Excavations at the Western Kom at Tell el-Farkha 2009–2010

Fieldworks at the Western Kom were carried out within the older trench that had been opened in 2006–2007 and further excavated in 2008. The important excavation results are related to architectural remains. Beneath the chapel with votive deposits next structures with storage vessels inside were discovered. Absence of architectural remains in the south-eastern part of the tell proved that in the Naqada III A-B the Western Kom was inhabited in a much smaller area that it was later. The upper layers excavated during these campaigns are connected to phase 4 at Tell el-Farkha (i.e. Naqada IIIA) and the lower layers to phase 3 (Naqada IID2/IIIA). Discovered stone and flint tools points than the stone vessels workshop was strictly connected to the cultic shrine. Analysis of animal remains and pottery confirm the exceptional role of these area in the Proto- and beginning of the Early Dynastic periods and we have gained a very strong evidence, that the Western Kom was the most significant area of the site in Tell el-Farkha and was related to the local elite. The imitations of Palestinian vessels and numerous pottery fragments of Near Eastern origin point to well developed trade with the Near East. Another proof for such activities are small objects of various shapes, which were probably used as tokens. They were discovered at all three tells in Tell el-Farkha.