Byzantine-era coins and ostraca unearthed at Dakhleh Oasis in Egypt

Archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered a mud-brick settlement at 'Ain al-Sebil, located 565km southwest of Cairo, revealing numerous artifacts including hundreds of inscribed pot sherds (ostraca), bronze and gold coins, as well as both religious and domestic structures. These discoveries, which date back to the Byzantine era of Egypt (AD284–AD641), feature approximately 200 ostraca with Greek and Coptic writings that document sales, letters, names, and aspects of everyday life. Among the findings are bronze coins depicting Byzantine emperors and Christian symbols, alongside gold coins from Roman emperor Constantius II's reign (AD337–AD361). The site also includes a fourth-century basilica, a fortress, watchtowers, and vaulted houses, one of which may have served as a house church for an individual named Tabibos. Colin Hope, an archaeologist from Monash University with expertise in Dakhleh, remarked on the rarity of gold coins in this area and emphasized the importance of the well-preserved fourth-century church. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced these findings after more than ten years of excavation, which aid in reconstructing daily life and underscore the cultural significance of the oasis. Dakhleh Oasis has been included on UNESCO's tentative World Heritage list for natural heritage since 2003.