Tura, Egypt
Limestone quarry in ancient Egypt / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Tura (Egyptian Arabic: طرة Tora IPA: [ˈtˤoɾˤɑ], Coptic: ⲧⲣⲱⲁ, Ancient Greek: Τρωια or Τρωη[1]) was the primary quarry for limestone in ancient Egypt.[2] The site, which was known by the ancient Egyptians as Troyu or Royu, is located about halfway between modern-day Cairo and Helwan.[3] Its ancient Egyptian name was misinterpreted by the ancient Greek geographer Strabo, who thought it meant it was inhabited by Trojans, thus the Hellenistic city was named Troia.[4] The site is located by the modern town of Tora in the Cairo Governorate.[5]
Tura
| |
---|---|
District | |
Hayy Tura | |
Coordinates: 29°56′45″N 31°19′05″E | |
Country | Egypt |
Governorate | Cairo |
Area | |
• Total | 25 sq mi (65 km2) |
Population (2023) | |
• Total | 245,644 |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EST) |
The limestone from the quarry is thought to have been deposited during the late Lutetian stage of the Eocene epoch, about 42 million years ago. Some fossil fish species have been described from the quarry.[6][7]