North Kharga Oasis Survey 2001-2002. Preliminary Report: Ain Gib and Qasr el-Sumayra

This article contains an overview of the first two seasons of work of the North Kharga Oasis Survey. The survey area includes several archaeological sites to various degrees of preservation. The first season was dedicated to the basic identification and exploration of all sites, whilst the second focussed on the study of Ain Gib and Qasr el-Sumayra. The archaeological remains in the area include the standing remains of small forts, settlements, necropoleis, extensive water systems and traces of ancient cultivations. Theodolite, walking, and aerial survey methods were used to accomplish the aims of the project. The conclusion is that Qasr elGib and Qasr el-Sumayra were part of a scattered but busy community that in the Fourth Century AD controlled the northern access to the Kharga Oasis.