Ancient Egyptian Town Discovered Near Alexandria

Alexander the Great famously founded the city of Alexandria in 331 BCE. It went on to be the capital of the Ptolemaic Kingdom and the center of the Hellenistic world. Now, just west of Alexandria, archaeologists have unearthed evidence of a much older Egyptian settlement, potentially rewriting the area’s long history.

It was previously believed that the excavation site—known as Kom el-Nugus or Plinthine—was, like nearby Alexandria, founded during the Hellenistic Period, between 332 BCE and 31 BCE. However, archaeologists have now discovered a major ancient Egyptian settlement beneath layers of later construction.

Previous investigations focused on the remains of Hellenistic structures in the area. A more recent study, led by Dr. Sylvain Dhennin from the University of Lyon and published in Antiquity, revealed a settlement constructed with brick that dates back 3,500 years to Egypt’s New Kingdom Period, between 1550 BCE and 1070 BCE.

The ancient Egyptian settlement near Alexandria remained preserved beneath the debris and foundation walls of later Hellenistic structures. Additionally, several architectural elements from the New Kingdom Period were reused in Hellenistic Period construction projects. Archaeologists unearthed well-preserved ancient Egyptian houses, along with evidence of streets and a sophisticated water drainage system.