From execration texts to quarry inscriptions: combining IR, UV and 3D-imaging for the documentation of hieratic inscriptions

In the previous years, 3D imaging has found his way into the world of Egyptology. This lecture will present two case studies where 3D technology is used for the documentation of hieratic inscriptions. The inscriptions, painted in (red) ochre or black paint, were applied on different carriers, and required a different methodology. The Egyptian collection of the Royal Museums of Art and History (RMAH Brussels) contains a large number of small decorated and/or inscribed objects. Some of these objects are currently in a bad condition - any operation carried on them can result in considerable material losses -, making it necessary to document them in such a way that it allows future scholars to study them in detail without handling them. The EES Project therefore aims to create multispectral 3D images of these fragile objects with a multispectral ‘minidome’ acquisition system, based on the already existing system of the multi-light Portable Light Dome (PLD). The texture/colour values on the created 2D+ and 3D models are interactive data based on a recording process with infrared, red, green, blue, and ultraviolet light spectra. Software tools and enhancement filters have been developed which can deal with the different wavelengths in real-time. This leads to an easy and cost-effective methodology which combines multispectral imaging with the actual relief characteristics and properties of the physical object. The system is transportable to any collection or excavation in the field. As a case study, the well-known Brussels “Execration Figurines” (Middle Kingdom, c. 1900 BC) were chosen. These figurines are made of unbaked clay and covered with hieratic texts, listing names of foreign countries and rulers. The study of this type of collections is mostly hampered by the poor state of conservation of the objects, but also by the only partial preservation of the ink traces in visible light. The method has also been applied to other decorated objects of the RMAH collection, such as a Fayoum portrait, ostraca and decorated objects made of stone, wood and ceramics. The final goal will be to publish the newly created multispectral 3D images on Carmentis (www.carmentis.be), the online catalogue of the RMAH collection, making them accessible to scholars all over the world. The second case study presents the quarry inscriptions of the New Kingdom limestone quarries at Dayr Abu Hinnis (Middle Egypt). These gallery quarries contain hundreds of hieratic inscriptions, written on the ceiling. The texts are mainly related to the general administration of the quarry area. In documenting the abundance of ceiling inscriptions and other graffiti, we had to decide upon a practice that would allow not only to capture the \"content\", but also to document the location and orientation of each record. Every inscription can be photographed in detail, but this is insufficient to provide the reader access to vital information concerning the spatial distribution of the inscriptions, which may, for instance, relate to the progress of work. After experimenting with a variety of other methods, we adopted a photogrammetric software for 3D modelling photographs of the quarry ceilings, AGISOFT PHOTOSCAN, which uses structure from motion (SFM) algorithms to create three-dimensional images based on a series of overlapping two-dimensional images. The ultimate goal of this whole labour-intensive process in the quarries is not the creation of pure threedimensional models, but rather to generate an orthophoto of the entire ceiling of a quarry. Based on these images, each graffito could be analysed in context

Pixel+ : visualising our heritage

In recent years more advanced imaging techniques have been introduced to study, document, curate and preserve our heritage. Pixel+ focuses on two of them: Reflectance Transformation Imaging/Polynomial Texture Mapping and the Portable Light Dome

From execration texts to quarry inscriptions: combining IR, UV and 3D-imaging for the documentation of hieratic inscriptions

In the previous years, 3D imaging has found his way into the world of Egyptology. This lecture will present two case studies where 3D technology is used for the documentation of hieratic inscriptions. The inscriptions, painted in (red) ochre or black paint, were applied on different carriers, and required a different methodology. The Egyptian collection of the Royal Museums of Art and History (RMAH Brussels) contains a large number of small decorated and/or inscribed objects. Some of these objects are currently in a bad condition - any operation carried on them can result in considerable material losses -, making it necessary to document them in such a way that it allows future scholars to study them in detail without handling them. The EES Project therefore aims to create multispectral 3D images of these fragile objects with a multispectral ‘minidome’ acquisition system, based on the already existing system of the multi-light Portable Light Dome (PLD). The texture/colour values on the created 2D+ and 3D models are interactive data based on a recording process with infrared, red, green, blue, and ultraviolet light spectra. Software tools and enhancement filters have been developed which can deal with the different wavelengths in real-time. This leads to an easy and cost-effective methodology which combines multispectral imaging with the actual relief characteristics and properties of the physical object. The system is transportable to any collection or excavation in the field. As a case study, the well-known Brussels “Execration Figurines” (Middle Kingdom, c. 1900 BC) were chosen. These figurines are made of unbaked clay and covered with hieratic texts, listing names of foreign countries and rulers. The study of this type of collections is mostly hampered by the poor state of conservation of the objects, but also by the only partial preservation of the ink traces in visible light. The method has also been applied to other decorated objects of the RMAH collection, such as a Fayoum portrait, ostraca and decorated objects made of stone, wood and ceramics. The final goal will be to publish the newly created multispectral 3D images on Carmentis (www.carmentis.be), the online catalogue of the RMAH collection, making them accessible to scholars all over the world. The second case study presents the quarry inscriptions of the New Kingdom limestone quarries at Dayr Abu Hinnis (Middle Egypt). These gallery quarries contain hundreds of hieratic inscriptions, written on the ceiling. The texts are mainly related to the general administration of the quarry area. In documenting the abundance of ceiling inscriptions and other graffiti, we had to decide upon a practice that would allow not only to capture the \"content\", but also to document the location and orientation of each record. Every inscription can be photographed in detail, but this is insufficient to provide the reader access to vital information concerning the spatial distribution of the inscriptions, which may, for instance, relate to the progress of work. After experimenting with a variety of other methods, we adopted a photogrammetric software for 3D modelling photographs of the quarry ceilings, AGISOFT PHOTOSCAN, which uses structure from motion (SFM) algorithms to create three-dimensional images based on a series of overlapping two-dimensional images. The ultimate goal of this whole labour-intensive process in the quarries is not the creation of pure threedimensional models, but rather to generate an orthophoto of the entire ceiling of a quarry. Based on these images, each graffito could be analysed in context

Stone for Amarna. The Use of ancient limestone quarries in the Greater Dayr al-Barsha Region

Stone for Amarna. The Use of Ancient Limestone Quarries in the Greater Dayr al-Barsha Region One of the most intensively studied periods in the history of Ancient Egypt is probably the Amarna era. It is known as a period of many changes, not only in religious and artistic aspects, but also in architecture. Although the present study focuses on the limestone quarries of the greater Dayr al-Barshâ region, and especially on the quarry area of Dayr Abû Ḥinnis, it soon became clear that these are in fact closely connected to the new capital of Akhenaten. This study aims to expand the knowledge of the building history of Amarna. Although numerous publications have been written on the individual buildings of the site, hardly any of these address the issue of the origin of the building blocks. The quarries of Amarna are generally placed in the near vicinity of the city itself, namely in the hills of the eastern desert between Amarna and al-Shaykh Sa'îd. However, mostly as a result of the research here reported upon, it has become clear that the quarry area is considerably larger than that. Quarrying in the Amarna period continued up to 15 km north of the capital, including sites as Dayr al-Barshâ and Dayr Abû Ḥinnis. This has serious consequences for our perceptions on the townscape of Amarna. The boundary stelae of Akhenaten have always been interpreted as genuine boundaries, demarcating the entire urban catchment area, but this thesis shows that this cannot have been the case. Earlier studies on exploitation techniques have only been focussing on the extraction of large blocks, but the Amarna Period is known for the smaller talatat blocks, which require different techniques and transport facilities. However, these were not the only type of blocks quarried here, as limestone was also used for door posts, columns, floor pavement and sculpting. A first aim of this research is, therefore, to determine to the extent possible how an Amarna quarry was operated, and to what extent this differed from procedures in traditional Egyptian quarries. Studying an area which was only in use during a very limited time period for a clearly defined market, offers the unique possibility to reconstruct the different phases from exploitation to building, including the social and economic elements connected to a quarry area. Here the landscape setting of the quarries and their relationship to transportation systems also comes into play, as these hitherto unexplored sources of information may significantly alter our view on the spatial spread of the workforce, and thus ultimately on aspects of the demography of the Amarna townscape. The area of Dayr Abû Ḥinnis is too large to be completely studied in detail. A selection of ten quarries in Zone B are closely studied, while the rest of the surveyed area receives a general description. A further aim that we set ourselves is to assess to what extent it is possible to generalize from the still patchy information we have about the Dayr Abû Ḥinnis quarry landscape to issues like the general output of the quarry area, in order to extrapolate this to the known buildings at the capital. The Amarna quarries have another feature which distinguishes them from many earlier and later quarries, namely the large amount of inscriptions on the quarry ceilings and walls. These inscriptions provide vital information on the chronology of the quarry exploitation and the internal organisation, which can be directly related to the construction history of Amarna. The presence of both textual and non-textual marking systems offers possibilities for a better understanding of these types of texts. Our aim is to generate an overview of the different types of inscriptions that can be found in an Amarna Period quarry area. The results presented in this study must be regarded as preliminary, providing a basis for further research. The most remarkable inscription has been found in Quarry 320 (Zone D), where a large building inscription was painted on a pillar in the back of the quarry. Although the inscription refers to the Small Aten Temple as destination of the stone, the most important part of the inscription is actually the date. The inscription, dated in year 16 of Akhenaten, adds valuable new information to the history of Amarna. It confirms that Akhenaten and Nefertiti still reigned together at the end of his reign, and that Nefertiti is still referred to as the Hm.t nsw.t wrt, the chief queen of Akhenaten. It also proves that significant construction works were still taking place at the end of his reign. The abundance of epigraphic data required new methods for collecting and documenting, since it was impossible to document and study every individual inscription. Moreover, not only the texts themselves, but also their relative positions are important features in the quarry research. Finding a method to create a map, which was a reliable reconstruction of the actual ceiling, was a rather complicated methodological exercise. The fact that it is possible to recreate quarry ceilings in a 3D environment by using photogrammetry, is an important result in itself. The results of our study unambiguously confirm that the Amarna period was the main exploitation phase of the Dayr Abû Ḥinnis quarry area. Only a few examples have been found of Ramesside reuse and Late Period quarrying. Two inscriptions nearly located at the extreme ends of our quarry area, show that the area was not only used to build Amarna, but also for the construction of the Mansion of Ramesses II in the temple of Thoth at Al-Ashmûnayn. This implies that quarry area of Dayr Abû Ḥinnis was connected to two of the most important cities of the area, and that both Akhenaten and Ramesses II considered the quality of the local limestone worthy for the construction of their personal projects. The area was extensively (re)used in the Early Christian period. Although some new quarries were opened in this period, the majority of the area was converted into a hermitage. The quarry area of the greater Dayr al-Barshâ region appeared to be the ideal environment for studying the New Kingdom exploitation techniques. The presence of quarries which can be dated to the reigns of Thutmoses III, Amenhotep III, and Akhenaten, enabled a comparison between the exploitation techniques, the chisel marks and the (absence of) inscriptions. In our chisel mark typology, we have included all Amarna period marks, the standard Late Period mark, and the encountered Early Christian period marks.status: publishe

Quarry Marks of the Amarna Period: The limestone quarries of Dayr Abu Hinnis

The Dayr al-Barsha Project (KU Leuven, Belgium) revealed that the quarry area of Amarna is noticeably larger than was expected. One of the largest quarry sites of the Amarna Period is located at Dayr Abu Hinnis, c. 15 km north of Amarna. The main exploitation phase can be dated in the Amarna Period, while quarrying continued on a smaller scale in the Ramesside Period, Late Period and Roman/Early Christian Period. The most remarkable item of these quarries, apart from their size and number, is the large collection of markings and inscriptions on the ceilings. The majority of the inscriptions is connected to the quarrying process. However, marking the work progress on the ceiling of an exploited quarry seems to have been restricted to the Amarna Period, with a revival in the Late Period. Among the inscriptions, a number of quarry marks can be found. The quarry marks resemble the known mason's marks and pot marks of the Amarna Period, but in the quarries they are often combined with painted ochre lines and (hieratic) dates, confimring a close connection with the work progress administration.status: publishe

The Egyptian Execration Statuettes (EES) Project

The Egyptian Execration Statuettes (EES) project creates multispectral 3D images of a series of fragile Egyptian objects of the Royal Museums of Art and History (Brussels) in order to avoid future handling and facilitate their detailed study. The texture/colour values on these 2D+ and 3D models are interactive data based on a recording process using infrared, red, green, blue and ultraviolet light spectra. This leads to an easy and cost-effective methodology, applicable to a wide variety of Egyptian heritage objects with pigments on clay, wood and stone. As a case-study, the well-known Brussels ‘Execration Statuettes’ (Middle Kingdom, c. 1900 BC) have been chosen. Their surface is covered with hieratic texts, written in two types of ink (black carbon and red ochre), listing names of foreign countries, places and enemies. The study of this type of artefacts is mostly hampered by the poor state of conservation of the objects – any operation carried out on them can result in considerable material losses – and secondly, by the only partial preservation of the ink traces in visible light. Thus, creating an approach which requires minimal handling but delivers maximal output for research and conservation purposes must be seen as most welcoming. In addition, the system presents itself as an easy-to-use tool and transportable to any collection or excavation in the field. The EES project is financed by the Belgian Science Policy (Belspo): BRAIN.be.status: publishe

From execration texts to quarry inscriptions: combining IR, UV and 3D-imaging for the documentation of hieratic inscriptions

In the previous years, 3D imaging has found his way into the world of Egyptology. This lecture will present two case studies where 3D technology is used for the documentation of hieratic inscriptions. The inscriptions, painted in (red) ochre or black paint, were applied on different carriers, and required a different methodology. The Egyptian collection of the Royal Museums of Art and History (RMAH Brussels) contains a large number of small decorated and/or inscribed objects. Some of these objects are currently in a bad condition - any operation carried on them can result in considerable material losses -, making it necessary to document them in such a way that it allows future scholars to study them in detail without handling them. The EES Project therefore aims to create multispectral 3D images of these fragile objects with a multispectral ‘minidome’ acquisition system, based on the already existing system of the multi-light Portable Light Dome (PLD). The texture/colour values on the created 2D+ and 3D models are interactive data based on a recording process with infrared, red, green, blue, and ultraviolet light spectra. Software tools and enhancement filters have been developed which can deal with the different wavelengths in real-time. This leads to an easy and cost-effective methodology which combines multispectral imaging with the actual relief characteristics and properties of the physical object. The system is transportable to any collection or excavation in the field. As a case study, the well-known Brussels “Execration Figurines” (Middle Kingdom, c. 1900 BC) were chosen. These figurines are made of unbaked clay and covered with hieratic texts, listing names of foreign countries and rulers. The study of this type of collections is mostly hampered by the poor state of conservation of the objects, but also by the only partial preservation of the ink traces in visible light. The method has also been applied to other decorated objects of the RMAH collection, such as a Fayoum portrait, ostraca and decorated objects made of stone, wood and ceramics. The final goal will be to publish the newly created multispectral 3D images on Carmentis (www.carmentis.be), the online catalogue of the RMAH collection, making them accessible to scholars all over the world. The second case study presents the quarry inscriptions of the New Kingdom limestone quarries at Dayr Abu Hinnis (Middle Egypt). These gallery quarries contain hundreds of hieratic inscriptions, written on the ceiling. The texts are mainly related to the general administration of the quarry area. In documenting the abundance of ceiling inscriptions and other graffiti, we had to decide upon a practice that would allow not only to capture the \"content\", but also to document the location and orientation of each record. Every inscription can be photographed in detail, but this is insufficient to provide the reader access to vital information concerning the spatial distribution of the inscriptions, which may, for instance, relate to the progress of work. After experimenting with a variety of other methods, we adopted a photogrammetric software for 3D modelling photographs of the quarry ceilings, AGISOFT PHOTOSCAN, which uses structure from motion (SFM) algorithms to create three-dimensional images based on a series of overlapping two-dimensional images. The ultimate goal of this whole labour-intensive process in the quarries is not the creation of pure threedimensional models, but rather to generate an orthophoto of the entire ceiling of a quarry. Based on these images, each graffito could be analysed in context

La création d’images multi-spectrales : les portraits romains du Fayoum

status: publishe