Bettina Bader | Austrian Academy of Sciences (original) (raw)

Books by Bettina Bader

Archaeology of Egypt, Sudan and the Levant, 2021

The book is devoted to a thorough theoretical discussion of the connection between identity and m... more The book is devoted to a thorough theoretical discussion of the connection between identity and material culture which forms the backbone of archaeology. The assumed direct relationship between the ‘things’ used in daily life, and aspects of identity such as gender, age or ethnicity to name but a few, is challenged under consideration of post-colonial theories and critically applied to a case study in ancient Egypt. Tell el-Dabca provides exclusively material culture for interpretation including architectural remains, pottery, stone tools, a few stone vessel fragments and other rare items made of stone or shell. The only organic remains which survive in the wet soil conditions are animal bones, whilst materials such as textiles, papyrus, basketry, leather and wood were not preserved. Beside a detailed introduction to the formation and current use of aspects of identity and cultural paradigms, with special regard to archaeology, concepts such as 'entanglement' and 'appropriation', and placement of fusions of material culture of various areas in the theoretical framework are introduced and discussed. It is the aim of this book to open the mind to the creativity manifest in material culture and to the human ingenuity which produced it.

The book examines the connection between identity and material culture, which forms the backbone ... more The book examines the connection between identity and material culture, which forms the backbone of archaeology. The assumed direct relationship between the things of daily life and the aspects of identity such as gender, age or ethnicity to name but a few is challenged under consideration of post-colonial theories and critically applied to a case study in ancient Egypt (Tell el-Dab'a), which provides exclusively material culture for interpretation. Besides a detailed introduction to the formation and current use of aspects of identity and culture concepts with special regard to archaeology, definitions (such as 'entanglement' and 'appropriation') and a placement of fusions of material culture from various areas in the theoretical framework are proposed.

This volume is available open access at https://austriaca.at/8224-5 This volume comprises the fi... more This volume is available open access at https://austriaca.at/8224-5
This volume comprises the final archaeological report of three settlement layers of the late Middle Kingdom (ca 1830-1700 BC) at the site of Tell el-Dab’a in the north-eastern Nile delta. Area A/II was excavated to the expanse of 3800 square metres. The western part (1600 square metres) is the subject of this publication, while the eastern part will be presented in the second volume.
The settlement entails three phases, where the latest one, Phase G/3-1, is described and analysed first, because it was excavated in all squares and provides therefore a continuous overview of life. Five medium to small compounds were laid-out in a self-organised manner, which are not uniform in size or in plan. This suggests a certain element of social stratification. Beside simple dwellings the architectural remains yielded evidence for a number of round silos, several irregular alleyways, courtyards and installations such as hearths and fire places. Each of these features was numbered, described and the associated finds presented. The finds included pottery and stone vessels, chipped stone tools, stone objects such as querns, rubbing stones, animal bones, but also a few faience objects and stone palettes. The majority of the finds reflects domestic activities but some industrial remains with two horse-shoe shaped ovens and two limestone moulds for tools. The large amount of imported transport amphorae from Syria-Palestine is remarkable, hinting at the reception of commodities from there. Noteworthy are the burials of three individuals in houses and courtyards (two women and one child). While the number of the burials obviously does not correspond with the number of inhabitants in this neighbourhood, it is difficult to ascertain, whether there was a separate cemetery elsewhere or if the dead were buried in another neighbourhood.
The earlier archaeological Phases H and G/4 were excavated in a more restricted area as the later phase, often due to the high water table. While Phase H consisted mostly of thin dividing walls forming irregular areas with small huts and very few finds, the lay-out of Phase G/4 represents a precursor of phase G/3-1. Several alleyways and dwellings were in place then, with walls renewing this erstwhile lay-out. Remarkable for Phase H is a number of relatively large and well-built silos in the northern part of the excavation area, while thin dividing walls with regular pilasters presumably for strengthening them and small dwellings are typical for Phase G/4.
While comparative settlements in the Levant and Egypt are scarce, the full publication of this self-organised settlement provides primary evidence for daily life in the delta marches and a valuable source for Egyptian settlement archaeology.

Material Culture and Identities -Complexities of identity research in archaeology as seen in a late Middle Kingdom settlement in Ancient Egypt -A case study, 2019

Die Arbeit behandelt den Zusammenhang von Identität und materieller Kultur, die bis heute in der ... more Die Arbeit behandelt den Zusammenhang von Identität und materieller Kultur, die bis heute in der Archäologie grundlegender Gegenstand der Forschung ist. Anfangs ging man von einem direkten Zusammenhang zwischen materieller Kultur, also allen verwendeten Dingen des menschlichen Lebens, und den Identitätsaspekten der Menschen (Geschlecht, Alter, Ethnie, u.a.), die sie verwendeten, aus. Dadurch wurden die Identitäten der historischen Menschen für eindeutig bestimmt gehalten (z.B. Spiegel werden von Frauen verwendet, Waffen von Männern; nicht-lokale Keramik beweist die Anwesenheit von Zuwanderern, etc.). Postkoloniale theoretische Kritik und Diskussionen führten dazu, diesen Ansatz massiv zu hinterfragen, da Identität einerseits selbstgewählt ist, und andererseits multiple Identitäten situationsabhängig zum Einsatz kommen. Darüber hinaus wird Identität erst sichtbar, wenn sie auch von einem abgegrenzten Gegenüber wahrgenommen und rezipiert wird. Diese Sicht ist weder immer bewusst noch hat sie sich überall durchgesetzt. Seit den 1990er Jahren bilden ethnische Identität und Migrationen wichtige Forschungsfragen. Diskutiert wird, wie sich beides im archäologischen Befund auswirkt und welche Veränderungen der materiellen Kultur im archäologischen Fundgut auf Migrationen hinweisen. Dieses Thema hat auch in der Ägyptologie Raum gewonnen. Dort wurden archäologische Methoden aus der prähistorischen Tradition übernommen, die auf keine Schrift-und Bildquellen zurückgreifen kann. Die Ägyptologie hat aber den Anschluss an die laufende, kritische, theoretische Diskussion der Vor-und Frühgeschichte noch nicht gefunden, wo man von einer Vielfalt von Identitäten und einer indirekten Verbindung zwischen Dingen und Menschen ausgeht. Daher ist in der ägyptischen Archäologie eine Gleichsetzung von Menschen mit bestimmten Gegenständen (z.B. Grabbeigaben) und der daraus resultierenden kulturhistorischen Deutung nach wie vor häufig. Trotz hoher Erwartung an neue Methoden wie aDNA und Isotopenanalysen stellt sich bei zunehmender Publikation von Ergebnissen heraus, dass Gegenstände, die als ethnisch identifizierend betrachtet wurden, nicht immer bei Personen mit einheitlicher DNS gefunden wurden. Kurz gesagt, die Komposition der DNS gibt keine Auskunft darüber, in welcher (ethnischen) Gruppe die Sozialisierung von Menschen stattgefunden hat. Wie in der theoretischen Diskussion zeigt sich, dass die Gegenstände nur indirekt über die Identitäten von antiken Personen Auskunft geben können und sich keine Regel ableiten lässt. Die moderne Forschung ist sich zunehmend dieser Beschränkung bewusst und folgt vielfach der Praxistheorie von Bourdieu, um Einblick in die Identität von Menschen zu erlangen. Im Zusammenhang mit interkulturellen Kontakten wurden Regeln für Akkulturationsmechanismen festgelegt, die auch für archäologische Befunde herangezogen wurden. Dabei hielt man häufig an einer Zuweisung von bestimmten Gegenständen an bestimmte ethnische Identitäten fest (z.B. Schmuck), ohne kreativen Eigenheiten Raum zu geben. Dies ist problematisch und dem kulturhistorischen Paradigma geschuldet, das eine strikte Abgrenzung der einzelnen Kulturen voneinander propagiert. Diese Sichtweise wird ebenfalls mit Blick auf die materielle Kultur Altägyptens kritisiert. Die vorliegende Arbeit versammelt Einzelschriften, die einerseits Aspekte für das Fach Ägyptologie diskutieren, wobei zu bemerken ist, dass das Fach in mancher Hinsicht theoretischen Diskussionen abgeneigt erscheint. Andererseits wird anhand einer Fallstudie aufgezeigt, dass die vorhandenen Quellen oftmals keine eindeutigen Hinweise auf eine (ethnische) Identifikation bieten, besonders wenn die Quellenlage ohne zusätzliche schriftliche oder bildliche Quellen allein auf materieller Kultur beruht. Die Präsenz von Textquellen bringt jedoch häufig auch keine eindeutige Lösung. Die Einleitung widmet sich der Formation der menschlichen Identitätsaspekte und thematisiert sie in Zusammenhang mit verschiedenen Kulturkonzepten. Dann leitet sie zur Praxistheorie über, die ein wichtiges Instrument für das Verständnis der indirekten Verbindung von Dingen zur Identität von Menschen ist. Da in der Archäologie die Identitätsdiskussion häufig mit antiken Migrationen verbunden wird, wird auch dieses Thema berührt. Schließlich wird die Fallstudie-ein Siedlungsteil des späten Mittleren Reiches im Areal A/II in Tell el-Daba (ca. 1800-1700 v. Chr.)-vorgestellt und der historische Rahmen, der immer als Hintergrund für die Interpretation der Funde dieses rein archäologischen Befundes (ohne Schrift-oder Bildzeugnisse) herangezogen wird. Die Besonderheit dieser Siedlung liegt in ihrer geographischen Position im ägyptischen Nordostdelta, in einer Region, wo sich Einflüsse aus Ägypten und Syrien-Palästina aufgrund der räumlichen Nähe begegnen und auf einander einwirken, sodass geschlossen werden kann, dass Menschen aus dem

Die Synchronisierung der Grabungsplätze von Tell el-Daba (vgl. Kap. 3.1.) im nordöstlichen Nildel... more Die Synchronisierung der Grabungsplätze von Tell el-Daba (vgl. Kap. 3.1.) im nordöstlichen Nildelta und Kom Rabia (vgl. Kap. 3.2.) auf dem Gebiet der antiken Reichshauptstadt Memphis in der Memphis-Fayum Region wurde durch die Analyse des keramischen Siedlungsmaterials durchgeführt. Dabei kam eine Zufallsstichprobentechnik zur Anwendung. Die relevante Zeitspanne reicht vom späten MR (ca. 1770 v. Chr.) bis zum Ende der 2. Zw.zt. (ca. 1550/40. v. Chr.). Es handelt sich dabei um jene Zeit in der ägyptischen Geschichte, in der die Einheit der " bei-den Länder " keineswegs gegeben war, und diese Stu-die machte es sich auch zu einem Ziel, festzustellen, ob die Hyksos, wie Manetho berichtete, in Memphis herrschten. D.h. es sollte auch untersucht werden, ob es Hinweise gibt, die auf eine physische Anwesen-heit der Hyksos und ihrer spezifischen materiellen Kultur in Memphis schließen lassen. Dabei muß jedoch im Gedächtnis behalten werden, daß die Gra-bungsfläche RAT in Kom Rabia nur eine sehr beschränkte Ausdehnung hatte, und daher wohl keine universellen Schlußfolgerungen über das gesamte antike Memphis erlaubt, wohl aber Anhaltspunkte geben kann. Aber in Ermangelung ausge-dehnterer Ausgrabungsflächen und der fortschreitenden Zerstörung des antiken Ruinengeländes durch die moderne Siedlungstätigkeit scheint es bis auf weiteres das einzige kleine Fenster zur Vergangenheit in diesem Gebiet zu bleiben, das uns zur Analyse zur Verfügung steht. Es besteht vielmehr leider durchaus die Möglichkeit, daß dieser kleine Ausschnitt der einzige Blick auf Memphis bleibt, der uns erlaubt ist. Es sei hier nochmals erwähnt, daß die Entfernung der beiden Plätze von einander nicht mehr als 130 km in der Luftlinie ausmacht. Die Verbindung der beiden Plätze wird sich vermutlich v.a. der Nilarme und deren Kanälen bedient haben. Diese Studie verwendet die spezielle Methodologie, die eigens für das Memphis Pottery Team entwickelt wurde (s.o), als eines der ersten Projekte in der ägyptischen Archäologie und findet ausführliche Erwähnung und Beweis-führung in Kap. 4. Im Folgenden sollen die wichtigsten Punkte und Thesen in präziser Weise noch einmal rekapituliert werden.

This volume presents the data used for the synchronisation of the stratigraphic levels of two Egy... more This volume presents the data used for the synchronisation of the stratigraphic levels of two Egyptian settlement sites, one of the late Middle Kingdom and the other, the Second Intermediate Period (ca. 1770 – 1550/40 BC). The analysis is based on the ceramic finds from the settlement layers of the ancient capitals of Tell el-Dab´a (Avaris) in the eastern Delta and of Kom Rabica (Memphis) just south of modern Cairo. Whilst the main focus of the research project was synchronising the relative chronologies of these two sites, another activity was an investigation of the possibility of archaeologically tracing the physical presence of the Hyksos, who allegedly conquered and ruled all of Egypt, in Memphis. The methods applied include random sampling, presence/absence analysis and quantitative analysis, the levels in question being phases G/4 to D/2 at Tell el-Dab´a and levels VIII to V at Kom Rabica. Whereas the material from the beginning of these sequences is quite comparable, in the course of analysis it emerged that the development of the material cultures of these two sites took different routes, particularly from level VId and phase E/1 onwards. Under the rule of the Hyksos, in the delta area a hybrid material culture developed that contained traits of Levantine Middle Bronze Age culture as well as the native Egyptian culture, as is most clearly expressed in the ceramic corpus. In contrast, the ceramic corpus at Kom Rabica developed out of the later Middle Kingdom corpus. This suggests that Memphis was not subjected to colonisation by the Hyksos.

Marl C pottery is found at a large number of sites in Egypt, particularly in the Memphis-Fayoum r... more Marl C pottery is found at a large number of sites in Egypt, particularly in the Memphis-Fayoum region from which such pottery is presumed to originate. It is as is well-known, a good indicator of the Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period, but in this analysis of shapes, find places and chronological discussion it becomes obvious that Marl C was also utilised both in earlier and later periods, and for a wider variety of vessel types than previously realised. Beginning with the description of Marl C clays and a discussion of their geographical origins, this monograph continues with a catalogue of all known Marl C pottery types. The majority of the vessels illustrated derive from graves, temple precincts and settlement areas at Tell el-Dab‛a, with further examples drawn from Memphis/Kom Rabi‛a, Lisht and Dahschur.
That such pottery is also found in Sinai, other parts of Egypt and Nubia points to a complex system of internal trade which is also touched upon in this study.

Papers by Bettina Bader

Austrian Archaeological Institute, Annual Report, 2023

The annual report 2023 of the Department of Prehistory & West Asian/Northeast African Archaeology... more The annual report 2023 of the Department of Prehistory & West Asian/Northeast African Archaeology of the Austrian Archaeological Institute include Quaternary archaeology, prehistory, Near Eastern archaeology and Egyptology. The groups of the department cover an essential cultural area of prehistoric and early historical developments in Europe, Northeast Africa and West Asia. The chronological expertise of the groups covers the periods Palaeolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. In 2023, the groups conducted fieldwork and material analyses in Austria, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Cyprus, Türkiye, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Sudan and South Africa.

Proceedings of the Twelfth International Congress of Egyptologists ICE XII, 2023

https://www.ifao.egnet.net/publications/catalogue/9782724709537/ In 2015 the project Beyond Polit... more https://www.ifao.egnet.net/publications/catalogue/9782724709537/
In 2015 the project Beyond Politics: Material Culture in Second Intermediate Period Egypt and Nubia1 was initiated to assess archaeological finds in their own right, independently from
the historical, written sources. This approach was born out of necessity because the majority of archaeological finds do not bear dynastic affiliations. This is particularly true of the non-élite strata of ancient society.
The difficulties would not be alleviated even if such data were more frequent, because in the Second Intermediate Period (SIP) a) the sequence of pharaohs is not completely preserved2 b) the
reconstruction is not agreed upon3 and c) numerous archaeological SIP sites do not include any king’s names.
Most objects discussed here lack inscriptions or names, to demonstrate the complications and the need to add archaeological interpretations to obtain greater insight into the reconstruction of the lives of past people in the SIP. This is not to say that texts should be ignored, but the full value
of archaeological finds should be used to add knowledge of the past.

Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur (SAK), 2022

The present report presents the archaeological, epigraphic, conservation, and landscape works car... more The present report presents the archaeological, epigraphic, conservation, and landscape works carried out by the Middle Kingdom Theban Project – a project under the auspices of the University of Alcalá (UAH, Madrid) Expedition to Deir el-Bahari and Asasif – in three campaigns (Fifth Season 2020, Study Season 2021, Sixth Season 2021). After the abrupt interruption of the Fifth Season due to the outbreak of the SARS-COVID 19 pandemic, the team organized a (summer) Study Season (Summer 2021), mainly to complete the analysis and documentation of required materials, and the Sixth Season (Fall 2021), where the focus stood on: i) the excavation of the courtyards of Henenu (TT 313) and Ipi (TT 315); ii) the excavation of the inner sections of TT 313 and E1; iii) the epigraphic analysis of hundreds of relief blocks retrieved from TT 313; iv) the implementation of new conservation protocols for the findings as well as the analysis of the conservation conditions and problems in Dagi`s tomb TT 103); and v) the detailed analysis of textiles, ceramics, and human remains from TT 315.

Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur, 2022

The present report presents the archaeological, epigraphic, conservation, and landscape works car... more The present report presents the archaeological, epigraphic, conservation, and landscape works carried out by the Middle Kingdom Theban Project-a project under the auspices of the University of Alcalá (UAH, Madrid) Expedition to Deir el-Bahari and Asasif-in three campaigns (Fifth Season 2020, Study Season 2021, Sixth Season 2021). After the abrupt interruption of the Fifth Season due to the outbreak of the SARS-COVID 19 pandemic, the team organized a (summer) Study Season (Summer 2021), mainly to complete the analysis and documentation of required materials, and the Sixth Season (Fall 2021), where the focus stood on: i) the excavation of the courtyards of Henenu (TT 313) and Ipi (TT 315); ii) the excavation of the inner sections of TT 313 and E1; iii) the epigraphic analysis of hundreds of relief blocks retrieved from TT 313; iv) the implementation of new conservation protocols for the findings as well as the anal sis of the conservation conditions and problems in agi s tomb and v) the detailed analysis of textiles, ceramics, and human remains from TT 315.

W. Claes, M. De Meyer, H. Willems, D. Huyge (eds), Remove that Pyramid! Studies on the Archaeology and History of Predynastic and Pharaonic Egypt in Honour of Stan Hendrickx, Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 305, Leuven 2021, 75-114., 2021

This article discusses cooking pottery as expression of group identity in the Egyptian context in... more This article discusses cooking pottery as expression of group identity in the Egyptian context in the late Middle Kingdom and the Second Intermediate Period. While evidence is not abundant in all regions and periods, the data available from Tell el-Dab‘a, Memphis and more limited Elephantine are gathered to identify which cooking pots are used in the Delta and/or further south. Thus, five cooking pottery types are presented, three of which are influenced by Syro-Palestinian and two by Egyptian traditions. The restricted bowl with folded rim used as cooking pottery (‘hole-mouth’ vessels) derived from Egyptian tradition is overwhelmingly more frequent and longer in use than the others. This cooking pot type is the only one in the mixed/entangled pottery repertoire of the late Second Intermediate Period at Tell el-Dab‘a. The article outlines the research history and quantity of these pottery types, discusses parallels in Syria-Palestine and Egypt, and traces possible precursors in both traditions. In Middle Bronze Age IIA Syria-Palestine no hole-mouth vessel shape was used for cooking, but rather a different type with upright or gutter rim. Thus, the entangled/mixed community
at Tell el-Dab‘a knew and used a small proportion of non-Egyptian cooking pots, but the majority belonged to the Egyptian tradition, demonstrating the material and/or relational entanglement at the site.

Geoarchaeology, 2022

The ancient Egyptian city of al‐Ashmūnayn (Minyā Governorate, Egypt) has been an important region... more The ancient Egyptian city of al‐Ashmūnayn (Minyā Governorate, Egypt) has been an important regional centre since at least the Old Kingdom (c. 2686–2160 BC). It is assumed to have been founded on the banks of the Nile, although no scientific evidence was hitherto available to support this claim. In this multidisciplinary study, the results of a geoarchaeological survey were combined with the study of pottery fragments. Boreholes placed at al‐Ashmūnayn produced thick layers of late Old Kingdom pottery in association with the local occurrence of river channel deposits, allowing us to conclude that it is very likely that al‐Ashmūnayn originated on the banks of the Nile River. The regional borehole survey demonstrates that major geomorphological reconfigurations of the fluvial landscape occurred throughout the late Holocene, notably by the process of river avulsion. An interconnectedness of changes in the natural Nile Valley landscape and cultural dynamics of the ancient Egyptian riverine society seems possible, based on the coincidence of river reconfigurations with shifts in the preferential locations for high‐status burials in the region.

Geoarchaeology, 2021

The ancient Egyptian city of al-Ashmūnayn (Minyā Governorate, Egypt) has been an important region... more The ancient Egyptian city of al-Ashmūnayn (Minyā Governorate, Egypt) has been an important regional centre since at least the Old Kingdom (c. 2686-2160 BC). It is assumed to have been founded on the banks of the Nile, although no scientific evidence was hitherto available to support this claim. In this multidisciplinary study, the results of a geoarchaeological survey were combined with the study of pottery fragments. Boreholes Geoarchaeology.

In: Kilian, Andrea und Zöller-Engelhardt, Monika (Hrsg.): Excavating the Extra-Ordinary: Challenges & Merits of Working with Small Finds: Proceedings of the International Egyptological Workshop at Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 8–9 April 2019, Heidelberg: Propylaeum, 2021, p. 1-24.

Pottery represents the largest find group in almost all excavations in Egypt. Whilst not every co... more Pottery represents the largest find group in almost all excavations in Egypt. Whilst not every context type can, or should, be treated in the same way, each of these provides data and insights into the history of the site under scrutiny. Besides dating, typology and functional issues can also be highlighted as well as raw material distribution, history of technology and units of measurement. Even very broken material in surface contexts informs us about the periods in which activities took place, because the general sequence of pottery development is well researched, so that, at the very least, a general date can usually be proposed. This is not to say that no more progress and refinement can be achieved or that new research is superfluous in the light of advances in research method and technology. The practice of dating by parallels from other sites is to a certain extent problematic especially in transitional periods because an absolutely uniform time horizon for certain pottery types seems to be the exception rather than the rule as well as total conformity in technology as well as in typology across Egypt and Nubia. Methodology in processing, data collection and ways to tease out information from the smallest pieces of pottery including material from drill cores is also discussed. Last but not least the controversial topic of discarding ceramic material will also be debated.

A. Jiménez-Serrano, A. J. Morales (eds.), Middle Kingdom Palace Culture and Its echoes in the Provinces, Regional Perspectives and Realities, Leiden, Boston, 45-76, 2021

Regional differences in pottery production occur in terms of raw materials used, manufacturing te... more Regional differences in pottery production occur in terms of raw materials used, manufacturing technologies employed, and the range of vessel shapes created. The shapes were not only determined by the intended use contexts-for example in a settlement/funerary/cultic activity/industrial location- but also depend on the chronological period in which the vessels were made. lt is, however, often difficult to date material culture precisely within dynasties unless an undisturbed context can be connected with a well dated monument. A separate analysis is required for each case study in order to find explanatory models for the observed differences. In Egypt, except during the Middle Kingdom, differences in pottery repertoires over time have often been explained by the strengthening or weakening of the central administration, which is thought to have governed pottery production to a significant extent. This holds true for some of the material recovered, but an inadequate number of pottery workshops have been found to clearly support the hypothesis. Pictorial evidence and three-dimensional models of vessels, workers, and industrial buildings indicate that larger estates may also have included pottery workshops. This paper argues that estate production may explain some of the differences seen in the material assemblages. Two case studies are used to illustrate this, as well as the challenges and questions that arise when studying regional variations in pottery production. The first focuses on the early Middle Kingdom period at the sites of Ihnasya el-Madina/Herakleopolis Magna and Dayr al-Barsha, and the second focuses on the late Middle Kingdom at the sites of Tell el-Dab'a/Avaris and Kom Rabia/Memphis.

Archaeology of Egypt, Sudan and the Levant, 2021

Material Culture and Identities -Complexities of identity research in archaeology as seen in a late Middle Kingdom settlement in Ancient Egypt -A case study, 2019

Austrian Archaeological Institute, Annual Report, 2023

Proceedings of the Twelfth International Congress of Egyptologists ICE XII, 2023

Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur (SAK), 2022

Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur, 2022

The present report presents the archaeological, epigraphic, conservation, and landscape works car... more The present report presents the archaeological, epigraphic, conservation, and landscape works carried out by the Middle Kingdom Theban Project-a project under the auspices of the University of Alcalá (UAH, Madrid) Expedition to Deir el-Bahari and Asasif-in three campaigns (Fifth Season 2020, Study Season 2021, Sixth Season 2021). After the abrupt interruption of the Fifth Season due to the outbreak of the SARS-COVID 19 pandemic, the team organized a (summer) Study Season (Summer 2021), mainly to complete the analysis and documentation of required materials, and the Sixth Season (Fall 2021), where the focus stood on: i) the excavation of the courtyards of Henenu (TT 313) and Ipi (TT 315); ii) the excavation of the inner sections of TT 313 and E1; iii) the epigraphic analysis of hundreds of relief blocks retrieved from TT 313; iv) the implementation of new conservation protocols for the findings as well as the anal sis of the conservation conditions and problems in agi s tomb and v) the detailed analysis of textiles, ceramics, and human remains from TT 315.

Geoarchaeology, 2022

Geoarchaeology, 2021

A. Jiménez-Serrano, A. J. Morales (eds.), Middle Kingdom Palace Culture and Its echoes in the Provinces, Regional Perspectives and Realities, Leiden, Boston, 45-76, 2021

Oxford Handbooks Online

This chapter sketches the nature of evidence to be gained from careful analysis of the ceramic re... more This chapter sketches the nature of evidence to be gained from careful analysis of the ceramic remains in ancient Egypt, and the ways to achieve it, explaining some of the advances made in recent years. Pottery provides the most ubiquitous archaeological source material derived from ancient Egypt. Early archaeologists only tended to show interest in pottery when it was intact and/or of aesthetically pleasing shape or decoration, but this important source material has turned into primary evidence when dating a site. It provides information on the history of use of a site as well as on socio-economic issues, such as importations from other sites or even abroad, and glimpses into possible functions of sites.

Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 104/2, 2018

The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology

Ä&L 28, 2018

Numerous examples of simple house ground plans of the late Middle Kingdom are discussed in this a... more Numerous examples of simple house ground plans of the late Middle Kingdom are discussed in this article and the line of development is traced as far as possible.
This type of domestic architecture consists exclusively of mud brick. Measurements as well as proportions are given as possible means for dating such dwellings. The point of departure is the late Middle Kingdom settlement in Area A/II at Tell el-Daba, where a number of one and two room houses were excavated. While some of these houses are free standing, it is possible to find bipartite core-units, with one wide and one narrow room, embedded in other architectural assemblages in Egypt. These are known from at least the early Middle Kingdom onwards with a possible earlier tradition. At Tell el-Daba itself, the bipartite ground plan exists from the Middle Kingdom onwards with a possible earlier tradition. House models and other comparanda were also used to learn more about the distribution of this very simple architectural type used by non-elite individuals. In an overall cultural comparison various other socio-economic topics such as subsistence strategies, placement and capacity of storage facilities and various other influences on the assemblage found in Area A/II of the late Middle Kingdom are also discussed.

Orientalistische Literaturzeitung

espanolLa campana de 2016 en el Templo de Heryshef ha tenido como uno de sus objetivos la excavac... more espanolLa campana de 2016 en el Templo de Heryshef ha tenido como uno de sus objetivos la excavacion de varias zonas para establecer su planta y conocer las diferentes estancias del mismo. Los trabajos de los espanoles han estado muy condicionados por las excavaciones anteriores de Naville (finales del siglo xix) y Petrie (inicios del xx), que removieron muchas zonas que hoy son dificiles de delimitar. EnglishThe 2016 campaign in the Temple of Heryshef has had several objectives, among them the excavation of several areas to determine the building’s floor plan and to confirm the number of rooms within it. The works of the Spanish team have been conditioned in many ways by the previous excavations of Naville (late nineteenth century) and Petrie (early twentieth century): in both cases, the soil had been removed in many areas that today are difficult to delimit.

This article discusses some of the ceramic finds from the Temple of Millions of Years of Thutmosi... more This article discusses some of the
ceramic finds from the Temple of Millions of Years
of Thutmosis III in Thebes/West recorded from
2011 to 2015. Whilst the finds presented in this
article mostly date from the late Middle Kingdom
and Second Intermediate Period, tombs created
before the temple was built, are discussed in full,
selected New Kingdom pottery types are also
shown, e. g. from a foundation deposit. An interesting
cluster of tombs from approximately the 11th
Dynasty was situated to the north of the temple,
some pottery of which is also published.

Bulletin de Liaison de la Céramique Égyptienne, 2023

Functional Aspects of Egyptian Ceramics within their Archaeological Context, eds. Bettina Bader and Mary Ownby, 2012

Orientalia Loveniensia Analecta 265, 2017

This volume comprises thirty-three peer-reviewed papers presented at the international conference... more This volume comprises thirty-three peer-reviewed papers presented at the international conference ‘Vienna 2 - Ancient Egyptian Ceramics in the 21st Century’ held at the University of Vienna in May 2012. The papers discuss pottery manufacture and use as well as its archaeological deposition and significance over the entire length of ancient Egyptian history from the prehistoric to early medieval periods. The spatial distribution of sites from which ceramic material is drawn and discussed covers the Nile Delta in the north, the Egyptian Nile valley down to the Sudan as well as adjacent regions. The papers not only provide detailed insights into the most recent analytical methods, results, theoretical approaches and relevant scholarly discussions in the field of ancient Egyptian ceramics, but also highlight ongoing research at archaeological excavations, in museums, storerooms and archives. The book therefore offers a comprehensive and up-to-date reference collection of articles addressing the current state and future directions of ceramological studies in Egyptian archaeology.

An edited volume offering fresh insight into modern approaches to processing large amounts of cer... more An edited volume offering fresh insight into modern approaches to processing large amounts of ceramic finds from settlement excavations, going ‘back to basics’ so to speak. The volume focuses on archaeological practice and more specifically on factors that determine the methodological choices made by researchers under specific working conditions. In other words: which methodological approach is appropriate to which kind of ceramic assemblage and for which type of stratigraphic context, especially if the analysis is supposed to be completed in a reasonable period of time.

Review by S. Rotroff in American Journal of Archaeology:
http://www.ajaonline.org/sites/default/files/1161_Rotroff.pdf

The present volume presents the proceedings from the international workshop entitled Egypt and th... more The present volume presents the proceedings from the international workshop entitled Egypt and the Near East – the Crossroads, dedicated to the study of the relations between the two regions. The symposium took place from September 1–3, 2010 at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague. The main objective of the workshop was to enhance our understanding of the historical processes and the development of the abundant and complex relations between Egypt and the Near East during the period defined by the end of the Chalcolithic Period and the dawn of the Iron Age. In light of this, special attention was given to the region of Syria-Palestine. In order to obtain a well-balanced insight, the subject was discussed both from an archaeological and from a philological point of view. The volume contains fourteen papers, all of them closely related with the topic of the workshop with seven papers based on the study of material culture and archaeological data, and seven papers devoted to the study of written sources. The first group (archaeology and material culture) contains studies devoted to the Egyptian statuary from Qatna (A. Ahrens), to material from a grown settlement of the late Middle Kingdom at Tell el-Dabca (B. Bader), an overview of results of recent excavations at Tell Tweini (J. Bretschneider / A.-S. Van Vyve / G. Jans) and Tell el-Farkha (M. Czarnowicz), a study of the predynastic Egyptian influence in the Jordanian site of Tall Hujayrat al-Ghuzlan (F. Klimscha); an essay on religious symbolism in the Southern Levant in the Bronze Age according to iconography (F. Lippke) and finally, an analysis of the Levantine combed ware from Heit el-Ghurab (A. Wodzińska / M. Ownby). As for the second group of texts (written evidence) the volume contains the following papers: a reappraisal of the tale of Wenamun in the context of Ancient Near Eastern law (Ch. Brinker), a revision of the chronology of the Amarna letters sent by Aziru, the ruler of Amurru (Cordani); a detailed revision of relations between Egypt and Ḫatti set into the context of Ancient Near Eastern chronology (E. Devecchi / J. Miller), a linguistic analysis of the terminology used to refer to the king in Egyptian and Hittite texts from Ramesside period (J. Mynářová); a study of historical topography concerning the location of the toponym Qode (Z. Simon); a reconstruction of the translation processes in the production and reception of the Amarna letters (H. Tarawneh) and finally, an analysis of the relations between Egypt, Kush and Assyria before the battle of Eltekeh (S. Zamazalová).Format: 272 x 210 mm, 350 pages, hardcover, in English.

Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta, 217, 2013

"This volume presents the papers given at an international conference on "Functional Aspects of E... more "This volume presents the papers given at an international conference on "Functional Aspects of Egyptian Ceramics within their Archaeological Context", which was held from 24th to 25th July, 2009 at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge, UK. The aim of this conference was to discuss Egyptian pottery in different archaeological contexts and the employment of ceramics for understanding these deposits. At the same time some archaeological contexts were utilised to gain insights into the function of pottery, in order to integrate both approaches.
The papers cover domestic, funerary, festival, and ritual contexts and the ceramic finds within them. Additional topics are the widely neglected reuse of pottery and how ceramic material can be interpreted in its wider socio-economic context. The case studies discuss pottery derived from many sites in Egypt from the Delta in the north to Elephantine in the south, and cover a chronological range from the Old Kingdom to the Coptic period. This broad approach ensures that the focus was on the role of Egyptian pottery within past societies as seen through various types of archaeological contexts. This volume provides archaeological and ceramic insights that are significant beyond Ancient Egypt"

Annual Report of the Austrian Archaeological Institute, 2021

Programmheft der 52. Ständigen Ägyptolog*innen-Konferenz.

OREA Annual Report, 2019

This report covers the activities of the research group Material culture in Egypt and Nubia in 2019.

by Barbara Horejs, Christoph Schwall, Katharina Rebay-Salisbury, Roderick B . Salisbury, Roman Gundacker, Felix Höflmayer, Bettina Bader, Vera Müller, Teresa Bürge, Laura Burkhardt, Reinhard Jung, Elina Kardamaki, Birgitta Eder, Mario Gavranovic, Benedikt Biederer, Michael brandl, Clare Burke, and Holger Kockelmann

OREA Annual Report 2018, 2019

Research results and reports from the Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology of the Aust... more Research results and reports from the Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences of the year 2018 including outreach activities, excavations, surveys, analyses, material studies and current publications from all research groups and labs working in 17 countries.

Pottery and small finds from Area XXXVI of the Second Intermediate Period in the Report of the G... more Pottery and small finds from Area XXXVI of the Second Intermediate Period
in the Report of the German Archaeological Institute and the Swiss Institute in Cairo by Johanna Sigl, Bettina Bader, Michael Fielauf, Clara Jeuthe, Ewa Laskowska-Kusztal, Peter Kopp, Claire Malleson, Marie-Kristin Schröder, Cornelius von Pilgrim

by Barbara Horejs, Mario Gavranovic, Katharina Rebay-Salisbury, Edeltraud Aspöck, Roman Gundacker, Felix Höflmayer, Bettina Bader, Vera Müller, Birgitta Eder, Michaela Zavadil, Estella Weiss-Krejci, Julia Budka, Reinhard Jung, and Teresa Bürge

The annual report of the Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology (OREA) includes short de... more The annual report of the Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology (OREA) includes short descriptions of the research groups' work during the year 2017. These scientific activities cover a wide range from Paleolithic to Late Bronze Age and early historical periods from the Middle East and Mediterranean to the Balkans and central Europe. The results from various field works and scientific analyses are summarized, a list of all publications at the end are providing the reader with further literature. The main research activities and initiatives of the OREA institute are presented including an overview map with all projects and a more detail description of the OREA research activities in Austria. The newly founded raw material lab is described as well as the various archives and their sources. The institutes’ journals and publication series appeared in 2017 are presented as well.

This is the annual report of the Insititute for Oriental and European Archaeology including that ... more This is the annual report of the Insititute for Oriental and European Archaeology including that of the research group Material culture in Egypt and Nubia, 19-23

The annual report of the Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology (OREA) includes short de... more The annual report of the Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology (OREA) includes short descriptions of the research groups' work during the year 2015. These scientific activities cover a wide range from Paleolithic to Late Bronze Age and early historical periods from the Middle East and Mediterranean to central Europe. The results from various field works and scientific analyses are summarized, a list of all publications at the end are providing the reader with further literature. The main research activities and initiatives of the OREA institute are presented including an overview map with all projects. The institutes’ journals and publication series appeared in 2015 are presented as well.

Tempus Fugit: Challenging Time(s) and Text(s) in Order to Refine Ancient Egyptian Historical Chronology, 2023

Since Flinders Petrie’s work in Egypt, pottery has been utilised for dating archaeological conte... more Since Flinders Petrie’s work in Egypt, pottery has been utilised for dating archaeological contexts above all other possibilities for interpretation. He concentrated on creating pottery typologies as dating tool and used the Egyptian Dynasties and king’s reigns as major chronological reference points rather than archaeological phasing.

XIII ICE - International Congress of Egyptologistis, 2023

Recovery and recording of high density accumulations of discarded materials, probably domestic wa... more Recovery and recording of high density accumulations of discarded materials, probably domestic waste deposits, provide vital information about the lives of people and their societies, modern and ancient. While still rare in Egyptian archaeology, the domestic sphere holds information about people, their households and cultural processes, such as socioeconomic circumstances, subsistence, production, use of manufacturing technologies, procurement and recycling procedures, and waste management.

Public Lecture Museo Egizio di Torino, 2022

This talk will raise awareness of somewhat hidden prejudices and preconceived ideas about the ide... more This talk will raise awareness of somewhat hidden prejudices and preconceived ideas about the identities of ancient people, based on material culture in various forms. Often such ideas cannot really be substantiated from current knowledge of objects, and textual references, if they exist, are also not as straight forward as we would wish. Firstly, individuals may have had more identities than immediately apparent and not each one is easily recognisable in the archaeological record. Further, research shows that some ideas about ancient Egypt and its inhabitants are rooted in antiquated culture-historical paradigms, which go back to ideological narratives. It is time to highlight those problems and avoid simplistic historical narratives in favour of more complex reconstructions. The lecture will provide some theoretical background of archaeological thinking with a proposal to reconstruct ancient life’s circumstances and realities, with a case study set in the late Middle Kingdom (c. 1800-1700 BC).

This lecture, which launches the new lecture series of the Cairo Branch on »Austrian Studies in E... more This lecture, which launches the new lecture series of the Cairo Branch on »Austrian Studies in Egyptian Archaeology« (ASEA), gives an overview of recent research into the material culture from the Second Intermediate Period (ca. 1750 to 1550 BC) in Egypt. The chronological problems in synchronising sites during this time period complicate the comparison of contemporary material from different areas, which is known to be regionally different in several respects. This regional variation is particularly noticeable in terms of pottery since ceramic material occurs more frequently than other types of objects. Possible regional variations for objects other than pottery are difficult to distinguish, and such differences, if they exist, may not only be regional, but may also depend on the opportunities of object procurement, the continued use of heirlooms, and potential reuse of older items. Nevertheless several examples will be discussed as well as some results from cooperations with international teams.

Meeting the other: Transfers and cultural interactions around the Nile Valley, 2021

Material culture tends to be interpreted as a direct reflection and manifestation of the ancient ... more Material culture tends to be interpreted as a direct reflection and manifestation of the ancient people within the field of Egyptology. The objects, in the widest sense, made and used by the people imply intricate patterns of technology and organisation of manufacture and often networks of exchange within and outside of Egypt, which complicate interpretational frameworks. Assumptions seem to oversimplify the available data and need scrutiny.

In periods or at sites, when and where material culture is the only preserved remnant of activity, particular care needs to be employed to not impose pre-conceived ideas, historiographic and modern, on the finds before the data set has been analysed in depth and thus provides a valuable source type, which can then be compared to other sources.

Differences in interpretation of relations by means of material culture can be observed when the material culture of the First Intermediate Period with all its regional developments and variation are contrasted with that of the Second Intermediate Period.

Various definitions and concepts will be discussed, especially where cultural contacts are perceived to go beyond Egypt.

Vortragsreihe am Institut für Ägyptologie, 2020

Alle guten und schönen Dinge der Zweiten Zwischenzeit Die Zweite Zwischenzeit (ca 1780 bis 1570/... more Alle guten und schönen Dinge der Zweiten Zwischenzeit

Die Zweite Zwischenzeit (ca 1780 bis 1570/40 v. Chr) liegt zwischen dem Mittleren und Neuen Reich. Sie wird häufig immer noch als obskure Niedergangsphase beschrieben, obwohl eine Vielzahl von Quellen zur Auswertung und Interpretation zur Verfügung steht. Neben historische, schriftliche Quellen tritt die Archäologie mit der materiellen Kultur, um über verschiedene Aspekte der geschichtlichen Rekonstruktion Auskunft zu geben. Diese verschiedenen Quellentypen erlauben Erkenntnisse aus unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln über Abläufe und Prozesse, die nicht durch schriftliche Quellen erfaßt sind, aber die Lebensrealität der antiken Menschen betreffen. Zusammen genommen ermöglichen sie ein weitaus differenzierteres Bild von Ägypten in der Zweiten Zwischenzeit als bisher. Vor allem Tendenzen der Regionalisierung der materiellen Kultur Ägyptens, die die chronologische Synchronisierung verschiedener Grabungsplätze nach dem Ende des Mittleren Reiches erschweren und die weitgehend politischer Einflußnahme zugeschrieben wurden, können deutlicher gemacht werden. Die vergleichende Zusammenschau von materieller Kultur aus mehreren Regionen Ägyptens ermöglicht einen Überblick über Unterschiede und Gemeinsamkeiten, und öffnet den Blick für Schwierigkeiten in einigen Aspekten der Erforschung des Wandels der materiellen Kultur in Übergangsphasen und ihrer Verbindung zur historischen Chronologie Ägyptens.

International Congress of Egyptologists, 2019

Principal Investigator of the START-project Beyond Politics, FWF project no Y754-G19 The Second ... more Principal Investigator of the START-project Beyond Politics, FWF project no Y754-G19 The Second Intermediate Period, lasting ca 250 years, sees much research recently, which clarifies historical developments in various regions. It remains difficult to classify archaeological finds. The project assesses chronological sequences between the end of the Middle Kingdom and the beginning of the New Kingdom in the regions of Egypt and at some sites in Nubia. To achieve this goal, intact contexts, tomb groups and settlement finds, are recorded and arranged in a chronological sequence by means of internal dating criteria rather than using external comparanda to avoid circular argumentation. While settlement sites, such as Tell el-Daba, Memphis, and Thebes provide modern stratigraphic sequences the types of objects derived from them cater for certain purposes and therefore differ from tombs. The same holds true for the state of preservation. While tombs provide better preserved and a wider range of object types the sequence is often more complicated to discern than in settlements. The combination of both and the inclusion of old and new excavations provide a wide field of basic research to establish independent chronological sequences at a great number of sites such as Tell el-Retaba, Tell el-Daba, Memphis, Sedment, Abydos, Thebes and Assuan (etc) and their increasingly regional development of material culture during the SIP. This lecture will highlight first results of the work on this important framework of material culture, which often defies dynastic classification.

Recording material culture is at the core of archaeological work, whether the material is pottery... more Recording material culture is at the core of archaeological work, whether the material is pottery, stone tools, textiles, jewellery, or a myriad of other object classes. The main aim of this study day is to look behind our interpretational frameworks concerning the documentation of material culture and how our methods influence the information we hope to gain (and vice versa). The wide variety of research subjects in the Institute of Oriental and European Archaeology makes it an ideal place to look beyond the border of one's own discipline. This study day provides an opportunity to learn more about why and how objects in the widest sense are recorded in different archaeological fields, since these methods and motivations can differ widely (even for the same object type) in world archaeology. Participants are encouraged to engage in comparative discussion of recording methods, both traditional and digital, of objects and the intrinsic motivation behind our methodological choices. Additionally, we will look behind these methodologies and focus also on the types of questions we ask of material culture and the answers we expect to gain. In working with material culture the researcher faces various restrictions that make it impossible to give attention to all finds equally. In light of these limitations, speakers and participants are invited to highlight strategies for formulating research questions and choosing objects to be analysed, since these choices are crucial for obtaining reliable data against which our interpretational frameworks can be tested. The ultimate goal of this study day is to raise awareness to the importance of methods of documentation of material culture, as these methods are often overlooked in publications. The stories that these objects can tell are the ultimate building blocks for our interpretation of past societies.

Even very broken material in surface contexts informs about the periods in which activities took place, because the general sequence of pottery development is quite well researched, so that at the very least a general date can usually be proposed. This is not to say that no more advances and refinement can be achieved or that new research is superfluous in the light of advances in research method and technology. The practice of dating by parallels from other sites is to a certain extent problematic especially in transitional periods because an absolutely uniform time horizon for certain pottery types seems to be the exception rather than the rule as well as total conformity in technology as well as in typology.

The paper focusses on methodology in processing, data collection and ways to tease out information of the smallest pieces of pottery including material from drill cores. Last but not least the controversial topic of discarding material will also be discussed.

The Second Intermediate Period is a fascinating time of change and innovation, which had great in... more The Second Intermediate Period is a fascinating time of change and innovation, which had great influence on the following New Kingdom. While the political history of the period is very complicated and subject to frequent change derived from new research, the painstaking study of material culture is able to highlight some aspects of cultural and socio-economic processes such as specific regional developments and distribution patterns. It is often very difficult to connect historical facts or dynasties to the archaeology of the Second Intermediate Period and the current work in the field and in Museums is geared towards establishing regional sequences of material culture in order to connect these in a next step inspite of regional differences.

Abstract ASOR 2017, 2017

Technological and morphological differences in pottery production in Egypt in the Second Intermed... more Technological and morphological differences in pottery production in Egypt in the Second Intermediate Period (1700-1550 BC): signs of changing regional connectivity? This paper discusses a process and its possible meaning increasingly observable in the pottery production of Second Intermediate Period (SIP) Egypt. In several regions such as the northeastern Nile Delta, the Memphis-Fayoum region, Middle Egypt, the Theban region and further south, pottery production developed in different ways. This observation includes the composition of raw materials, morphological details of the same vessel types, such as hemispherical cups and large storage vessels as well as technological features, such as the finishing of bases and rims or surface treatment although a common root is usually recognisable. Moreover in the various regions certain vessel types are favoured over others although some types were found in most places. This development contrasts the perceived uniformity of the earlier Middle Kingdom and makes relative synchronisation of sites in Egypt in the SIP complicated and requires the hitherto neglected contextual approach to archaeology, which include other object types such as stone vessels, scarabs, or tools and even molluscs. The most abundant contexts are represented by tomb groups although a few relevant settlements also exist. Pottery was chosen for illustrating this process of changing connectivity within Egypt because it is the most abundant artefact type in archaeology and shows subtle changes in relatively short time periods. The most common interpretation of these processes sought political explanations but these changes allow considerations about regionality, its reasons, development and appearance. Finally it will be possible to illustrate networks of technology and whether they are congruent across various artefact types or not.

The work of the Spanish mission at Herakleopolis Magna (direction M.C. Peréz-Die, Museo Arqueològ... more The work of the Spanish mission at Herakleopolis Magna (direction M.C. Peréz-Die, Museo Arqueològico Nacional, Madrid) in the necropolis of the First Intermediate Period/early Middle Kingdom between 2002 and 2013 allows one to sketch a ceramic sequence of finds from the late Old Kingdom to the early Middle Kingdom. The pottery repertoire of the latest stage of development overlaps with that from nearby Sedment.
Of special importance are the sequences in Sector 15 as well as the material deposited close to an inscribed stela of Nenj in Sector 20. The lowest exposure of Sector 15, where the water table ended the excavations, yielded ceramic material resembling that from other nearby Old Kingdom sites. Whilst the nature and derivation of these depositions remains unclear due to limited exposure, it provides an opportunity to have better idea of pottery development in the Fayoum region in the period from the late Old Kingdom to the beginning of the Middle Kingdom. The connection with Sedment on the other hand, allows one to see the further development of the ceramic repertoire in this area.
Furthermore a contrasting juxtaposition of grave good types between Herakleopolis and Sedment also allows an estimate of how thorough the destruction of the necropolis at Herakleopolis must have been.

In several tombs of the Old and Middle Kingdoms, workshop scenes of pottery manufacture and their... more In several tombs of the Old and Middle Kingdoms, workshop scenes of pottery manufacture and their products are depicted in two-dimensional as well as three-dimensional art. At the beginning of the New Kingdom the last of these scenes is known after which they are no longer found. This research will look at the available evidence in order to find out whether some assumptions can be made on the sequence of steps necessary to produce pottery, the arrangement of the workshops themselves as well as on the products themselves. Further, the assumption that the depictions cannot serve as evidence for the local and/or regional organisation of pottery manufacture will also be tested.

Regional differences in pottery production occur in terms of raw material, manufacturing technolo... more Regional differences in pottery production occur in terms of raw material, manufacturing technology and the range of vessel shapes in use. The latter does not only depend on the type of context of use (settlement/tomb/cult activity/industrial installations). Chronological differences may also play an important role, because it is often difficult to date material culture precisely within dynasties unless an undisturbed context is directly connected with a well dated monument. For each case a separate study is required in order to find explanatory models for such differences. In Egypt, especially before and after the Middle Kingdom, such differences in ceramics have been explained frequently with the breakdown of central administration which is supposed to also govern the production process of pottery. Whilst this is probably true for some types of material, we do not find many pottery workshops, and pictorial evidence and three dimensional models suggest that larger estates also encompassed pottery workshops sometimes. This may explain some of the differences we see in the material. I would like to present two case studies to illustrate problems and questions concerning pottery production, one for the early Middle Kingdom (Herakleopolis Magna and Deir el-Bersha) and one for the late Middle Kingdom (Tell el-Daba and Kom RAbia/Memphis).

by Barbara Horejs, Christoph Schwall, Roman Gundacker, Felix Höflmayer, Bettina Bader, Uroš Matić, Natasha Ayers, Reinhard Jung, Birgitta Eder, Mario Gavranovic, Michael brandl, Clare Burke, and Michaela Zavadil

8 Years of OREA, Annual Report, 2020

This special issue of the annual report includes an overview of the 8-year history of the Institu... more This special issue of the annual report includes an overview of the 8-year history of the Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences with research highlights from the Palaeolithic to the early Iron Age. The research results and reports from the year 2020 are summarizing outreach activities, excavations, surveys, analyses, material studies and current publications from all groups and labs working in 17 countries. All publications of 8 years OREA institute are additionally listed at the end of the report.

by Barbara Horejs, Christoph Schwall, Bogdana Milic, Dominik Bochatz, Katharina Rebay-Salisbury, Roman Gundacker, Felix Höflmayer, Annik Wüthrich, Bettina Bader, Natasha Ayers, Aaron de Souza, David Aston, Reinhard Jung, Teresa Bürge, Laura Burkhardt, Jasmin Huber, Elina Kardamaki, Mario Gavranovic, Benedikt Biederer, Julia Budka, and Holger Kockelmann

OREA Annual Report, 2019

Research results and reports from the Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology of the Aust... more Research results and reports from the Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences of the year 2019 including outreach activities, excavations, surveys, analyses, material studies and current publications from all research groups and labs working in 17 countries.

In 2019 the German Archaeological Institute Cairo (German Institute) and Swiss Institute for Arch... more In 2019 the German Archaeological Institute Cairo (German Institute) and Swiss Institute for Architectural and Archaeological Research in Cairo (Swiss Institute) celebrate the 50th anniversary of work on Elephantine Island. Apart from that, both institutes continued their research in the 2018-2019 season. The German Institute concluded excavations in the late Middle Kingdom settlement layers in the north-western part of the ancient town and conducted a series of studies of find materials both on site as well as in laboratories. The Swiss Institute focused on material studies, amongst them sealing impression from the Late Period and ceramics. Apart from that, a study on cylinder seals and sealing impressions excavated by the German Institute in past seasons was also conducted. Last, but not least, the German Institute collaborated with the Ministry of Antiquities in refurbishing Aswan Museum on Elephantine Island.

Handed in to the Ministry of Antiquities in Egypt for publication in ASAE.

In the 2017-2018 season the German Archaeological Institute Cairo and the Swiss Institute for Arc... more In the 2017-2018 season the German Archaeological Institute Cairo and the Swiss Institute for Architectural and Archaeological Research in Cairo continued their field research on Elephantine Island. The work covered settlement investigations of the late Middle and New Kingdom as well as studies on the Late Period Khnum temple precinct. Field research on the decoration of the Greco-Roman temples of Elephantine and the anastylosis of the temple of Osiris-Nesmeti was also continued. To present the long-term work of our Egyptian colleague M. Abd el-Latif on Arabic ostraca, the German Institute prepared a special exhibition in the Annex-Museum on the island, which will be accessible to the public between April and October 2018. Lastly during the past season, the DAIK provided four successful field-training courses, several discussion tours of the site and a study day for Egyptian colleagues.

Handed in to the Ministry of Antiquities in Egypt for publication in ASAE.

في موسم 2017-2018 واصل المعهد الألماني للآثار بالقاهرة والمعهد السويسري للأبحاث المعمارية والأثري... more في موسم 2017-2018 واصل المعهد الألماني للآثار بالقاهرة والمعهد السويسري للأبحاث المعمارية والأثرية في القاهرة أبحاثهما الميدانية في جزيرة إلفنتين. فغطى العمل أبحاث عن المستوطنات في أواخر الدولة الوسطى والحديثة وكذلك دراسات حول منطقة معبد خنوم في العصر المتأخر. كما استمر البحث الميداني في زخرفة معابد إلفنتين اليونانية الرومانية وإعادة بناء معبد أوزيريس-نيسمتي. كما أعد المعهد الألماني معرضًا خاصًا في المتحف الملحق (annex museum) في الجزيرة، لعرض العمل الطويل المدى لزميلنا المصري الدكتور محمد عبد اللطيف على الاوستراكا العربية، والذي تم عرضة للجمهور في الفترة ما بين أبريل وأكتوبر 2018. وأخيرًا خلال الموسم الماضي، قدم المعهد الألماني أربع دورات تدريبية ميدانية ناجحة، وعدة جولات للمناقشة في الموقع، ويوم دراسي للزملاء المصريين.

Handed in to the Ministry of Antiquities in Egypt for publication in ASAE.

في عام 2019، احتفل المعهد الألماني للآثار بالقاهرة (المعهد الألماني) والمعهد السويسري للبحوث المع... more في عام 2019، احتفل المعهد الألماني للآثار بالقاهرة (المعهد الألماني) والمعهد السويسري للبحوث المعمارية والأثرية في القاهرة (المعهد السويسري) بالذكرى السنوية الخمسين للعمل في جزيرة إلفنتين. بعيدًا عن هذا، واصل كلا المعهدين أبحاثهما في موسم 2018-2019. حيث انتهى المعهد الألماني من أعمال التنقيب في طبقات مستوطنة الدولة الوسطى المتأخرة في الجزء الشمالي الغربي من المدينة القديمة، كذلك أجرى سلسلة من الدراسات على المواد التي تم العثور عليها في الموقع وكذلك في المختبرات. كما ركز ايضًا المعهد السويسري على دراسة المواد، من بينها انطباعات الأختام من العصر المتأخر والفخار. بصرف النظر عن ذلك، أجرى أيضًا دراسة الأختام الأسطوانية وانطباعات الأختام التي تم التنقيب عنها من قِبل المعهد الألماني في المواسم الماضية. أخيرًا وليس آخرًا تعاون المعهد الألماني مع وزارة الآثار في تجديد متحف أسوان في جزيرة إلفنتين.

Handed in to the Ministry of Antiquities in Egypt for publication in ASAE.

by Romain DAVID, Mustafa Ahmad, Bettina Bader, Saskia Büchner, Katarzyna de Lellis-Danys, Bogusław Franczyk, Steven Matthews, Ulrike Nowotnick, Maria Paola Pellegrino, Mary Ownby, Agnes Vokaer, and Valentina Vezzoli

This bilingual English/Arabic manual is intended to accompany the training of future ceramic spec... more This bilingual English/Arabic manual is intended to accompany the training of future ceramic specialists in the Arab world. Resulting from the collaboration of four major institutions of French archaeology abroad: the Section française de la direction des Antiquités du Soudan (Sfdas), the Institut français d’archéologie orientale (Ifao), the Institut français du Proche-Orient (Ifpo) and the Centre français de recherche de la péninsule Arabique (Cefrepa), it draws on the recent work of specialists from the Nile Valley, the Near East and the Arabian Peninsula to shed light on the theoretical reflections that have enriched ceramic studies in recent decades. Providing a genuine field tool, this volume is nonetheless a skilfully illustrated collection of the contribution of ceramic studies to the understanding of human history.

Who was poor in Pharaonic Egypt and its Near Eastern Neighbourhood, 2024

Poverty in the ancient world is a complex subject that remained quite unexplored by disciplines s... more Poverty in the ancient world is a complex subject that remained quite unexplored by disciplines such as Egyptology and Near Eastern studies. Many questions arise when it comes to studying poor people. The first is the definition of poverty itself. In such a case, it is absolutely essential to deconstruct the notion of our own definitions and attempt to retrace the definition of the ancients. To do so, we need to turn to the available sources and critically review them. How are the poor described? How is poverty defined? How are such notions depicted in written and iconographic sources? What can we learn from archaeology? These initial questions lead to further questions and issues. How did society perceive the poor and how was it reflected? We might also wonder about the establishment of criteria for categorising, via material culture, people in social strata seen as ‘poor’. Poverty and consideration of who were the poor is therefore a broad area of research that can be approached in a variety of ways.

The aim of this conference is to bring together scholars who would like to contribute to research on the history of poverty in ancient Egypt and the Near East, spanning the period from the middle of the 3rd to the end of the 1st millennium B.C.

Among the topics to be discussed during this conference, we would like to draw attention to the following:
- definition of poverty and its problems;
- the methods for studying poverty in ancient societies, and more broadly methodologies to assess social groups in antiquity;
- visibility of the poor in texts and images;
- vocabulary and description of poverty;
- perception and reflection of the poor by the rest of the society;
- visibility of the poor in archaeology;
- establishing criteria for defining the poor and the categorisation of these social groups.
- habits and practices of the poor including their professions – what work did poor people do?