Excavations at Ismant El-Kharab in the Dakhleh Oasis

Brief review of the excavations conducted between 1986-1988 at Ismant el-Kharab (Dakhleh oasis), a large Roman Period townsite, occupied from the 2nd - 4th centuries A.D. After general comments and a site description, the two excavated areas are described: 1) Area B; 2) Area A, on the northern edge of the central residential area. From the kitchen of House 2 in this area, a spectacular find of textual material showed up, consisting of two sets of wooden writing tablets, i.a. three Cyprian orations of Isocrates the Orator, composed between 372-365 B.C. The well-preserved architecture, wall-paintings, texts and domestic objects give the opportunity to study life in Dakhleh during the Roman Period from all points of view. (OEB)