Mons Porphyritis

 quarry, archeological site, interesting place

vast site of Roman and Bycantine quarries with many little quarries and transportation facilities in the valleys of Jebel Dukhan, wells, temples, smaller camps for the workers and a central camp for administration and quite luxuary accomodation of the staff.
In late Roman and in Bycantine times (200 - 500 AC), Porphyris Imperialis (see the first photo) was broken here. Due to geological reasons the quarries could not deliver any bigger blocks, but only relatively small ones. Neverthelss the beautiful quarzite stone was admired by the Romans and especially the Bycantines and it was used mainly for decorative purposes (vases, fontains, plates) for the rich of the rich The Bycantine Emperors prefered to be baptized in an baptismal font made of Porphris Imperialis (thats is where the stone got its name from).
Very strange fact: the stone never was broken during the pharaonic times though the pharaos were behind every kind of nice stone in every corner of their empire and the area was known to them (not far away: Mons Claudianus und Wadi Hammamat). The reason why tey did not use it is unclear.
The area is quite difficult to reach via Wadi Fatira and only by 4X4!!!