We are pleased to announce the latest publication by the research team led by Professor Marta Osypińska from our Institute. The article has been published in the prestigious scientific journal, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.

The paper presents new findings on the development of the suburban area of the ancient Roman port of Berenike in Egypt. Excavations conducted over the past decade at a small animal cemetery, located around a structure that most likely served ceremonial functions, have revealed that, alongside waste disposal, there were also burials of companion animals.

The analysis of artefacts, particularly animal remains and shells, divided into four functional phases determined through detailed stratigraphic examination, shows how this area transformed into a zone for servicing pack animals such as camels and donkeys. These animals were a crucial component of the supply chain between the Red Sea coast and the Nile Valley during the port’s peak period of operation in the 1st and 2nd centuries CE.

The article also explores the surprising contrast between the sacred nature of the cemetery and the simultaneous urban waste deposition in the same area.