Equipping and stripping the dead. A case-study on the procurement, compilation, arrangement, and fragmentation of grave inventories in New Kingdom Thebes

This contribution investigates the procurement, assembly, arrangement, and fragmentation of grave inventories on the basis of so-called intact burials in the elite cemeteries of New Kingdom Thebes. After introductions to the state of research, the material under investigation, and the course of Egyptian funerals, two phenomena of fragmentation, namely grave robbing and the redeposition of burials, are discussed. It is argued that most of the burials classified as ‘intact’ are in fact affected by them in some way. The procurement of burial equipment is studied on the basis of concrete examples. They show that religious, social, and emotional motivations guiding its assembly were complemented by practical necessities and contingencies. These and the aforementioned forms of fragmentation are defined as analytically relevant criteria under the keyword ‘archaeology of the profane’. It is argued that they do not only shape the archaeological record in an equal measure, but are also integral and significant parts of the funerary practice, whose identification widens our understanding of death in Ancient Egypt—and beyond

Structures and realities of Egyptian-Nubian interactions from the late Old Kingdom to the early New Kingdom

ross-disciplinary studies in cultural history require regions with unusually favorable conditions of preservation as well as relevance to the disciplines and cultures involved. The first cataract of the Nile offers precisely such a combination, and this work employs a diverse set of academic perspectives to present a diachronic picture of its cultural and geographic history over a period of more than 5,000 years

On the Analysis and Interpretation of Pottery Production and Distribution

Ceramics are particularly well suited for investigating general patterns of the distribution of premodern products. Archaeometric methods, used to determine raw materials and production techniques, permit the identification of places of production. The work of the research group presented here pursues two objectives: (i) to investigate the usefulness of portable X-ray fluorescence equipment for the analysis of ceramics and (ii) to identify, interpret and study distribution areas of ceramic products in comparative prospective. The paper discusses key economic concepts, sets out the archaeometric methodology and presents initial results in the context of two examples

Authenticity and Communication

Authenticity is not an absolute and constant quality inherent in an object or an experience; it is constructed in the process of research. Actors inscribe and attribute it to both material objects and subjective processes like communication and consumption. This article from the research group seeks on the one hand to reflect on the historical scope of action and action patterns among actors from various disciplines between the conflicting priorities of authentication and communication, and on the other to find ways to visualize and operationalize attribution processes through joint reflection. When we look at both history and the discussions fifty years after the Venice Charter, its idea to hand on historic monuments “in the full richness of their authenticity” has turned into an abundance of vibrant action and decision- making

A Comparative Analysis of Case Studies from the Old World

The present contribution deals with the concepts of marginal habitats in selected regions of the ancient world, ranging from modern Spain to the Jordanian desert and from Turkey to the Ethiopian highlands. Central to this research is the hypothesis that the occupation of areas beyond the ‘normal’ settlement patterns corresponds to colonization processes which reflect specific social strategies and may have stimulated the development of new technological skills. A review of ‘marginality’ research in various disciplines indicates that there is no comprehensive definition of the concept, which can be approached from a multitude of perspectives and with manifold objectives. A survey of the eight case studies and two more in-depth discussions of the sites of Musawwarat (Sudan) and Ayamonte (Spain) highlight the potentials as well as the limits of the archaeological investigation into past marginalities. Patterns of spatial marginalization are the easiest to detect. The studies also show that we must not limit our analysis to the adverse factors connected to different kinds of marginalities. Instead, our analyses suggest that spatially marginal areas were deliberately chosen for settlement – an integration with core-periphery approaches may help us to understand these scenarios, which have received little attention in ‘marginality’ research in archaeology or elsewhere so far

Die Humboldt University Nubian Expedition am Vierten Nilkatarakt

Nubien und der Sudan sind erst verhältnismäßig spät in den Fokus der modernen Wissenschaft getreten. Zwar war die Existenz der meroitischen Kultur durch die klassischen Schriftsteller bekannt, denn Griechen und Römer (5.Jh.v.Chr.-4.Jh.n.Chr.) erwähnen die „fernen Äthiopen“ in ihren Schriften. Die pharaonische (1500-1080 v. Chr.) und die napatanische (etwa frühes 8. Jh.-frühes 3.Jh.v.Chr.) Zeit Nubiens wurden erst durch die Forschung der Ägyptologie bekannt. Seit Beginn des 18. Jahrhunderts verdankt man Europäischen Reisenden das Wissen um imposante Denkmäler und archäologische Hinterlassenschaften. Umfangreichere Forschungsaktivitäten begannen dann erst mit dem Bau des Assuan-Staudammes. Der erste Teil dieses Bandes stellt Nubien historisch vom Paläolithikum bis zur christlichen Zeit vor. Der zweite Teil präsentiert die beeindruckenden Ergebnisse der deutschen Aktivitäten vor Ort. Dieses Buch soll sowohl einer interessierten Öffentlichkeit, als auch dem Fachpublikum einen umfangreichen Überblick über die Geschichte und Kultur Nubiens geben

Die C-Gruppe. Unternubien im 3. und 2. Jahrtausend v. Chr.

Nubien und der Sudan sind erst verhältnismäßig spät in den Fokus der modernen Wissenschaft getreten. Zwar war die Existenz der meroitischen Kultur durch die klassischen Schriftsteller bekannt, denn Griechen und Römer (5.Jh.v.Chr.-4.Jh.n.Chr.) erwähnen die „fernen Äthiopen“ in ihren Schriften. Die pharaonische (1500-1080 v. Chr.) und die napatanische (etwa frühes 8. Jh.-frühes 3.Jh.v.Chr.) Zeit Nubiens wurden erst durch die Forschung der Ägyptologie bekannt. Seit Beginn des 18. Jahrhunderts verdankt man Europäischen Reisenden das Wissen um imposante Denkmäler und archäologische Hinterlassenschaften. Umfangreichere Forschungsaktivitäten begannen dann erst mit dem Bau des Assuan-Staudammes. Der erste Teil dieses Bandes stellt Nubien historisch vom Paläolithikum bis zur christlichen Zeit vor. Der zweite Teil präsentiert die beeindruckenden Ergebnisse der deutschen Aktivitäten vor Ort. Dieses Buch soll sowohl einer interessierten Öffentlichkeit, als auch dem Fachpublikum einen umfangreichen Überblick über die Geschichte und Kultur Nubiens geben