Excavating in the Nile Delta < Announcement details on eCultural Resources >

Excavating in the Nile Delta

Excavating in Egypt

05-06-08 - Press Release

Egypt, Africa

A Presentation on Excavating in Egypt\'s Nile Delta was given at The College of Idaho\'s. OJ Smith Museum, by Egyptologist, Archaeologist and Curator, Jan Summers Duffy. The slide and talk program featured her excavations and work in the Nile delta farming region, near Mendes, Egypt. In association with the Penn State Egypt Program, the site has been excavated by several universities in past years and has continually uncovered unique artifact and levels of occupation, keeping the historical record alive.

On this mission, archaeologists uncovered mudbrick residences, mastaba burials and other features of the ancient Egyptians, dating to the age of the pyramid builders. \\\"This was exciting to actually unearth artifacts and burials from that time period, which would have been about 2,686-2,181 BC, Egypt\\\'s Old Kingdom (3-6th Dynasties).\\\" One might think not much survives for the archaeological record at an outdoor open site such as this, but the dry sands preserves bone and artifacts. This period is also known as the Age of the Pyramid Builders\" as most of the pyramid complexes and mastaba tombs were built. Mastaba tombs are typically flat-roofed, rectangular with sloping sides, constructed of mudbricks or stone. In Arabic \"mastaba\" means bench, because when seen from a distance it looks like a bench. Inside the mastaba, a deep chamber was dug into the ground and lined with stone or bricks. The body would be placed in this deep, sealed chamber. Because the remains were not in contact with the dry desert sand, natural mummification of the remains usually did not take place. Finds including faience beads, seals, pottery, bones dating from many levels of occupation were uncovered. Missions to Delta sites currently stay in a dighouse within walking distance to the site. Many villages in this part of upper Egypt are reminiscent of the early dynasties, where from dusk to the heat of the day, the ancient egyptians tilled the fields and lived a farming life. Jan hopes to return in the Fall to work with the KV-63 team in Egypt\'s Valley of the Kings.