The Expedition - 2. Chapter 2

We left very early in the morning. It seemed like the sun followed us. As the sun rose, the sunbeam led us westward to the site. It took us 6 hours to go 250 kilometers. Traveling on the sand, we needed to move slowly. If we go too fast, the tires will get mired down in the sand. Then It would take a long time to dig out the tires.

We arrived on the site about one o’clock in the afternoon. After a quick lunch, we set up the tents, unloaded the trucks, and laid out a checkerboard plan to begin checking with the GPR and LIDAR in the morning. I took the GPR and walked around the campsite. When I finished that walk, I took the LIDAR and rechecked the area. I found nothing.

Two weeks had passed, and no results. All data showed the area to be barren of any relics or buildings. “Howard, maybe the area we laid out was beyond the area in the photo. Let’s redraw the area. Bringing the outer area 10 meters closer to the center.”

Having done that, we waited to see if we would find anything. On the third day, one of the men found a coin. This caused a lot of excitement, and then they found a few more. This was the evidence that what we did in bringing the area closer to the center was the right move.

I took the coins and carefully cleaned them. Then I got a surprise, “Mahmoud, these coins are drachmas, and they are coins minted by Alexander. You can see his name on the back.”

“That isn’t unusual. I believe they used his coins in Egypt until Ptolemy coined his own.”

“Yes, but who and what was here. They must have been here before the Ptolemy coins became popular. Why would anyone come to this area? I’d expect to find these coins in and around MUT. Anyone coming to this area would need water which they would get at the oasis in MUT.”

The more I thought about this coin, the more it bothered me. Thinking to myself, what was here to attract anyone to be here? There would have to be a reason, but what was it?

With increased activity in the area where we found the coin, one of the men found a silver cup. The cup had the head of Herakles on the front, and two eagles on the sides made into holders. On the back panel was Zeus on his throne and the name Alexandros under the throne.

I wasn’t sure if this was the private cup used by Alexander or the official cup of his staff. I felt pretty confidant that the cup was made in Macedonia, Alexander’s home country. On previous expeditions, I had seen similar cups with the image of Ptolemy on the front and an eagle on the back.

I carefully brushed the sand from the cup. The image on the front of the cup was a relief of Hercules,( Herakles in Greek). Was this cup Alexander’s? The image on the reverse side would tell. If Alexander made this cup, then the reverse would show Zeus on a throne, similarly to the reverse side of the coins minted during the time of Alexander. I was getting excited as I brushed the sand from the cup. The figure of Zeus was visible. Now I need Alexander’s name on the cup to be an authentic Alexander cup. I could see something but not enough to make out the name. I took a metal pick from my kit. One thing about being on an expedition you get your hands dirty. I always carry a pick to clean under my fingernails. Now I needed that pick to remove debris from the back of the cup.

It would be a slow process, but I already knew this. It took 2 hours to be able to read the name Alexandros. I continued to pick at the name until I had all of the dirt removed. It was a beautiful cup. I took a soft rag and polished the cup until it gleamed. While doing this, I saw a name engraved on the bottom of the cup. I was intrigued. The name, Coenus, was engraved. I knew of Coenus, and he was one of Alexander’s generals during his Eastern expedition. According to reports of the Eastern campaign, he was one of the ablest and most faithful. Alexander, in appreciation of his service, must have awarded him this cup.

Now I had another puzzle. What was Coenus’s cup doing here? I knew he was one of the Alexander's favorites who had distinguished himself during the eastern expedition. He was also a Macedonia. He died three years before Alexander. Could he be buried here?

I fell asleep with questions but no answers. Over the next few weeks, the men found more coins. As they moved closer to the center of the photo, they began to find coins that had a picture on the front and an eagle on the back. I showed it to Mostafa and Mahmoud.

“That is a Ptolemy coin. After Alexander died, Ptolemy began to mint his coins. On one side, he had his likeness, and on the other side, an eagle perched on a thunderbolt. Finding this coin here would have been after Alexander’s death.”

Now another puzzle. Coins minted by Alexandr and Ptolemy are found here. What would bring people here? Now I knew there was something here that was worth visiting.

One week after finding the Ptolemy coin, the men uncovered the top of a wall. The dark spot on the map turned out to be a building. The men started to dig out the top layer of sand. We had to put boards in place to keep the sand from filling the spaces that were cleared of sand. We would remove a shovel, and when we went to take another shovel full, about half fell back into the hole we created. I knew that this would take a long time to uncover what was hidden under the sand.

The time to leave was soon upon us. School was to start, and Mahmoud and I needed to be there. Mostafa agreed to continue the work. I had mixed feelings about leaving, I wanted to stay, and I also realize3d I needed to be back in school. “Mahmoud, we can come back during school break and see how far they have gotten on uncovering the wall and the building.”

“Why would they build a building here and then cover it with sand?”

“The land when they built the wall may not have been as it is now. The winds could have blown the sand up against the wall. Then as the sand accumulated, the wind would blow the sand over the wall, filling in the area between the walls.”

“That would take years to do that. If that is true, then this was built sometime in BCE.”

“My guess the wall was built when Alexander was alive or closely after his death. If I remember correctly, Ptolemy started his mint after Alexander’s death.”

“With the coins we found, both the Alexander and Ptolemy coins, the people who came here would have to have been before Alexander died and after Ptolemy started his mint. This site must have been occupied during the time of Alexander.”

“I think you are right, Mahmoud. Once we can identify the building, we will know more.”

“Howard, let’s plan on going back during the winter holidays.”

I agreed, so we made plans.