The Eastern Desert of Upper Egypt: Routes and Inscriptions (original) (raw)
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This article deals with the results of the 2012 fieldwork in the Central-Eastern Desert of Egypt and the studies in progress on some of the major related subjects. The project - promoted by the Italian Embassy in Egypt and directed by Irene Bragantini - is a joint collaboration of different Italian and Egyptian institutions (Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”, University of Cairo, Faculty of Geology, and University of Helwan, Faculty of Archaeology), and is aimed at investigating the central area of the Eastern Desert. The cooperation between archaeologists and geologists aims at conducting a geo-archaeological survey of the region in order to investigate the natural resources, their exploitation in the different periods, and the economic and commercial potential of the area. The methodology followed and the problems confronted with, demanded in fact the cooperation of different scientific grounds in order to reconstruct a geo-economic landscape. The Archaeological activity is sponsored by UNO and the Ministero Italiano degli Affari Esteri (MAE). The technical instrumentation for graphic and photographic records is provided by CISA (Centro Interdipartmentale di Servizi per l’Archeologia of UNO). The area to be investigated is that part of the Eastern Desert which extends just east of the Theban region, an area extremely important in almost all the periods of the Egyptian history; the zone is located in a strategic position because of the roads which bound the Nile Valley to the Red Sea (where they are closest to one another), and the geological nature of the area, characterized by a large outcrop of pre-Cambrian basement, which brought to the location of numerous rock quarries (particularly igneous), used for Egyptian architecture and statuary, and mines of different metals such as gold, copper, lead, iron and talc. In Roman period, the imperial administration has put on and maintained a complex system, in order to control the exploitation of the natural resources and the commercial potential of the area: the joint archaeological activity plans to investigate this system, in order to “read” the landscape on the basis of its natural resources. The northern limits of the grant includes the Wadi Hamamah, while the southern passes to the north of Wadi Hammamat, a way that - because of its importance and of the very numerous inscriptions and rock carvings scattered along most of its course - has been much studied in the past as well as in more recent times. Therefore we can regard the area as limited northwards and southwards by numerous other archaeological projects of surveys and excavations conducted by Institutions of different countries; one may mention the investigations on Mons Claudianus and Mons Porphyrites to the North, and the whole area from Qoptos to Qusseir and Qusseir al Qadim to the South.
The Archaeological Mission of “L’Orientale” in the Central-Eastern Desert of Egypt
This article deals with the results of the 2012 fieldwork in the Central-Eastern Desert of Egypt and the studies in progress on some of the major related subjects. Information on other subjects, still waiting for future analyses and studies (Site 2: a ancient - ? - square shaped well; Site 5-6: petroglyphs sites and Site 10: Umm el Howeitat el Bahri) can be found in Bragantini, Pirelli (2012). For a short report see also Bragantini, Pirelli (2013). The Italian project in the Central-Eastern Desert - promoted by the Italian Embassy in Egypt and directed by Irene Bragantini - is a joint project of different Italian and Egyptian institutions (Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”, University of Cairo, Faculty of Geology, and University of Helwan, Faculty of Archaeology), and is aimed at investigating the central area of the Eastern Desert1. The cooperation between archaeologists and geologists aims at conducting a geoarchaeological survey of the region, in order to investigate the natural resources, the exploitation in the different periods, and the economic and commercial potential of the area. The methodology we want to follow and the problems we will be confronted with, demand in fact the cooperation of different scientific fields in order to reconstruct a geo-economic landscape.
The archaeological mission of "l'Orientale" in the Centra-Eastern Desert of Egypt
2013
Premises This article deals with the results of the 2012 fieldwork in the Central-Eastern Desert of Egypt and the studies in progress on some of the major related subjects. Information on other subjects, still waiting for future analyses and studies (Site 2: a ancient ? square shaped well; Site 5-6: petroglyphs sites and Site 10: Umm el Howeitat el Bahri) can be found in Bragantini, Pirelli (2012). For a short report see also Bragantini, Pirelli (2013). The Italian project in the Central-Eastern Desert promoted by the Italian Embassy in Egypt and directed by Irene Bragantini is a joint project of different Italian and Egyptian institutions (Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”, University of Cairo, Faculty of Geology, and University of Helwan, Faculty of Archaeology), and is aimed at investigating the central area of the Eastern Desert. The cooperation between archaeologists and geologists aims at conducting a geoarchaeological survey of the region, in order to investigate...
Památky archeologické, 2013
Study presents results of longitudinal archaeological prospection in the segment of oasis Bahariya named Al-Hayz, that would be further carried out by Czech Institute of Egyptology and Institute for Classical Archeology, of the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Prague, in collaboration with University of Jan Evangesista Purkyně, Ústí nad Labem, Institute of archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v. v. i. and National Heritage Institute. Expected delineation of Roman period and middle age Egypt history with regard to history of the Western desert is accompanied by exhaustive list of archaeological localities. These were collected thanks to remote or surface explorations and partial terrain excavations either for the first time exhaustively documented or discovered. List of localities as well as collected heap of documented material culture enables us to present basic development of oasis settlement in the Roman and Middle age period. In the Roman period dating back since 3rd century AD there is evidence for massive inhabitation of oasis, building of intricated underground technicist constructions, gathering and dispatching water along the dessert margin and also upheaval of agricultural as well as non-agricultural industries. In the area of oasis we glance over settlement of the city type, including adjacent fields and its infrastructure, water industry, necropolises etc. We oversee remnants of village type of settlement and material culture indicating intensive connections with other areas of Roman Empire, especially with Tripolitan region and Northern Mediterranean. On the whole we can guess there were living tens of thousands of people there. Regression of inhabitation happens since 5th century AD. Eventhough oasis was presumably never completely abandoned settlement was reduced to several villages whose material culture indicates isolated settlement and its pauperization. Process of relatively fast migration of inhabitants serves here as an extraordinary example of the fact how downfall of central bureaucracy and state power influences ability of agriculture communities to maintain shared technicist constructions whose existence is prerequisite for extreme conditions in the Western desert.
2021
A re-examination of activity in Egypt's Western Desert which presents all of the available evidence, with a particular focus on the ceramics. Excavations at Mut al-Kharab began in 2000 and in recent years, evidence from the Third Intermediate Period temple has grown considerably. A range of artefacts has been unearthed – from decorated temple blocks to a large collection of well-dated ceramics. This suggests Mut al-Kharab was probably the most significant Third Intermediate Period site in the Western Desert. In light of this new material, a re-examination of activity in the Western Desert during this period has been possible. This volume presents all the available evidence relating to the western oases during the Third Intermediate Period, with a particular focus on the ceramics. Occupation appears to have been more widespread than the limited evidence previously suggested; the Egyptian central administration continued to be interested in the Western Desert; and subtle yet distinct variations in the material record may reveal the existence of an oasis culture. As such, we are developing a much clearer picture of activity in this region. Published 2021, Oxbow Books, 240 pages. For more information visit: https://www.oxbowbooks.com/oxbow/architecture/ancient-egypt-egyptology/the-excavations-at-mut-al-kharab-ii.html