The site is significant in Egyptology because of its cemeteries from the Prehistoric and Pharaonic periods. From 1922 to 1931 the British archaeologists Gertrude Caton-Thompson and Guy Brunton excavated approximately 10,000 tombs from Qau el-Kebir in the south to Matmar in the north, across an area of about 36 km.
G. Brunton, G. Caton-Thompson: The Badarian civilisation and predynastic remains near Badari (= British School of Archeology in Egypt Publications Bd. 46). British School of Archaeology in Egypt, London 1928.
Guy Brunton: Qau and Badari Band 1-3 (= British School of Archaeology in Egypt and Egyptian Research Account Bd. 44, 45, 50). British School of Egyptian Archaeology u. a., London 1927-1930.
Ahmed El-Khouli, Naguib Kanawati: The Old Kingdom Tombs of El-Hammamiya. Australian Centre for Egyptology, Sydney 1990, ISBN0858377020.