Myos Hormos — Northern Anchorage at Marsa Nakari Mangrove (Marsa Alam North)
Myos Hormos North Bay · Marsa Nakari Anchorage · Quseir al-Qadim North Extension
Ptolemaic to Late Roman (275 BCE – 250 CE)·Ptolemaic / Roman Egyptian·🇪🇬 Red Sea Governorate, Eastern Desert, Marsa Nakari mangrove bay 8 km north of Quseir, Egypt
About
About Myos Hormos — Northern Anchorage at Marsa Nakari Mangrove (Marsa Alam North)
Northern mangrove anchorage of Myos Hormos, ancillary roadstead to the main Quseir al-Qadim harbour, where Roman fleet overflow berths now lie 1–2 m waterlogged behind Marsa Nakari mangrove fringe. Distinct from the main Quseir al-Qadim harbour already in database, this northern bay preserves timber jetty stumps at –1.5 m, mangrove-protected amphora dump (Berberine jars) and reef-pass channel dredged at –2 m mapped 2004 Southampton Peacock & Blue coring. Founded by Ptolemy II c. 275 BCE as Portus Veneris, Myos Hormos was Rome's Augustan India fleet base until 3rd c. CE desert siltation. Northern anchorage served shallow-draft spice lighters. Mangrove peats seal 1st c. CE Peppercorn horizon.
Why it mattersNorthern mangrove proves dual-basin Myos Hormos (main harbour + lighter roadstead); mangrove peat spices horizon calibrates Roman India trade seasonality and Red Sea sea-level.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whether northern bay is Ptolemaic original or Augustan enlargement
- 02Attribution of Peppercorn spillage to 70 CE Vesuvius fleet vs annual monsoon sailing?
Theories
- 01Northern anchorage handled monsoon lighters while main harbour handled deep sea vessels
- 02Mangrove progradation after 2nd c. CE Nile Red Sea canal silting closed the bay
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 275 BCE Ptolemy II foundation; northern jetty Augustan c. 25 BCE
- Period
- Ptolemaic to Late Roman (275 BCE – 250 CE)
- Culture
- Ptolemaic / Roman Egyptian
- Purpose
- Roman India fleet overflow anchorage — pepper, nard and Gerrhaean incense lighter harbour
- Abandoned
- c. 250 CE (Blemmye raids and mangrove progradation)
- Rediscovered
- 1994 Peacock & Blue Southampton survey; 2004 Marsa Nakari coring
- Excavation
- Submerged
275 BCE
Ptolemy II founds Myos Hormos as Red Sea emporium
25 BCE
Augustan timber jetties and reef channel dredged for India fleet
2004
Southampton coring maps northern mangrove jetty at –1.5 m
On the ground
Structures & features
26.1580° N · 34.2480° E · -1 m · 3 mapped features
Mangrove Timber Jetty (40 m)
jetty40 m mangrove timber pile jetty at –1.5 m behind reef
26.1585° N · 34.2485° EReef-Pass Dredged Channel (60 m)
channel60×8 m dredged reef pass at –2 m with coral spoil heap
26.1575° N · 34.2490° EMangrove Amphora Dump (Berberine jars)
dumpBerberine amphora dump with peppercorn spillage at –1.2 m in mangrove peat
26.1580° N · 34.2475° E