Ancient Naukratis

Book excerpt: Naukratis, the first city in Egypt where Greeks were permitted to settle and one of the major centers of the ancient world, is located in the West Nile Delta south of modern Alexandria, It was first excavated by Flinders Petrie in 1884; his discoveries indicated occupation from the Archaic Period to Late Antiquity. The limited extent of Petrie's excavations and the erosion of the site inspired the American Ancient Naukratis Project to start new fieldwork in 1980. This volume contains details of an intensive surface survey (with selective drill-sampling) of the area surrounding Petrie's trenches, which have become waterlogged. Intensive cataloguing of pottery and small find distribution allows full appreciation of the functional and chronological patterning of the larger site. An historical essay on the possible origins of Naukratis, a study of stamped amphora handles, a geological study and new studies of material from Petrie's original excavations are also included in this volume.