A Satellite Survey of El-Markha Plain and Beyond: Searching for Additional Potential Pharaonic Forts

Abstract

Discoveries from the past 15 years along the Red Sea in Sinai and Egypt have shown just how much remains to be found in an area previously overlooked by many Egyptologists. The excavations and findings at an Old Kingdom fort at Ras Budran and an anchorage and associated complex of sites at Wadi al-Jarf emphasize that there may be additional features to locate. By applying Google Earth Pro to this search, which contains imagery at a resolution of 50 cm, a series of potential additional fort sites have emerged for future assessment. In Sinai and Egypt, however, rapid urban and rural development has made such searches urgent, before these sites are affected by new construction. In the Sinai, which is currently off bounds to most archaeological work, Google Earth Pro provides the best possible tool for conducting surveys prior to the restoration of security and resumption of survey and excavation in this region.

DOI:10.2458/azu_jaei_v07i1_parcak