An Egyptian archaeological mission has unearthed a mud-brick building from the 6th to 7th centuries AD in Manqabad, Assiut, revealing significant coloured murals. The find was announced as part of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA)’s ongoing archaeological excavation efforts, supporting scientific missions under the guidance of Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities.

Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the SCA, detailed that the discovered building features a white mortar coating and comprises two levels, containing several crucial murals. He highlighted “the remains of a mural with significant symbolism in coptic art, where its theme represents eyes in a repetitive manner, with a face in the middle, indicating inner spiritual insight that may be hidden from many who live a worldly life and love the world; it is a symbol of wisdom, awakening, and vigilance in pastoral matters.”

khaled further noted that another mural shows “the remains of a drawing of a man holding a small child, which is likely Joseph the Carpenter holding Jesus Christ, with disciples on the right and left sides, alongside coptic writings.”

Gamal Mostafa, Head of the Islamic, Coptic, and Jewish Antiquities Sector at the SCA, elaborated on the structure’s layout: “the first level of the building consists of three parallel halls, followed by two rooms, which contain a descending staircase leading to the lower level. This lower level features three parallel cells followed by two living rooms.”

Artifacts Unearthed Within the Structure

The rooms also yielded numerous pottery and stone artifacts. mostafa stated, “among the most prominent finds is a tombstone of a saint, inscribed with Coptic writings that clarify the saint’s name and date of death.” Additional discoveries include “many amphorae of different sizes bearing some Coptic letters, a stone frieze with animal decoration representing the remains of a gazelle and a lion, and some multi-use pottery vessels.”

“The first level of the building consists of three parallel halls, followed by two rooms, which contain a descending staircase…”

Ongoing Excavation and Study

Mahmoud Mohamed, Director-General of the East Assiut Antiquities area for Islamic, Coptic, and Jewish Antiquities, confirmed that the excavation and study of the murals are ongoing. The goal is “to learn more about the secrets of this building and its importance.”

He also detailed the site’s location: “the Manqabad antiquities area is located in the village of Manqabad, part of Assiut center and governorate, approximately 12 km northwest of Assiut city. It lies southwest of the main highway and about 22 km from Assiut International Airport.”

The Manqabad area was initially identified in 1965, with excavations starting in 1976. Intermittent excavation seasons continued until 2010, followed by the current Egyptian-lead excavations in the 2024 season. The ongoing work seeks to fully understand the function and significance of the newly discovered Coptic-era building.