moderate, unobtrusive invasive steps permanently securing the endangered parts of the monument and bedrock. Since 1998 attention and funds were diverted almost exclusively towards implementing these technically complex measures.  

Current Work

	Die Senke vor der Ausgrabung (2004) östlich der Terrassierungsmauer des Palastvorbereichs (Blick nach Süden)
	Blick über den Tempel, den Palast und die Senke (Blick nach Nordwesten)
	Steinbruch und Plattform im Vorbereich des Palastes (Blick nach Norden)
	Plattform südlich des Palastes: X: Eingang in den unterirdischen Zugang zum Brunnen

Currently, preparations are under way to excavate (1.) the (hypothetical) palace area bordering the Temple of the Oracle to the west, (2.) the underground passage serving the palace's need for water from the nearby holy well (Diodorus) and (3.) the depression extending in-between the well and the former pylon of the temple's fore-court. A feasibility study concerning the extension of stabilizing measures to other areas of the temp-le mound is ready for submission to the Supreme Council of Antiquities. If finance can be secured the project could go ahead immediately. 

Methods

The site map was produced photogrammetrically based on aerial photographs obtained from a hot-air balloon (Zeppelin). Photogrammetry was also used for obtaining elevations of most of the walls of the Temple of the Oracle. All plans underwent correction by hand and were then digitized. Excavations were surveyed using a total station (computerized theodolite) for generating plans, which were again manually corrected, digitized and finished in AutoCAD. Measures directed towards strengthening and preserving the bedrock and temple walls on A. centered on the insertion of pre-tensed rock- and intra mural-anchors. Pertinent studies (stress engineering, geology, mineralogy) served as scientific basis for the work. Mineral materials employed in restoration were chosen in accordance with ancient building materials.  

Results

	Südlicher Abtritt in unterirdischem Brunnenzugang mit griechischer Steinmetzmarke "Η"
	Σ-Zeichen auf der nördlichen Wand des Brunnenzugangs
	Alabastergrab in Umm Ubaydah

Technical details derived from the study of the masonry of the Temple of the Oracle (opus pseudo-isdomomum, claw-chisel marks, type of anathyrosis, lewis holes) reveal unequivocally that the Ammonians employed Greek rather than Egyptian builders. Surprisingly, however, joints and the rubble filling of stretcher courses are cemented together using a liquid mortar of anhydrite (gypsum), thus achieving extraordinary sturdiness in conjunction with the walls' bedrock foundations. Therefore, partitioning walls have been tied into lateral walls only here and there at unspecific courses, trusting that regular bonding could be avoided. The basic plan (forecourt>(pseudo-)pronaos>two halls>holy of holies), architectural sculpturing (fluted columns, cavetto cornice, torus) as well as the decoration of the temple (figures of Eg. deities, hieroglyphic texts) follows Eg. example. Concerning the "secret chamber" above the holy of holies accessible only from the roof by means of a ladder in a concealed corridor, the arrangement appears to meet the requirements of oracles proceeding behind closed doors as they were originally devised for the Eg. king. As customary in the Nile valley, public oracles were staged most likely during a procession (with the god's barge) on a dromos connecting the two axially aligned (A.>S, UB.>N) temples. At the foot of the acropolis and in direct line with its gate a stretch of ashlar masonry has been excavated that aims straight for UB. A bit further to the south, excavations yielded the remains of the (ashlar) foundations of another building, inscribed with Greek mason marks and positioned at right angles to the hypothetical dromos. Its architecture might have followed the Doric order (blocs reused at A.). Excavations at UB. showed the 30th dyn. temple to have been preceded by a court possessing colonnades with palm tree columns. In Ptolemaic or Roman times an enormous "platform" (approx.20m wide, traceable for some 100m) of large ashlars was erected east of the temple proper. Only the last three layers survived and its function remains speculative. A temenos wall (brick? mud strata close by) was erected around the sanctuary, 3m thick and resting on foundations of huge ashlars.  

Cooperation

Besides our Eg. partners from the Supreme Council of Antiquities, experts of the Deutsche Montan Technologie (DMT), of the special research unit 315 ("Preserving Historically Important Buildings") at the University of Karlsruhe and of Grund- und Ingenieurbau, Essen joined into the effort to preserve the Temple of the Oracle. 

Contact

Dr. phil. Klaus Peter Kuhlmann

Ägyptologie
Telefon: +20-(0)2-735-1460, - 735-2321
Telefax: +20-(0)2-737-0770
Email: kapeku@gmail.com

Bibliography

Fakhry, A., The Egyptian Deserts. Siwa Oasis. Its History and Antiquities, Cairo 1944; Kuhlmann, K.P., Das Ammoneion Archäologie, Geschichte und Kultpraxis des Orakels von Siwa. Mit einem Beitrag W. Brashear (Archäologische Veröffentlichungen 75), Mainz 1988; Kuhlmann, K.P., Gleanings from the Texts in the Sanctuary of Amun at Aghurmi (Siwa Oasis), in: Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts Kairo 57, 2001, p.187-203; Kuhlmann,K.P., Roman and Bzyantine Siwa: Developing a Latent Picture, in: Kaper, O.E. (ed.), Life on the Fringe. Proceedings of a Colloquium held on the 29th Anniversary of the Netherlands Institute for Archaeology and Arabic Studies in Cairo 9-12 December 1996, Leiden 1998, p.159-180; Wenzel, F., Das Ammoneion von Siwa. Konstruktive Sicherung, in: Historische Bauwerke. Internationale Tagung des SFB 315, Karlsruhe, 26 bis 28. Oktober 1995. Arbeitshefte des Sonderforschungsbereiches 315 "Erhalten historisch bedeutsamer Bauwerke" 14, 1996, p.57-58; Müller/Althaus/Karotke, Die antiken Baustoffe vom Orakeltempel in der Oase Siwa,