Buried ancient Egyptian city revealed by radar imaging

[Dodomeki]

Buried ancient Egyptian city revealed by radar imaging

The 3,500-year-old capital of Egypt's foreign occupiers has been revealed by archaeologists using radar imaging.

Published: 10:44PM BST 20 Jun 2010

Satellite image with radar imaging offering an overview of the outlines of a city with streets, buildings and temples underneath the green farm fields and modern town of Tel al-Dabaa, Northeast of Cairo, Egypt Photo: EPA

Egypt was ruled for a century from 1664-1569 BC by the Hyksos, a warrior people from Asia, possibly Semitic in origin, whose summer capital was in the northern Delta area. Irene Mueller, the head of the Austrian archaeological team, said the main purpose of the project was to determine how far the underground city extended.

The radar imaging showed the outlines of streets, houses and temples underneath the green farm fields and modern town of Tel al-Dabaa. Such non-invasive techniques are the best way define the extent of the site, the team said in a statement. Egypt's Delta is densely populated and heavily farmed, making extensive excavation difficult, unlike in southern Egypt with its more famous desert tombs and temples.

The Austrian team of archaelogists has been working on the site since 1975.

 

[Dodomeki]

Radar reveals extent of buried ancient Egypt city

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This undated combination map overlay image released by the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities on Sunday, June 20, 2010, displays a color satellite image with radar imaging in monochrome showing the outlines of streets, houses and temples underneath the green farm fields and modern town of Tel al-Dabaa, in Egypt. An Austrian archaeological team has used radar imaging to determine the size of the 3,500-year-old capital of Egypt's foreign occupiers, the Hyksos warrior people from Asia, the antiquities department said Sunday. (AP Photo/Supreme Council of Antiquities) (Ho - AP)


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</td></tr></tbody></table> The Associated Press
Sunday, June 20, 2010; 3:26 PM

CAIRO -- An Austrian archaeological team has used radar imaging to determine the extent of the ruins of the one time 3,500-year-old capital of Egypt's foreign occupiers, said the antiquities department Sunday.

Egypt was ruled for a century from 1664-1569 B.C. by the Hyksos, a warrior people from Asia, possibly Semitic in origin, whose summer capital was in the northern Delta area. Irene Mueller, the head of the Austrian team, said the main purpose of the project is to determine how far the underground city extends.

The radar imaging showed the outlines of streets, houses and temples underneath the green farm fields and modern town of Tel al-Dabaa. Archaeology chief Zahi Hawass said in the statement that such noninvasive techniques are the best way define the extent of the site.

Egypt's Delta is densely populated and heavily farmed, making extensive excavation difficult, unlike in southern Egypt with its more famous desert tombs and temples. The Austrian team of archaelogists has been working on the site since 1975.