Archaeological Sites in Dakhla Oasis,
Western Desert, Egypt
Elsayed A. Zaghloul
Abstract In ancient times, since the last rainy season that prevailed in the region
about 35,000 BC, there were fresh water lakes lived by the Stone Age man, with herds
of cows, giraffes, and gazelles. The water springs were overflowing, and the oases
continued until 9000 years ago when these lakes began to shrink and dry, leaving
their sediments in what is known as the Playa deposits in the regions of Dakhla Oasis
as well as other areas in the Western Desert. It has a continuity of settlements for
about the last 8000 years, but only since 2500 BC, they moved to the Nile Valley but
some settlements still exist around the natural springs and flowing water wells.
Keywords Dakhla Oasis · Desert · Groundwater · Archaeology · Prehistory ·
National Park · Gilf Kebir · Rock art
1 Introduction
The Oases of Egypt since ancient times were known as the “Oasis Bone” where it
occupies a large depression in the desert and its capital Hibis, which derived its name
from the word habbat meaning plough. During the Pharaonic times, the oases were
of paramount importance because they were the first line of defense for ancient Egypt
for exposure to attacks from the South and Libyans from the West. The Pharaohs
were concerned about the calmness of the region and its stability for the abundance
of its products.
E. A. Zaghloul (B)
Geological Applications and Mineral Resources Division, National Authority for Remote Sensing
and Space Sciences, 23 Joseph Tito Street, El-Nozha El-Gedida, Cairo, Egypt
e-mail: eazaghloul@narss.sci.eg; elsayedzaghloul@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
E. Iwasaki et al. (eds.), Sustainable Water Solutions in the Western Desert,
Egypt: Dakhla Oasis, Earth and Environmental Sciences Library,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64005-7_5
73
Western Desert, Egypt
Elsayed A. Zaghloul
Abstract In ancient times, since the last rainy season that prevailed in the region
about 35,000 BC, there were fresh water lakes lived by the Stone Age man, with herds
of cows, giraffes, and gazelles. The water springs were overflowing, and the oases
continued until 9000 years ago when these lakes began to shrink and dry, leaving
their sediments in what is known as the Playa deposits in the regions of Dakhla Oasis
as well as other areas in the Western Desert. It has a continuity of settlements for
about the last 8000 years, but only since 2500 BC, they moved to the Nile Valley but
some settlements still exist around the natural springs and flowing water wells.
Keywords Dakhla Oasis · Desert · Groundwater · Archaeology · Prehistory ·
National Park · Gilf Kebir · Rock art
1 Introduction
The Oases of Egypt since ancient times were known as the “Oasis Bone” where it
occupies a large depression in the desert and its capital Hibis, which derived its name
from the word habbat meaning plough. During the Pharaonic times, the oases were
of paramount importance because they were the first line of defense for ancient Egypt
for exposure to attacks from the South and Libyans from the West. The Pharaohs
were concerned about the calmness of the region and its stability for the abundance
of its products.
E. A. Zaghloul (B)
Geological Applications and Mineral Resources Division, National Authority for Remote Sensing
and Space Sciences, 23 Joseph Tito Street, El-Nozha El-Gedida, Cairo, Egypt
e-mail: eazaghloul@narss.sci.eg; elsayedzaghloul@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
E. Iwasaki et al. (eds.), Sustainable Water Solutions in the Western Desert,
Egypt: Dakhla Oasis, Earth and Environmental Sciences Library,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64005-7_5
73