Ain Amur

Ain Amur is the ancient route between Dakhla and Kharga oases. On this route, the oasis at Ain Amur was the only water source and consequently a necessary stop for anyone who travelled between the oases. On the site there are the remains of a sandstone and limestone temple built in the Late Period. It was surrounded by a thick mudbrick wall that also enclosed the spring. The temple was decorated with many figures of the deities Khnum, Amun-Re and Mut. Its sandstone walls have mostly collapsed but a part of the limestone roof remains. A cemetery containing rock-cut tombs is located to the south and east of the temple. Some of the tombs contained mummies and fragments of wooden coffins, probably dating back to the Roman period. The journey to the site requires the use of a 4×4 vehicle with an expert driver, a knowledgeable guide and special permission from the Antiquities Office in el-Kharga (CISS Inventory 2010).