The Oldest Town of Kom Ombo? New Evidence from the Recent Work of the Egyptian-Austrian Mission

The modern town of Kom Ombo lies approximately 45 km north of Aswan, on the eastern bank of the Nile. The archaeological site, some 3 km to the east, is well known for its Graeco-Roman temple complex but is mentioned in ancient texts from the First Intermediate Period. In 1979, parts of the adjacent tell were identified as of Old Kingdom date as a result of a survey of surface pottery. However, these remains have only recently been the focus of systematic archaeological investigations, by the rescue excavations of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and USAID (2015–2018).
The work of the joint Egyptian-Austrian mission at the site started in 2017 and has significantly contributed to the better understanding of the history of the town. Notably, the remains of a settlement and a cemetery spanning the Old Kingdom and the First Intermediate Period have been discovered. Moreover, recently evidence has emerged indicating an even earlier date for the town. In a deep test trench, below four phases of the Old Kingdom settlement (3rd to the later 5th dynasty), pottery typical of the Early Dynastic period as well as associated Early Dynastic seal impressions were found. This indicates that Kom Ombo was settled prior to the Old Kingdom. Our paper will present the new results of the Egyptian-Austrian work and focus on the Early Dynastic remains in a regional perspective.