Abstract
The paper introduces results of the survey of the lake of Abusir, performed by the Czech Institute of Egyptology over the last few years. A detailed sedimentological description of four trenches located within the area of the so-called Lake of Abusir is given, together with the micromorphological results of selected strata, molluscs and archaeobotanical findings.
All the presented results document the paleo-environmental and geoarchaeological history of the study area. Five main developmental phases of the Lake of Abusir are interpreted.
The area was used as a principal entryway to the cemeteries of Saqqara and Abusir during the third millennium BC. These cemeteries were built to serve the capital of ancient Egypt, the White Walls, which was established around 3000 BC.
The old Nile terrace deposits constituted the background for the tiled pavement built during the Old Kingdom period. Later, this pavement was partly destroyed by heavy outwash, and the anthropogenic features were overlain by a layer of pure sand.
Subsequent sedimentological development is characterized by increased desiccation interrupted by several phases of elevated moisture due to the activity of the local hydrological system. Due to the function of Wadi Fetekti, thick colluvial deposits were preserved.