DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3236#0167
102
QANTARAH.
Only S.E. of Tel Habwe, by the side of half-a-
dozen palm-trees, there are the remains of a few
red-briek and other buildings. On the other
hand, N. and N.E. of Qantarah the ground is
frequently strewn with fragments of pottery.
The occurrence of large stones for corn-grind-
ing, &c, shows that there must have been in
some cases settled villages.
These remains often stretch far into the
dried-up marsh. A difficulty in ascertaining
tho course of the ancient canals and river-beds
in this region lies in the complete silting up of
the lake. We know from the fact of village
remains occurring in abundance in places which
have evidently been under water all the Avinter,
as well as from other indications, either that the
drainage of the land has been stopped, or that
the surface has sunk. We know also from
classical authors that there were lakes and
swamps all over the district in early -times.
The canals of such a district would require
continual attention to keep them open. We
know even that a navigable branch of the river
passed this way, and yet in spring the whole
is a stretch of barren salt sand, the level of
which to the eye is absolutely uniform, although
a difference in consistency betrays slight varia-
tions of level to the foot: for instance, round
the edges of Tel Farama the current formed by
the obstruction has left a space of 20 yards
in breadth, perhaps 3 inches lower than the rest.
Under such circumstances it is hopeless to look
for channels.1 The only method is to seek for
lines of mounds, natural or artificial, which
would exclude a channel or would mark sites
upon its banks. Thus, I think, a channel may
be traced past the low mounds N.E. of Tel
Farama, and between the eastern and western
mound, past the small red-brick mound S.W.,
past another low mound visible from Tel el
Her, past a sand island, and another low mound
1 The French map, however, marks a distinct channel W.
of the Pelusiac mouth. Some traces of this may exist. I
did not visit thai part.
4 miles N.W. of Qantara,2 and into the canal
that skirts the N. edge of Defeneh. This
canal, now known as the Bahr el Baqar, or
" canal of the cow," is certainly artificial, as
may be gathered from its running through
sand for at least 9 miles near Defeneh.
The Pelusiac branch, on the other hand, running
W. of Heracleopolis, seems to have turned to
the N. a little before reaching Defeneh.
In the Itinerary of Antoninus, from Pelusium _
to Memphis, Daphno is the first station
mentioned. It therefore followed this channel
or " short cut," by the side of which a road
probably ran through the marshes at that
time. The road from Serapiu (at the E. end
of the Wadi Tumilat) to Pelusium is given as
a Serapiu Pelusio, lx. (xl.).
Thaubasio (Thausasio), viii. (viiii.).
Sile, xxviii.
Magdolo, xii.
Pelusio, xii. (xv.).
Thaubasion, a place of some importance in
Roman times, has not been identified, and no
likely place is marked on the maps. The identi-
fication of Sile with Tell abu Sefe may remain.
Magdolon was formerly identified with Tel
Semut. The latter, however, does not exist.
Tel el Her is more probable. It stands on the
direct road, 11 or 12 miles from Tell abu Sefe,
and 6 from the E. end of Pelusium, which is
2 From this mound there is still observable a peculiar lino
(an artificial roadway?) strewed-with pottery, running S.W.,
and cutting the Suez Canal close to a group of deserted houses.
I picked up on the mound a late Ptolemaic coin. I found
also two double corn-grinder stones of a peculiar form,
being shaped like a doubly-concave vertebra and pierced:
diameter 18 inches, length 14 inches. On each side is
a hollow handle forming a square socket, tho sides of
which are pierced with a small hole parallel to the circum-
ference of the stone. The socket must have been for the
insertion of a wooden lever fixed by a thin rod or wire
through the hole. It was then evidently worked on a convex
stone, tho upper bowl being kept full of corn. The material
resembles slag. One of the convex stones for a similar mill
lies on the mound N. of the canal at Defeneh. (See Plate
li.) No doubt these are Roman, and the material is
perhaps trachyte from Syria.
QANTARAH.
Only S.E. of Tel Habwe, by the side of half-a-
dozen palm-trees, there are the remains of a few
red-briek and other buildings. On the other
hand, N. and N.E. of Qantarah the ground is
frequently strewn with fragments of pottery.
The occurrence of large stones for corn-grind-
ing, &c, shows that there must have been in
some cases settled villages.
These remains often stretch far into the
dried-up marsh. A difficulty in ascertaining
tho course of the ancient canals and river-beds
in this region lies in the complete silting up of
the lake. We know from the fact of village
remains occurring in abundance in places which
have evidently been under water all the Avinter,
as well as from other indications, either that the
drainage of the land has been stopped, or that
the surface has sunk. We know also from
classical authors that there were lakes and
swamps all over the district in early -times.
The canals of such a district would require
continual attention to keep them open. We
know even that a navigable branch of the river
passed this way, and yet in spring the whole
is a stretch of barren salt sand, the level of
which to the eye is absolutely uniform, although
a difference in consistency betrays slight varia-
tions of level to the foot: for instance, round
the edges of Tel Farama the current formed by
the obstruction has left a space of 20 yards
in breadth, perhaps 3 inches lower than the rest.
Under such circumstances it is hopeless to look
for channels.1 The only method is to seek for
lines of mounds, natural or artificial, which
would exclude a channel or would mark sites
upon its banks. Thus, I think, a channel may
be traced past the low mounds N.E. of Tel
Farama, and between the eastern and western
mound, past the small red-brick mound S.W.,
past another low mound visible from Tel el
Her, past a sand island, and another low mound
1 The French map, however, marks a distinct channel W.
of the Pelusiac mouth. Some traces of this may exist. I
did not visit thai part.
4 miles N.W. of Qantara,2 and into the canal
that skirts the N. edge of Defeneh. This
canal, now known as the Bahr el Baqar, or
" canal of the cow," is certainly artificial, as
may be gathered from its running through
sand for at least 9 miles near Defeneh.
The Pelusiac branch, on the other hand, running
W. of Heracleopolis, seems to have turned to
the N. a little before reaching Defeneh.
In the Itinerary of Antoninus, from Pelusium _
to Memphis, Daphno is the first station
mentioned. It therefore followed this channel
or " short cut," by the side of which a road
probably ran through the marshes at that
time. The road from Serapiu (at the E. end
of the Wadi Tumilat) to Pelusium is given as
a Serapiu Pelusio, lx. (xl.).
Thaubasio (Thausasio), viii. (viiii.).
Sile, xxviii.
Magdolo, xii.
Pelusio, xii. (xv.).
Thaubasion, a place of some importance in
Roman times, has not been identified, and no
likely place is marked on the maps. The identi-
fication of Sile with Tell abu Sefe may remain.
Magdolon was formerly identified with Tel
Semut. The latter, however, does not exist.
Tel el Her is more probable. It stands on the
direct road, 11 or 12 miles from Tell abu Sefe,
and 6 from the E. end of Pelusium, which is
2 From this mound there is still observable a peculiar lino
(an artificial roadway?) strewed-with pottery, running S.W.,
and cutting the Suez Canal close to a group of deserted houses.
I picked up on the mound a late Ptolemaic coin. I found
also two double corn-grinder stones of a peculiar form,
being shaped like a doubly-concave vertebra and pierced:
diameter 18 inches, length 14 inches. On each side is
a hollow handle forming a square socket, tho sides of
which are pierced with a small hole parallel to the circum-
ference of the stone. The socket must have been for the
insertion of a wooden lever fixed by a thin rod or wire
through the hole. It was then evidently worked on a convex
stone, tho upper bowl being kept full of corn. The material
resembles slag. One of the convex stones for a similar mill
lies on the mound N. of the canal at Defeneh. (See Plate
li.) No doubt these are Roman, and the material is
perhaps trachyte from Syria.