An Egyptian archaeological mission recently made several discoveries in western Alexandria, including a workshop for the manufacture of amphoras, a cemetery, several coins dating back to the Ptolemaic era and about 100 other archaeological finds.

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced in a statement April 11 the discovery of the workshop dating back to the beginnings of the Roman era during excavations carried out by the Egyptian archaeological mission of the Supreme Council of Antiquities at the site of Tabba Matouh in West Alexandria.

Mustafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said in the ministerial statement that the recently discovered workshop consists of a group of furnaces. He noted that the archaeologists unearthed two of these furnaces. “Interestingly, they (the furnaces) were carved into the rock. One of them is in good condition.”

“For the compacting process, the furnace entrance would be blocked with clay and pottery sherds. The fuel for firing went in through a ramp carved into the rock located below this entrance,” he explained.