Berenike Troglodytica — Northern Lagoon Harbour (Foul Bay North)
Berenike North Harbour · Berenike Northern Lagoon · Ras Benas North Anchorage
Hellenistic to Late Antique (275 BCE – 550 CE)·Ptolemaic / Roman·🇪🇬 Red Sea Governorate, Foul Bay (Sinus Immundus) northern shore north of Ras Banas, Egypt
About
About Berenike Troglodytica — Northern Lagoon Harbour (Foul Bay North)
Northern lagoon harbour of Berenike Troglodytica on Foul Bay's northern shore north of Ras Banas Peninsula, where the Ptolemaic harbour's secondary northern basin now lies 1–2 m under mangrove silts and reef sands. 5 m examined by 2015 Delaware/PCMA trenches. Founded by Ptolemy II Philadelphus 275 BCE at the Tropic of Cancer, Berenike was Ptolemaic elephant and India port until 6th c. CE. Northern lagoon handled elephant transports from Meroe while south handled India pepper fleet.
Fort base encloses 1st c. CE Peridot temple.
Why it mattersNorth lagoon proves dual-basin Berenike (north elephant, south India); fort and temple date Ptolemaic elephant hunt logistics and Peridot cult.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whether fort is Ptolemy II or III elephant depot
- 02Attribution of peridot temple to Serapis vs Isis?
Theories
- 01North handled Meroitic elephants, south handled India monsoon fleet
- 02Mole alignment marks Tropic of Cancer ritual orientation
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- 275 BCE Ptolemy II foundation; fort mole early 3rd c. BCE
- Period
- Hellenistic to Late Antique (275 BCE – 550 CE)
- Culture
- Ptolemaic / Roman
- Builders
- Ptolemaic Greek / Roman
- Purpose
- Elephant transport harbour and India trade fortified lagoon
- Abandoned
- c. 550 CE Sasanian disruption and reef siltation
- Rediscovered
- 1818 Belzoni; north lagoon trenches 2015 PCMA
- Excavation
- Submerged
275 BCE
Ptolemy II founds Berenike at Sinus Immundus head
c. 270–150 BCE
120 m fort and 70 m mole built for elephant ships
2015
PCMA-Delaware map north lagoon fort mole to –1.5 m
On the ground
Structures & features
23.9450° N · 35.4750° E · -1 m · 3 mapped features
Hellenistic Fort Mole (70 m)
mole70 m fort mole at –1.5 m sheltering north lagoon
23.9455° N · 35.4755° ERoman Coral Quay (60 m)
quay60 m coral quay at –1.2 m
23.9450° N · 35.4750° EFort Wall Base (120 m) and Peridot Temple
fortification120 m fort wall at +0.5 m with temple platform
23.9445° N · 35.4752° E