Roman Settlements
El Kharga oasis invites you to be a part of one of the
world’s most powerful civilizations, through taking you in a journey through
the Roman Settlements located on its lands. One of the most striking fortresses
of the whole area is el-Deir, a huge enclosure with twelve round towers which
lies east of the old Darb el-Arbain. The site is definitely worth a visit, but
a 4x4 is strongly suggested. The easily accessible forts of Nadura, Qasr
el-Ghueita and Qasr el-Zayyan are situated close to the main road on the top of
high hills which allowed a strategic control of the territory.
All contain small stone temples, the first Roman, the
second Persian and the third Ptolemaic. The most amazing fortress of the area
is probably Dush, at the southern edge of the oasis. A huge complex contained
two stone temples, a monumental gateway built by Trajan, and evidence of an
elaborated subterranean water system. The beautiful landscape and impressive
setting are not to be missed.
Two other Roman settlements that you don’t want to miss are the Ayn Amur and
the Umm el- Dabadib. Ayn Amur is a little spring halfway between Kharga and
Dakhla along the caravan route which bears the same name. Here is a small stone
temple with a large mud brick enclosure that was built around the spring. While
umm el-Dabadib is a large settlement guarded by a small but impressive fort and
once supported by an extensive cultivation, which lies along the Darb 'Ayn Amur
in an area today completely isolated.