Structure of an Ancient Egyptian Tomb Inferred from Ground-Penetrating Radar Imaging of Deflected Overburden Horizons

Geophysical data acquisitions in most archaeological campaigns aim to image the target structure directly. The presence of a target, however, may be inferred from its interaction with surrounding layers, if its relationship with those layers can be characterized sufficiently. In this paper, we show the use of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to detect the subsurface continuation of the Ancient Egyptian tomb of the high-official Karakhamun (Theban Tomb 223) at the South Asasif tomb complex (Luxor, Egypt). Data were acquired using a Sensors & Software pulseEKKO PRO system, equipped with antennae of 500 MHz centre-frequency, on a silty–sandy sediment surface directly over the target structure. A test vertical radar profile (VRP) suggested that the tomb superstructure was buried too deeply beneath sedimentary overburden to be imaged directly: 500MHz energy would propagate for only ~2m before becoming undetectable. Attenuative layers within that overburden were strongly reflective, however, and could be used to provide indirect evidence of any underlying structure. When observed in the GPR grid, these layers showed a discrete zone of deflection, ~0.9 m in amplitude and ~4 m wide, aligned with the long-axis of the tomb. This deflection was attributed either to a collapsed vestibule beneath the survey site, or sediment settling within an unroofed staircase descending from floor- to tomb-level; supporting evidence of this was obtained towards the end of the excavation campaign and in the following year. We highlight the value of such indirect imaging methods as a potential means of improving the capabilities of a given geophysical survey system, in this case allowing the GPR to characterize a target at greater depth than would typically be considered practical

Hidden Voices: Unveiling Women in Ancient Egypt

The problems encountered when attempting to reconstruct life in Ancient Egypt in a way that includes all members of society rather than focussing on the most prominent or obvious actors are in many respects the same as for other cultures. The loudest voices tend to be heard, while those in the background are muted and stilled. This article stresses the fact that there is no monolithic category of “women”. Temporal and geographical contexts are borne in mind, as well as the status, ethnicity, class, wealth, and age of the individuals under study. Whether studying the life of a queen or a young girl, the interpretations are based on the surviving data that has survived the millennia. It is this evidence, specifically from Ancient Egypt prior to the Ptolemaic period, and methods of approaching it, that is the focus of this paper. The aim is to call attention to some of the specific complications that can be encountered, as well as to highlight some of the recent innovative approaches now underway in current studies on women in Ancient Egypt. Some of the issues that are highlighted include the use of non-literary texts, representational evidence, and three-dimensional finds (with the spotlight on problematic figurines and human remains) and architectural features

Striking Cobra Spitting Fire

The Ancient Egyptians invented and employed a variety of devices to harness the power of gods and of benevolent demons, and to combat the ever-present hostile demonic forces. In this paper, a working definition and examples of “demonic paraphernalia” are provided, as well as methods of recognition. Besides being of interest in themselves, these types of objects provide clues as to the nature of the demons, thus helping us in our quest for a taxonomy and “demonology” of Ancient Egypt. More specifically, this paper focuses on the use of Late Bronze Age clay cobra figurines as a case-study for the broader exploration of Ancient Egyptian “demonic paraphernalia”. Found primarily in settlement and military sites in middle to Lower Egypt, and along the Mediterranean Coast, one of the roles of these figurines was to ward away threatening demons. These “uraei” and their associated rituals were an important part of the religious practices and self-identity of the Egyptians— important enough for them to take their cult with them on the road even as far north as Lebanon. Un-inscribed, broken, and often crudely made, these humble artifacts nevertheless provide insights into the practical impact of demons on the everyday life of Egyptians. The investigation of this corpus weaves together related textual and representational evidence, as well as archaeological context. It illuminates the role of the fire-spitting serpent as a weapon of mass destruction in the constant battle against demonic agents of chaos

'Word play' in the Ramesside Dream Book

Word play has long been acknowledged as a common feature in ancient Egyptian texts. This article offers an examination of word play in one divinatory text: the Ramesside Dream Manual (P.Chester Beatty III, r. 1-11). While scholars have noted some examples of word play in conjunction with sociological and philological analyses of the Dream Manual, the phenomenon has not been studied in depth. This investigation offers a typology for word play in the Dream Manual by examining it in the light of ancient Near Eastern word play generally. It also provides an inventory of and commentary on the relevant passages that contain word plays and an analysis of the various functions the device has in the Manual. It is the authors' hope that the study will provide a model for the systematic analysis of word plays in other Egyptian texts