Egypt's Mons Claudianus to become open-air museum

The Ministry of Antiquities approved the development of the Mons Claudianus archaeological site into an open air museum to exhibit the quarrying process used in Egypt during the Roman era.

The Mons Claudianus archaeological site that stretches from the Red Sea to Qena province 
is to be restored with the view of developing it into an open air museum of 
Roman era quarrying in Egypt [Credit: Wikimapia]

Mons Claudianus is an area for granite quarries and houses a garrison, a quarrying site, a complete workers settlement with a horse stable and a granite water container.

Fragments of granite items have also been found, along with broken columns and a number of engraved ostraca (broken pottery).

Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh Eldamaty told Ahram Online that during the Roman era, the area was called Granodiorite and it was used as a mine to collect construction materials.

Author: Nevine El-Aref | Source: Ahram Online [July 02, 2015]