The site has multiple occupations the most readily visible is the New Kingdom Fort that was reused in the Medieval Period. It was called “Sha’at” in the New Kingdom. It is surrounded by Paleolithic, Pre Kerma, Pharaonic and Meroitic sites. To the north of the island is the Cathedral. The region’s history dates from the Paleolithic to the late Medieval. The Fort was founded by Ahmose, and then overbuilt by Amenhotep I and his successors. It was reoccupied in the Meroitic, Christian and Ottoman periods and shows a wealth of different occupational levels. Many of the Ottoman buildings were never recorded in the rush to get to the earlier periods.