Rhinocolura (El-Arish) – Submerged Pelusian Harbour of the Sinai Gates
Rhinocolura · El-Arish Harbour · Rhinocorura
New Kingdom to Roman (c. 1500 BCE – 400 CE)·Egyptian New Kingdom / Philistine / Ptolemaic / Roman·🇪🇬 North Sinai Governorate, El-Arish, Egypt
About
About Rhinocolura (El-Arish) – Submerged Pelusian Harbour of the Sinai Gates
Rhinocolura (Rhinocorura/El-Arish) – the 'Cut-off Noses' penal colony of Strabo, but in fact the easternmost Pelusiac port guarding the Via Maris (Way of Horus) and Bardawil (Sirbonis) lagoon. The lagoon harbour behind the Bardawil sand bar (ancient Sirbonis Lake) served New Kingdom Egyptian garrisons and Ptolemaic–Roman fleets, now submerged 1–2 m after Bardawil barrier breaching and subsidence. Oren's North Sinai survey mapped lagoon quay walls, Ptolemaic sherds and Roman fish-salting vats at –1 m 2 km east of modern El-Arish harbour. The harbour channel through the bar (now silled) was the navigable entrance for Horus Road convoys to Gaza.
Why it mattersOnly Bardawil lagoon harbour preserving Via Maris garrison port morphology; documents New Kingdom Horus Road logistics.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whether Rhinocolura is El-Arish lagoon or inland Tell Abu Seifeh fortress harbour
- 02Chronology of Bardawil bar breaching (Roman vs Late Antique)
Theories
- 01Strabo's penal colony etymology may be folk etymology masking Egyptian 'Rhinocolura' border fort
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Lagoon harbour New Kingdom garrison; Ptolemaic port 3rd c. BCE
- Period
- New Kingdom to Roman (c. 1500 BCE – 400 CE)
- Culture
- Egyptian New Kingdom / Philistine / Ptolemaic / Roman
- Purpose
- Via Maris military port and Bardawil fishery (Sirbonian salt-fish); penal exile harbour of Strabo
- Abandoned
- 5th c. CE lagoon silting + Bardawil bar closure
- Rediscovered
- Oren 1972–1993 North Sinai survey; Valbelle 1981
- Excavation
- Submerged
Lagoon harbour New Kingdom garrison; Ptolemaic port 3rd c. BCE
Initial construction
c. 1490 CE
Rediscovery
On the ground
Structures & features
31.1350° N · 33.7980° E · -1 m · 3 mapped features
Bardawil Lagoon Quay Wall
harbourPtolemaic quay wall 50 m at –1 m on Bardawil lagoon eastern shore
31.1360° N · 33.7990° ERoman Fish-Salting Vats
installationRoman fish-salting vats complex at –1 m behind quay – Sirbonian fishery
31.1355° N · 33.7970° EBardawil Bar Channel (Silled Entrance)
channelAncient harbour entrance channel through Bardawil bar now silled at –1.5 m
31.1340° N · 33.7960° E