Tell el-Murra (North Eastern Nile Delta Survey) : season 2008

The Project aims at carrying out an archeological survey of the northeastern part of the Nile Delta and locating archeological sites from Predynastic and Early Dynastic periods. Sites visited during the first season included Tell Akhdar, Gezira Sangaha, Tell Gezira el-Faras, Tell Ginidba, Tell Abu Umran and Tell el-Murra, which - as the most interesting of these sites - was chosen for further research. It included magnetic prospection and geological core drillings. Most surface pottery material shows affinities to Old Kingdom forms, with some pieces similar to Early Dynastic shapes. The core drillings indicated that surface strata from the Old Kingdom may overlie older occupation layers. Regular (linear) anomalies observed on the magnetic map seem to correspond to remains of mud-brick walls

Tell el-Murra (Northeastern Nile Delta Survey) : season 2011

The Project in Tell el-Murra in the northeastern part of the Nile Delta continued excavation of trench S3, uncovering two graves from the Early Dynastic period as well as mud-brick walls belonging to earlier structures. A new trench, S4, was dug to check the site stratigraphy and chronology in the eastern part of the site. Old Kingdom and Naqada III pottery was discovered and Lower Egyptian Culture layers were confirmed at the bottom of the latter trench. Architectural remains consisted of a round silos(?) and walls to the west and south of it. The present research confirmed the existence of settlement on the site from the times of the Predynastic Lower Egyptian Culture until the end of the Old Kingdom (Sixth Dynasty), but it is still unclear whether people of the Naqada culture appeared there already in the second half of the Naqada II period or only in Naqada III. It was also confirmed that a settlement and a cemetery existed on the site

Tell el-Murra (Northeastern Nile Delta survey) : seasons 2012-2013

Excavations of the site of Tell el-Murra in the northeastern part of the Nile Delta in 2012 and 2013, following up on surveys in 2008 and in 2010-2011, uncovered settlement structures from the Old Kingdom in the northeastern part of the site (trench T5). Excavations in the adjacent cemetery (trench S3) cleared more graves, which were dated to the Early Dynastic period based on pottery and stone vessel evidence

Tell el-Murra (Northeastern Nile Delta Survey) : season 2010

Much of the work of the Northwestern Nile Delta Survey Project involved research at Tell el-Murra, a site in the northeastern part of the Nile Delta chosen for excavation on the basis of results from the 2008 survey season. Archaeological testing was coupled with magnetic prospection and geological core drillings in an effort to establish site stratigraphy and chronology. An analysis of the assemblage of finds (mainly pottery), confirmed occupation of the northeastern part of the site in the Old Kingdom period, after the southwestern part had already been abandoned. Core drilling results suggested the presence of Predynastic layers below the Protodynastic strata explored in 2010. A continued survey around Tell el-Murra comprised prospection at the sites of Tell Abu el-Halyat, Tell el-Akhdar, Minshat Radwan, Tell Gezira el-Faras, Gezira Sangaha, Mantiqat el-Qalaa and Kafr el-Hadidi. Naqada III pottery was confirmed at the first four of these sites

Tell el-Murra (Northeastern Nile Delta Survey) : preliminary report on research in 2014-2015

The paper deals with the results of excavation in 2014 and 2015 at the Tell el-Murra site in the northeastern part of the Nile Delta. The investigations covered a settlement mostly from the Old Kingdom period found in trench T5; more specifically, the investigated features seem primarily connected with food production. Settlement remains from the Naqada III-possibly Early Dynastic and Protodynastic(?) periods were also explored in trench S3B. Continued research on the Early Dynastic cemetery in trench S3 yielded 16 more graves, including simple pit burials and chamber graves. In several cases bodies had been placed in pottery coffins. The presence of several mud-brick walls, possibly associated with older settlement structures, was also confirmed within the lattermost trench. Altogether the research provided new data on the settlement architecture, site development processes and burial customs invoked in the beginnings of the Egyptian state

Tell el-Murra (Northeastern Nile Delta Survey) : research in 2016-2017

The paper deals with the results of excavation in 2016 and 2017 at the site of Tell el-Murra in the northeastern part of the Nile Delta. The investigation focused on Trench T5, where settlement remains dated mostly from the Early Dynastic period were explored in its northern part, and early Old Kingdom structures in the southern part. Settlement remains of Lower Egyptian culture were also excavated in Trench S3B. Continued research on the Early Dynastic cemetery in Trench S3 yielded eight more graves, both pit burials and chambered tombs. In one case, the body was placed additionally in a pottery coffin. The results contribute new data on Early Dynastic settlement architecture and burial customs, as well as the oldest habitation associated with Lower Egyptian culture

Tell el-Murra : results of survey and prospects for research

Tell el-Murra, located in the northeastern part of the Nile Delta, was one of several sites investigated by the Polish Archaeological Expedition during the surveys of 2008 and 2010-2011 at which excavations are still ongoing. It was selected for further research mainly due to good state of preservation of the Tell and the results of preliminary analyses of the archaeological material found there. The main objective of the initial work was to establish the stratigraphy and chronology of the site. In order to accomplish this goal, the first test pits were opened and analysis of the data obtained here then confirmed the existence of a settlement dating from the Predynastic – Lower Egyptian culture until the end of the Old Kingdom. It still remains unclear, however, as to whether representatives of Naqada culture appeared there as early as the second half of Naqada II period or only during Naqada III. The research also demonstrated that both a settlement and a cemetery were present here. The latter was located in the southwestern part of the site. Among the graves, several contained pottery coffins with or without lids and in one case with hollows made in its bottom

Decorated pottery from Tell el-Farkha

Appeal from the Order of Dismissal of the Third Judicial District Court of Salt Lake County Honorable G. Hal Taylor, Judg