Ballas
In 1894–1895, William M. Flinders Petrie and James E. Quibell directed two missions in the region of Naqada, which represent to this day the most important archaeological work ever carried out there. Quibell's work, supported by the Egypt Research Account, concentrated in the northern part of the region, nearer the villages of Ballas and Zawaida. Published data is more scarce than for Petrie's work: he excavated likely over 900 tombs in the extensive cemetery L, and worked at other localities such as the the 'stairway tombs' and the so-called North Town (note that objects from the North Town were marked with the abbreviation "Z", a reference to the nearby modern settlement of Zawaida).
A few years later, in 1900, the Hearst Egyptian Expedition, under the direction of Reisner who was assisted by Albert M. Lythgoe and Frederik W. Green, investigated in the area of Ballas again from February to July. Their work area was locacted in the immediate vicinity of ed-Deir, and appears to be further north than the area investigated by Quibell. F.W. Green worken at the North Palace, Lythgoe at the northern houses and Cemetery 1200–1300, and Reisner at the Workers’ Village/Cemetery 1-200 (Dyn. 17th-19th). A second season took place in November 1900–January 1901, more specifically at the North Palace and South Kom. After excavation work concluded, part of the team continued work on plans, maps, and photography at the site for several months.
In the 1980's, Peter Lacovara led four seasons of work at Ballas, focusing on settelment contexts and not the cemeteries.
Archaeological activity :
1894–1895: one excavation season by the Egypt Research Account.
1900–1901: two excavation seasons by the Phoebe Heast Expedition.
1980–1986: four excavation seasons directed by Peter Lacovara (1980, 1983, 1985, 1986).
