Deir al-Ganadla
A Unique Coptic Church in Middle Egypt
By (author) Mohamed Kenawi By (author) Jessica Distefano
Paperback (Published)
(April 2026)
ISBN: 9781919314303
6 x 9 inches
Price: $19.95
In stock
Deir al-Ganadla stands as one of the most extraordinary Coptic monastic sites of Middle Egypt. The church preserves rare architectural elements and mural paintings dating from the sixth to the twelfth centuries, crowned by a painted ceiling unlike any other in Egypt.
Hidden among the rugged mountains of Middle Egypt lies a remarkable monastery carved into a remote and scarcely accessible quarry. Within this quarry church survives an extraordinary cycle of frescoes, unique in Egypt and preserved across the centuries. This book reveals and documents this exceptional artistic and historical treasure, bringing to light a heritage site that has long remained little known. Through detailed study and vivid documentation, it uncovers the story of the monastery, its art, and the community that has sustained its spiritual life. The book also offers new insights into a little-explored landscape and the broader artistic traditions of Middle Egypt. As part of an ongoing initiative to highlight and preserve similar heritage sites across the region, it seeks to make these remarkable monuments accessible not only to specialists, but also to general readers and visitors interested in Egypt’s rich cultural legacy.
Introduction
The ‘New’ Church (c. 19th century)
The Layout of the Quarry Church of St. Mary the Virgin
The Artistic Programme of the Quarry Church
The Niches
The Screen Wall with Reused Funerary and Architectural Elements – East Wall
Mural Paintings
The Ceiling
The Inscription of Deir al-Ganadla
The Surrounding Landscape – Remote Sensing Survey
Conclusion
Acknowledgements
Bibliography
Online Text Sources
Illustration Credit
- By (author) Mohamed Kenawi
- By (author) Jessica Distefano
Similar Books
Ancient Egypt in 50 Discoveries
Highlights from the first century of the Egypt Exploration Society
Volume 8
Archaeological Discoveries at the Temple of Ramesses II in Abydos
Vol. 1: Magazines, Animal Burials, and Miscellanea
Current Research in Egyptology 2024
Proceedings of the Twenty-Fourth Annual Symposium, Jointly Organised by the University of Liverpool, Swansea University, University of Birmingham, University of Oxford, and University of Wales Trinity Saint David, 2–6 September 2024
From Egypt to the Levant and Beyond
African Individuals and Groupsain Cuneiform Texts from the Late Bronze Age
Volume 133
Kom al-Ahmer — Kom Wasit III
The Archaeology of Two Ptolemaic Districts in the Western Nile Delta, Egypt
Language, Semantics, and Cognition in Ancient Egypt and Beyond
Proceedings of the International Conference, Yale University, April 16-18, 2021
Volume 14
Mortals, Deities and Divine Symbols: Rethinking Ancient Images from the Levant to Mesopotamia
Studies Offered to Tallay Ornan
Outward Appearance versus Inward Significance
Addressing Identities through Attire in the Ancient World
Volume 15
Sacredness at Deir El-Medina
Proceedings of the International Conference Florence, Italy 14-15 March 2024
Volume 7
The Village Gymnasium at Philoteris/Watfa in the Fayum
In Collaboration with Rita Hartmann. With Contributions by Cacilia Fluck, Mary F. Ownby and Daniela Rosenow
Volume 10
Die Schlangenspruche als alteste semitische Textbelege?
Analyse und kritische Betrachtung von Richard C. Steiners 'Early Northwest Semitic Serpent Spells in the Pyramid Texts
Volume 140
Esna VII – Ubersetzung
Die Inschriften der Aussenwande des Pronaos von Esna. Esna-Studien V
Volume 46
Katalog der Berufstermini der Frauen in Ägypten im Spiegel dokumentarischer Papyri und Ostraka
Alter Orient und Altes Testament, Band 480.2
Volume 480.2
Transzendentales Ägypten
Jenseits, Himmel, Hölle und das Ende in antik-ägyptischen Diskursen
Volume 14
A Master of Secrets in the Chamber of Darkness
Egyptological Studies in Honor of Robert K. Ritner Presented on the Occasion of His Sixty-Eighth Birthday
Volume 3
A View from the Herd
Cattle, Sheep, Goats, and Pigs in Pharaonic Egypt: A Primer for Egyptologists and Archaeologists
Volume 5
