DAKHLAOASIS

   An oasis in the Western Desert west of Luxor. Excavations have uncovered remains possibly from the Early Dynastic Period and from the Old Kingdom to the Byzantine Period. The site was visited by HerbertWinlockin 1908 and again examined by Egyptian archaeologist Ahmed Fakhry from 1968–1972. Asettlement andtombsfrom Dynasty 6have been excavated at Balatby a French expedition since 1977, while a joint Canadian–Australian expedition has conducted a survey and excavations in the oasis since 1978 and found a Roman and Byzantine town site and associated temples at Ismant el-Kharb, which has yielded documentary and literary texts on papyrus and wooden tablets. The site of the main temple at Mut elKharb, the later capital of the oasis, has been under investigation since 2001, and remains have been found from the New Kingdomto the Graeco-Roman Period. An American expedition is now working at the site of Amheida.

   See also Bahariyaoasis; Farfaraoasis; Khargaoasis; Siwaoasis.