EXCAVATIONS IN THE NORTHWESTERN CEMETERY OF BLEMMYAN BERENIKE (EASTERN DESERT OF EGYPT) IN 2023 AND 2024

Excavations carried out in 2023–2024 at the northwestern cemetery (N1–N2) of Berenike on Egypt’s Eastern Desert have yielded important new evidence for the funerary practices of the Blemmyan population in the post-Roman period (late 4th–early 6th centuries CE). The investigation combined a magnetic survey with targeted excavations, leading to the discovery of numerous chamber tombs and shaft graves. Although architecturally diverse, these tombs demonstrate strong functional consistency: both types were designed for multiple burials in contracted positions and included designated ritual spaces with offerings such as flagons, bowls, amphorae, and altars. The results show that burial customs at Berenike differed from contemporary funerary traditions of Egypt and Nubia. The findings underscore the complex, multi-layered identity of the Blemmyan community, highlighting their distinctive mortuary practices alongside their openness to broader religious and cultural influences.