CAIRO, EGYPT—According to an Ahram Online report, a series of reservoirs have been excavated at the site of the historic port of 'Aydhab on the coast of the Red Sea. The central reservoir measures some 50 feet long and was made of sandstone and locally sourced coral blocks lined with a waterproof layer of lime plaster. Smaller reservoirs in the water storage system that supplied ships, traders, and travelers were also uncovered. “These installations reflect a sophisticated infrastructure that supported both trade and the movement of pilgrims,” said Sherif Fathy, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities. Pilgrims traveled through 'Aydhab from Egypt and North Africa to Israel, and connected trade routes to India, Yemen, and East Africa, added Hisham El-Leithy of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. Traces of residential buildings, watchtowers, and service facilities were also unearthed, as well as imported Chinese porcelain and green-glazed pottery dated to Egypt’s Fatimid period (A.D. 969–1171). To read about the world's earliest harbor, which is located on the southwestern edge of the Red Sea, go to "Journey of the Pyramid Builders."
