Before the settling of Egyptians from the Nile Valley in Dakhla, the oasis hosted nomadic groups whose culture is called Sheikh Moftah. But the markers of these specific groups fade away gradually during the Old Kingdom, as if the natives were fully acculturated. Actually, in Balat faint traces of their presence can be detected in several aspects of the community life. While some features are obviously related to the local experience of desert environment, material remains from the town and tombs, and textual evidence, also suggest a cultural mixture of Egyptian and local traditions