Askut

Askut (also known in ancient Egypt as Djer-Setiu) was an ancient Egyptian island fortress in the Middle Kingdom on the Nile, which was built for the purpose of securing the border to Nubia. Since the completion of the Aswan High Dam, the island has been flooded with Lake Nubia. The fort, about 351 kilometers south of Aswan was built by Sesostris III. It measured 77 × 87 meters. The protective wall had a thickness of 5.3 meters and had spur-like bastions. The highly fortified entrance protected a temple and warehouses along the harbor. Inside the castle were a commander's house and barracks. Pottery has been unearthed at the site dated to the early 13th Dynasty.

Askut was an ancient Egyptian fortress located on an island on the Nile during the Middle Kingdom. Its intention was to seal the border to Nubia. It was excavated by Alexander Badawy during the Aswan High Dam Salvage Campaign which aimed to preserve sites threatened by the building of the Aswan Dam. Fortresses such as this one were typically home to a large community of diverse geographical origin and ethnicity. Different roles were taken on by all members of the community, however men typically dominated the roles associated with military, politics, and economics. An important part of uncovering this site included understanding the social context associated with the environment and material culture.

As Askut began to transition into a more settlement style pattern, old three-room barracks indicating a military like set up began to shift and individualize. Many floor plans and spaces were rebuilt, and domestic spaces turned into a layout that was more diverse and fit the needs of different types of families. The Southeastern part of this site gives evidence that these changes were implemented in the New Kingdom but could have begun at the end of the Middle Kingdom. Important areas of the fortress were left behind and filled with trash, such as the granary complex. In the New Kingdom, a large area of Askut was transformed into a fundamental house with a central courtyard, encircled by rooms. Only an old barrack remains from the Middle Kingdom and these changes could represent a response to significant ev

Archaeological site data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).