Coptic antiquities, coming etween ancient Egyptian and Islamic monuments, have been unduly neglected. Although the chain of history is, in fact, unbroken, that it may, however, be doubted whether elsewhere in the world there is so continuous a series of links. The buildings that grew up in Egypt under Christian influence have as yet been but little studied, and it must be admitted that as they were seen, decrepit, neglected, and ruined, are not very attractive. One of the most important Coptic monuments is the Early Christian Pilgrimage Center of Abu Mina the ruins of which extend for several hectares in the Western Desert, 45 km south-west of Alexandria, in a site called Karm Abu Mina between Wadi El-Natrun andAlexandria. In 1979, the ruins of this fabled city were placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the five most historically important sites in Egypt. Abu-Mina has special archaeological values in the Egyptological studies in general and the Coptic studies in particular, as it contains an early Coptic city with its churches, necropolis and public buildings. It is also a unique archaeological model because of its feature as an ancient pilgrimage center in North Africa not only for the early Christians in Egypt, but also for the early Christians around the Mediterranean and south-west Europe in the 5th and 6th Centuries. Fragments of marble paving, granite and basalt columns and mosaics of semi-precious stones give some idea of how large and lavishly decorated the basilica of St Mina was, at a time when Christian churches in Europe were primitive structures, if they existed at all. Until its water dried up, the pilgrim town even featured a hospice with hot and cold baths. The specific objectives of the paper are. - Reviewing the architectural composition and the archaeological value of the complex and providing ideas to invest this valuable monument. - Providing a clear understanding of the water seepage problem in the site. - Highlighting the attempts made by international organizations to rescue the site and providing some suggestions at the same domain
|
