Behnesa See oxyrrynchus (1).
Beit el-Wali This was a temple site south of ASWAN, erected by ramesses ii (r. 1290-1224 b. c.e.) of the Nineteenth Dynasty A detailed account of the pharaoh’s military campaigns was inscribed on the walls of this temple. A narrow court, adorned with reliefs and scenes, led to the interior chambers. This temple was moved to another island to save it from the waters of the High Aswan Dam.
Beit Khallaf A site on the western shore of Nile near AKHMIN, Old Kingdom (2575-2134 b. c.e.) tombs at Beit Khallaf contained seals and mortuary effects bearing the name of djoser (r. 2630-2611 b. c.e.) and nebka (r. 2649-2630 b. c.e.). The territory was a necropolis for the Third Dynasty (2649-2575 b. c.e.). A brick MASTABA was also found on the site, with ground-level and subterranean chambers. The seals of khufu (Cheops, r. 2551-2520 b. c.e.) were discovered in the lower sections.
Bekhen Quarry Map This is a remarkable geological document that dates to the reign of ramesses iv (1163-1156 b. c.e.), called the oldest surviving geological map in the world. A scribe, Amennakhte, was the author of this text, which is contained in a papyrus scroll that is at least six feet long and 16 inches wide. Interior segments are missing, as well as segments at one end.
This quarry map was found at deir el-medina and is in the Egyptian Museum at Turin, Italy The map traces routes through the desert to the wadi hammamat and delineates wells and temples. The map also describes the types of stone available in the region, such as schist and pink granite. The Bekhen area was mountainous and had seams of gold as well. Two sites are listed as “mountains of gold.” Wadi Hammamat began at Kaptan and was a dried riverbed. Recent comparisons of the map and the actual geological formations in the Eastern Desert document the map’s accuracy.
See also EGYPTIAN natural resources.
World History
