Balat is an Islamic village that contains an interesting old city with covered, narrow streets on the top of a hill. It is located 9 km on the paved road west of Tineida.The old city was built in the Mamluk and Ottoman eras (18th and 19th centuries) and many parts still look the same, such as the entrance of some houses with ornate carved door beams. The streets of the old village were narrow and covered not only to protect from wind, sun and heat, but also to prevent enemies to enter the village with horses or camels. Nowadays people still occupy the old houses built of brick and mud and roofed with acacia wood. Many of the walls are decorated with images from their inhabitants’ travels to Mecca. Doorways are ornately carved. The main mosque in the old town was built in 1713 and renovated by Prince Agha Habashi in 1830. It is built of brick covered with mud and acacia wood and is unlike any mosque architecture found in the Nile Valley. Its architectural tradition resembles more the one typical of the Western Sahara. 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) south of Balat the cemetery of Ain Tirghi was found. It contains several tombs (around 200 graves) with some mummies in their original coffins and wrappings. The coffins are made of wood, which was considered an expensive material, and of ceramic. Each coffin has an effigy painted on the lid (CISS Inventory 2010; Vivian 1990).
Site coordinates: N 25 33 950 E29 15 534
