THE ITALIAN-EGYPTIAN PROJECT OF STUDY AND CONSERVATION OF THE MONASTERY OF ABBA NEFER, MANQABAD (ASYUT) FIRST AND SECOND CAMPAIGN

The first campaigns of the Italian-Egyptian Project at Manqabad were very short due to the general situation of the country, but they allowed the general condition of the structures to be verified and the first urgent actions to be planned. During two short surveys, the mission was able to identify most of the structures already brought to light and recorded by previous investigations. Notworthy among the findings already brought to light are: Coptic funerary stelae, different types of whole jars, some amphorae, and some decorated vases. These artifacts are mostly kept in the storehouse in el-Ashmunein and Asyut. A large deal of coins from the Roman, Byzantine and Islamic periods was also discovered. During the third campaign, the members of the archaeological mission also started the study of some of these artifacts.