Wadi Mineh

Wadi Mineh has 25 sites and is situated in the north-central part of the Central Eastern Desert. With 7 predynastic and 9 later sites it has a mixed date character like its counterpart in this area, Wadi Abu Wasil. The predynastic sites are clustered, especially around MIN-13 (RME-25A) which is an elevated site with predynastic motifs (including a standing 'arms raised' figure with elongated plumes) opposite MIN-10, another elevated site. The latter has a plumed 'arms raised' figure in a boat. Early elevated sites are not common in the survey area. These would have been good lookout places for game and have provided shade.

Winkler's site 24b comprises a cave of large boulders. It was a resting place over a wide space of time and has Latin inscriptions which can be dated to the reign of Augustus (see Tony Judd's article on trade with India in Roman times) with predynastic and pharaonic boats, including a unique Naqada III vessel (probably early dynastic) with a falcon on the prow. Wadi Mineh was part of the Roman road down to Berenike.

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