Dr. Salima Ikram is a professor of Egyptology at The American University in Cairo, a grantee of the National Geographic Society's Committee for Research and Exploration, a field archaeologist, museum researcher, and an international guest speaker.
Highlights of her professional career include working at the Valley of the Kings, Giza, Saqqara, Abusir, and first co- and now directing the North Kharga Oasis Survey.
, Dust, Demons and Pots: Studies in Honour of Colin A. Hope, 2020
What ancient people called 'alum'-ibnw, imrw, inr n Sn and wSbt in Egyptian (Loret 1893; Harris 1... more What ancient people called 'alum'-ibnw, imrw, inr n Sn and wSbt in Egyptian (Loret 1893; Harris 1961; Kaczmarczyk 1991), στυπτηρία in Greek, alumen in Latin, and shaba in Arabic, covers a wide range of chemical compounds. Alum is a double sulphate of aluminium and either potassium (K 2 (SO 4)•Al 2 (SO 4) 3• 24H 2 O or KAl(SO 4) 2 •12H 2 O) or ammonium, although a compound with sodium is also known. It appears in nature as a powder, as spikes, and in a somewhat crystalline form (see also Dioscorides 5.123; Pliny 35.183-90). The Greek papyri of Egypt reflect this variety in the composition and quality of the product, and also the techniques involved in its use. For instance, in the P.Oxy. 31.2567, a register of a druggist's stock from the third century AD, two types of alum are distinguished: one is clearly linked to the Small Oasis (στυπτηρία ψωβτιακή), probably of a higher purity, the other is sold in blocks (στυπτηρία σχιστή). In other documents, its white colour (λευκή) and astringency (ὀξῖτις, 'tasting like vinegar') are highlighted. A good overview can be found in the so-called 'Alchemical papyri', a group of technical recipes coming from Thebes and dated to the third/fourth century AD. One of these, the Holm Papyrus, mentions various forms of alum, either liquid (ὑγρά), in small blocks (σχιστή) or powdered (στρογγύλη, 'round'). Sometimes, a specific use is connected with one of these forms, such as the 'alum for dyeing' (στυπτηρία βαφική:
Studies on the Ancient Near East and the Mediterranean (SANEM 5), Arbor Sapientiae Editore, Rome , 2021
The figure of the god Osiris is paradigmatic of the ancient Egyptian culture, connected with both... more The figure of the god Osiris is paradigmatic of the ancient Egyptian culture, connected with both kingship and religion, whose analysis also today shed light on interesting aspects of the Egyptian world. This volume collects contributions presented during the two days International Conference “Rethinking Osiris” took place in Florence, Italy, from the 26 to 27 March 2019. Any article reflects the variety and complexity of the Osiriac topics discussed during the conference, providing a foundation for deeper research and questions, introducing new perspectives from which to reconsider Osiris pivotal and multifaceted function, which attracted so much interest during the millennia and rethinking Osiris at the dawn of the Third Millennium.
The Nile, the longest river of the world, connects Northeast Africa from its headwaters near Lake... more The Nile, the longest river of the world, connects Northeast Africa from its headwaters near Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea. This chapter focuses on the Nile in Egypt, where the river's annual inundation (until the building of the two modern dams at Aswan) was the source of the country's fecundity and guarantor of its civilization since the 6 th millennium BCE. While the historical population of Egypt remained at a maximum of c. four million people until the mid-19 th century when Vice-Roy Muhammad Ali modernized the country, in 2019 the number passed the threshold of 100 million people. Increased demographic pressure, the alteration of the country's ecology through the mega-impact of the construction of the Aswan High Dam, and industrialization have led to a massive transformation of the Nile River system. One of the consequences has been an almost complete extinction of the country's native fauna and flora. The overuse of the water (rice and cotton irrigation projects) and the absence of the river's historical natural sedimentation have had irreversible effects on Egypt's agriculture and heritage (salination; disappearance of archaeological sites) and caused land loss to rising sea levels in the delta. In view of the environmental degradation in the Nile valley, and the dangers to Egypt's water security posed by overpopulation and the construction of the Merowe dams in Sudan and the Renaissance dam in Ethiopia, sustainable water management is of critical importance.
— As with most other places in the world, rock art images of animals found in the North Kharga Oa... more — As with most other places in the world, rock art images of animals found in the North Kharga Oasis (in Egypt's western desert) outnumber those of humans. This paper explores the range of human imagery from this region, excluding, for the most part, those dating to the Pharaonic period and speculates as to their significance.
This chapter deals with the role of mummification and mummies in Egyptian religion. Mummies in te... more This chapter deals with the role of mummification and mummies in Egyptian religion. Mummies in terms of the deceased and his or her cult are discussed, together with mummified animals that were given as votive offerings to divinities, particularly from the Late Period until the advent of Christianity.
Egypt is filled with museums containing Pharaonic objects; one of the lesser known of these is th... more Egypt is filled with museums containing Pharaonic objects; one of the lesser known of these is the Gayer-Anderson Museum (Beit al-Kritliyya), constituted of a pair of Ottoman houses set into the walls of the Ibn Tulun mosque. 1 At one time several such houses surrounded the mosque, but all of these were removed by 1930, leaving only the two that had been first used as a residence by " John " Gayer-Anderson, and, upon his death, converted into a museum filled with his collection of Pharaonic, Coptic, and Islamic objects from Egypt and elsewhere. 2 It is one of the ancient Egyptian artifacts therein that is the subject of this small offering to Betsy Bryan, who is an inspiration, mentor, and friend. Gayer-Anderson was a noted collector whose acquisitions, including sculptures, reliefs, coffins, scarabs, and ostraca, are now found in museums throughout the world. The largest collections are now housed in the Medel-havsmuseet in Stockholm, the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, and the Portland Art Museum in Portland, Or-egon, as well as in his former Cairo residence, while smaller groups of objects can be found in the British Museum and the Brooklyn Museum of Art. 3 One sculptural piece in the Gayer-Anderson Museum in Cairo is an unprovenanced fragment of carved granite, No. 2397 in the museum register (fig. 1). Although Gayer-Anderson kept detailed notes as to when and where he acquired objects, as well as their prices, the original register book for the collection is unavailable as curators state that it was irretrievably damaged in the 1970s if not earlier. Thus, there is no information available concerning the object, although it is most probable that Gayer-Anderson acquired it on one of his frequent trips to the south of Egypt. On the basis of its current dimensions and the rough back, it is clear that the fragment has broken off from a larger (even monumental) figure. The intact portion has been polished to a high gloss. It measures 11.20 cm in height, and its width ranges from 13 to 25 cm. This curiously shaped piece has two bumps on top, flanking a low ridge. Slightly lower down, eyes are fashioned on either side, each one defined by a clear outline in raised relief. The space between the eyes is modelled, and a curving line carved in high relief (loosely speaking, where a mouth might be), incised with shallow vertical lines, edges the whole.
, Dust, Demons and Pots: Studies in Honour of Colin A. Hope, 2020
What ancient people called 'alum'-ibnw, imrw, inr n Sn and wSbt in Egyptian (Loret 1893; Harris 1... more What ancient people called 'alum'-ibnw, imrw, inr n Sn and wSbt in Egyptian (Loret 1893; Harris 1961; Kaczmarczyk 1991), στυπτηρία in Greek, alumen in Latin, and shaba in Arabic, covers a wide range of chemical compounds. Alum is a double sulphate of aluminium and either potassium (K 2 (SO 4)•Al 2 (SO 4) 3• 24H 2 O or KAl(SO 4) 2 •12H 2 O) or ammonium, although a compound with sodium is also known. It appears in nature as a powder, as spikes, and in a somewhat crystalline form (see also Dioscorides 5.123; Pliny 35.183-90). The Greek papyri of Egypt reflect this variety in the composition and quality of the product, and also the techniques involved in its use. For instance, in the P.Oxy. 31.2567, a register of a druggist's stock from the third century AD, two types of alum are distinguished: one is clearly linked to the Small Oasis (στυπτηρία ψωβτιακή), probably of a higher purity, the other is sold in blocks (στυπτηρία σχιστή). In other documents, its white colour (λευκή) and astringency (ὀξῖτις, 'tasting like vinegar') are highlighted. A good overview can be found in the so-called 'Alchemical papyri', a group of technical recipes coming from Thebes and dated to the third/fourth century AD. One of these, the Holm Papyrus, mentions various forms of alum, either liquid (ὑγρά), in small blocks (σχιστή) or powdered (στρογγύλη, 'round'). Sometimes, a specific use is connected with one of these forms, such as the 'alum for dyeing' (στυπτηρία βαφική:
Studies on the Ancient Near East and the Mediterranean (SANEM 5), Arbor Sapientiae Editore, Rome , 2021
The figure of the god Osiris is paradigmatic of the ancient Egyptian culture, connected with both... more The figure of the god Osiris is paradigmatic of the ancient Egyptian culture, connected with both kingship and religion, whose analysis also today shed light on interesting aspects of the Egyptian world. This volume collects contributions presented during the two days International Conference “Rethinking Osiris” took place in Florence, Italy, from the 26 to 27 March 2019. Any article reflects the variety and complexity of the Osiriac topics discussed during the conference, providing a foundation for deeper research and questions, introducing new perspectives from which to reconsider Osiris pivotal and multifaceted function, which attracted so much interest during the millennia and rethinking Osiris at the dawn of the Third Millennium.
The Nile, the longest river of the world, connects Northeast Africa from its headwaters near Lake... more The Nile, the longest river of the world, connects Northeast Africa from its headwaters near Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea. This chapter focuses on the Nile in Egypt, where the river's annual inundation (until the building of the two modern dams at Aswan) was the source of the country's fecundity and guarantor of its civilization since the 6 th millennium BCE. While the historical population of Egypt remained at a maximum of c. four million people until the mid-19 th century when Vice-Roy Muhammad Ali modernized the country, in 2019 the number passed the threshold of 100 million people. Increased demographic pressure, the alteration of the country's ecology through the mega-impact of the construction of the Aswan High Dam, and industrialization have led to a massive transformation of the Nile River system. One of the consequences has been an almost complete extinction of the country's native fauna and flora. The overuse of the water (rice and cotton irrigation projects) and the absence of the river's historical natural sedimentation have had irreversible effects on Egypt's agriculture and heritage (salination; disappearance of archaeological sites) and caused land loss to rising sea levels in the delta. In view of the environmental degradation in the Nile valley, and the dangers to Egypt's water security posed by overpopulation and the construction of the Merowe dams in Sudan and the Renaissance dam in Ethiopia, sustainable water management is of critical importance.
— As with most other places in the world, rock art images of animals found in the North Kharga Oa... more — As with most other places in the world, rock art images of animals found in the North Kharga Oasis (in Egypt's western desert) outnumber those of humans. This paper explores the range of human imagery from this region, excluding, for the most part, those dating to the Pharaonic period and speculates as to their significance.
This chapter deals with the role of mummification and mummies in Egyptian religion. Mummies in te... more This chapter deals with the role of mummification and mummies in Egyptian religion. Mummies in terms of the deceased and his or her cult are discussed, together with mummified animals that were given as votive offerings to divinities, particularly from the Late Period until the advent of Christianity.
Egypt is filled with museums containing Pharaonic objects; one of the lesser known of these is th... more Egypt is filled with museums containing Pharaonic objects; one of the lesser known of these is the Gayer-Anderson Museum (Beit al-Kritliyya), constituted of a pair of Ottoman houses set into the walls of the Ibn Tulun mosque. 1 At one time several such houses surrounded the mosque, but all of these were removed by 1930, leaving only the two that had been first used as a residence by " John " Gayer-Anderson, and, upon his death, converted into a museum filled with his collection of Pharaonic, Coptic, and Islamic objects from Egypt and elsewhere. 2 It is one of the ancient Egyptian artifacts therein that is the subject of this small offering to Betsy Bryan, who is an inspiration, mentor, and friend. Gayer-Anderson was a noted collector whose acquisitions, including sculptures, reliefs, coffins, scarabs, and ostraca, are now found in museums throughout the world. The largest collections are now housed in the Medel-havsmuseet in Stockholm, the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, and the Portland Art Museum in Portland, Or-egon, as well as in his former Cairo residence, while smaller groups of objects can be found in the British Museum and the Brooklyn Museum of Art. 3 One sculptural piece in the Gayer-Anderson Museum in Cairo is an unprovenanced fragment of carved granite, No. 2397 in the museum register (fig. 1). Although Gayer-Anderson kept detailed notes as to when and where he acquired objects, as well as their prices, the original register book for the collection is unavailable as curators state that it was irretrievably damaged in the 1970s if not earlier. Thus, there is no information available concerning the object, although it is most probable that Gayer-Anderson acquired it on one of his frequent trips to the south of Egypt. On the basis of its current dimensions and the rough back, it is clear that the fragment has broken off from a larger (even monumental) figure. The intact portion has been polished to a high gloss. It measures 11.20 cm in height, and its width ranges from 13 to 25 cm. This curiously shaped piece has two bumps on top, flanking a low ridge. Slightly lower down, eyes are fashioned on either side, each one defined by a clear outline in raised relief. The space between the eyes is modelled, and a curving line carved in high relief (loosely speaking, where a mouth might be), incised with shallow vertical lines, edges the whole.
Ancient remains from humans, animals and plants hold valuable information about our history. X-ra... more Ancient remains from humans, animals and plants hold valuable information about our history. X-ray imaging methods are often, because of their non-destructive nature, used in the analysis of such samples. The classical x-ray imaging methods, radiography and computed tomography (CT), are based on absorption, which works well for radiodense structures like bone, but gives limited contrast for textiles and soft tissues, which exhibit high x-ray transmission. Destructive methods, such as classical histology, have historically been used for analysing ancient soft tissue but the extent to which it is used today is limited because of the fragility and value of many ancient samples. For detailed, non-destructive analysis of ancient biological samples, we instead propose x-ray phase-contrast CT, which like conventional CT gives volume data but with the possibility of better resolution through the detection of phase shift. Using laboratory x-ray sources, we here demonstrate the capabilities of phase-contrast tomography of dried biological samples. Virtual histological analysis of a mummified human hand from ancient Egypt is performed, revealing remains of adipose cells in situ, which would not be possible with classical histology. For higher resolution, a lab-based nano-CT arrangement based on a nanofocus transmission x-ray source is presented. With an x-ray emission spot of 300 nm the system shows potential for sub-micronresolution 3D imaging. For characterisation of the performance of phase-contrast imaging of dried samples a piece of wood is imaged. Finally, we present the first phase-contrast CT data from our nano-CT system, acquired of the dried head of a bee.
River culture: life as a dance to the rhythm of the waters
This book gives positive examples how humans and rivers have been, and are still in some places, ... more This book gives positive examples how humans and rivers have been, and are still in some places, living in harmony. It analyses how this knowledge can be transferred into modern river management schemes and thereby it attempts to mitigate the deplorable trend of the decline of biological and cultural heritages and diversities in and along rivers. A harmonious way to live with the river includes i.a. respecting its natural features and ecosystem services. This means that human land use forms and cultures, including fishing, agriculture, navigation and river works respect the natural hydrological patterns (Flood Pulse, Environmental Flows). It also includes the physical-psychological-spiritual linkage of the people to the river (e.g. worshipping, well-being, detention, and in-spiration), and how these linkages serve as a motivation to take action in favor of the river’s nature. Twenty-nine case studies from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe, and 7 papers on overarching themes of s...
The Museo Egizio’s collection contains 200 precious and unique leather artifacts belonging to dif... more The Museo Egizio’s collection contains 200 precious and unique leather artifacts belonging to different historical periods. The materials used during the tanning and curing procedures affect the chemical and elemental composition of the surface of the samples as well as their preservation status, specifically through the hydration level within the bulk. Here we provide an experimental characterization of a series of samples from Museo Egizio that document an extensive denaturation phenomenon (gelatinization), by combining non-destructive techniques including surface probes (X-ray fluorescence, Raman scattering, and scanning electron microscopy enhanced by X-ray energy spectroscopy) and neutron-based bulk techniques (inelastic and deep-inelastic neutron scattering). Results show partial dehydration of the samples in the bulk, affecting the morphology of their surface, the presence of potassium alum, and iron oxides, as well as phosphates and hydroxides related to the tanning and curi...
In this volume Christina Di Cerbo and Richard Jasnow publish 92 Demotic graffiti, along with seve... more In this volume Christina Di Cerbo and Richard Jasnow publish 92 Demotic graffiti, along with several ostraca and mummy bandages, from Theban Tombs 11, 12, Tomb-399-, and environs recorded and studied under the aegis of the Spanish Mission at Dra Abu el-Naga directed by José Galán. These texts from the mid-second century BCE were inscribed on the tomb walls by workers of the Ibis and Falcon cult, who used the New Kingdom tombs as burial places for mummified birds dedicated to the gods Thoth and Horus. This varied corpus of texts includes not only votive formulae and lists of names, but, most unusually, labels for chambers and halls to guide the men depositing the mummies through the labyrinthine catacombs. The cult workers also recorded important burials and memorialized events of special significance, as when a massive conflagration broke out that consumed several mummies and damaged the tomb walls. The Missions conservators recovered many hitherto virtually invisible graffiti. Nume...
Although the bioarchaeology (study of biological remains in an archaeological context) of Egypt h... more Although the bioarchaeology (study of biological remains in an archaeological context) of Egypt has been documented in a desultory way for many decades, it is only recently that it has become an inherent part of excavations in Egypt. This volume consists of a series of essays that explore how ancient plant, animal, and human remains should be studied, and how, when they are integrated with texts, images, and artefacts, they can contribute to our understanding of the history, environment, and culture of ancient Egypt in a holistic manner. Topics covered in this volume relating to human remains include analyses of royal, elite and poor cemeteries of different eras, case studies on specific mummies, identification of different diseases in human remains, an overview of the state of palaeopathology in Egypt, how to analyse burials to establish season of death, the use of bodies to elucidate life stories, the potential of visceral remains in identifying individuals as well as diseases that they might have had, and a protocol for studying mummies. Faunal remains are represented by a study of a canine cemetery and a discussion of cat species that were mummified, and dendroarchaeology is represented by an overview of its potentials and pitfalls for dating Egyptian remains and revising its chronology. Leading international specialists from varied disciplines including physical anthropology, radiology, archaeozoology, Egyptology, and dendrochronology have contributed to this groundbreaking volume of essays that will no doubt provide much fodder for thought, and will be of interest to scholars and laypeople alike
Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt, 2021
The North Kharga Oasis Darb Ain Amur Survey (NKODAAS) has been exploring the extreme northern are... more The North Kharga Oasis Darb Ain Amur Survey (NKODAAS) has been exploring the extreme northern area and western extension of Kharga Oasis in order to locate and document hitherto undiscovered and unrecorded archaeological sites and material. The archaeological sites identified during the course of the survey are varied, including rock art, routes, mines, quarries, water dumps, wells, shelters, hamlets, and settlements. The site presented here is a Roman/“Late Antique” complex, including a church and several related areas of settlement and industrial activity devoted to alum mining and sandstone quarrying, that played a role in the history of the economy and landscape of Kharga Oasis.
A History of World Egyptology is a ground-breaking reference work that traces the study of ancien... more A History of World Egyptology is a ground-breaking reference work that traces the study of ancient Egypt over the past 150 years. Global in purview, it enlarges our understanding of how and why people have looked, and continue to look, into humankind’s distant past through the lens of the enduring allure of ancient Egypt. Written by an international team of scholars, the volume investigates how territories around the world have engaged with and have been inspired by Egyptology, and how that engagement has evolved over time. Each chapter presents a specific territory from an institutional and national perspective, while examining a range of transnational links as well. The volume thus touches on multiple strands of scholarship, embracing not only Egyptology, but also social history, the history of science and reception studies. It will appeal to amateurs and professionals alike.
Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections, 2017
We report on the scientific and historical study of a mummy associated with an Egyptian coffin on... more We report on the scientific and historical study of a mummy associated with an Egyptian coffin once belonging to Count Aleksander Branicki, an important Polish collector who took part in two private expeditions to Egypt during the mid-nineteenth century. Recently the object was submitted for radiological investigation, as well as radiocarbon dating, in order to obtain a clearer picture of the biohistory and chronology of the body contained within the coffin. Furthermore, new documentary evidence was recovered that illustrates the colorful journey of the artifact and its contents from Egypt to Europe.
Abstract
Background: Assemblages of mummified and preserved animals in necropoleis of Ptolemaic P... more Abstract Background: Assemblages of mummified and preserved animals in necropoleis of Ptolemaic Period Egypt (ca. 332–30 BC) document some aspects of the ceremonial and religious practices of the ancient Egyptians, but study of these animal remains can also provide insight into the local environments in which the animals and humans lived. Results: Excavations of the Sacred Falcon Necropolis at Quesna in the Nile Delta have yielded many thousands of animal remains, mostly of raptors, but also of a lesser number of small, wild mammals. Among the latter, we identified four species of murid rodents (Rodentia: Muridae) and five species of shrews (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae). The soricids are of particular interest because they represent a more diverse assemblage of species than occurs in the delta today. They include one species, Crocidura gueldenstaedtii (Pallas, 1811), that no longer occurs in the delta and another, C. fulvastra (Sundevall, 1843), that is now extirpated from Egypt. Conclusions: The coexistence of this diverse small mammal community suggests that a greater availability and variety of mesic habitats were present during the Ptolemaic Period than occur there now. The local mammal faunas recovered at Quesna and other well-studied ancient Egyptian sites together provide evidence of a richer, more complex regional environment along the Nile Valley. They also provide important insight regarding the biogeography of the individual species comprising the faunas and about the extent of faunal turnover since the Ptolemaic Period.
Polymatheia. Studi classici offerti a Mario Capasso, 2018
The issue of ethics in the display and sampling of human remains is becoming increasingly importa... more The issue of ethics in the display and sampling of human remains is becoming increasingly important in the Egyptian context. This paper follows the history of the Egyp-tian royal mummies from their discovery in the 19th century until today, focusing on how and where they were displayed and studied, and the changing views, political, religious, and social, amongst scholars and the public, that informed them.
An ancient Egyptian crocodile mummy (MHNL 90001591, Musée des Confluences, Lyon, France) dating t... more An ancient Egyptian crocodile mummy (MHNL 90001591, Musée des Confluences, Lyon, France) dating to the Roman period and discovered at Kom Ombo (Upper Egypt) was analysed through synchrotron multiscale mi-crotomography. Using this advanced technology, the virtual autopsy of the animal was carried out without affecting the bones, flesh, balms and linen bandages. The technique allows for the precise analysis of the spe-cimen's bones and tissue, enabling us to establish the cause of death and the last meal(s) of the animal. From these data, we can conclude that this crocodile was hunted while living in the wild. This is the first evidence for this mode of obtaining animals to produce mummies. With this case study, it is apparent that the praxis related to the mummification of animals in ancient Egypt are more diverse than the current Egyptological reconstruction of that phenomenon. Why, into the entrails, the entrails of the crocodile… So to speak, for exploration, for investigation of the facts on the spot. It would, of course, be a novelty, but that is progressive and would at the same time show zeal for enlightenment (Dostoevsky, 1865).
A medley of mummies from Deir el-Bahari. In Z. E. Szafrański (Ed.), Deir el-Bahari studies 2. Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 27/2, 2018
The results of radiographic and visual examinations of four
mummies originating from Deir el-Baha... more The results of radiographic and visual examinations of four mummies originating from Deir el-Bahari, now kept in different museums throughout Egypt, are presented here. One individual dates to the Twenty-second Dynasty, and the remaining three date to the Twenty-fifth Dynasty, and were possibly related. Some of the mummies possessed amulets, with one individual having unusual accouterments in addition to the amulets.
An ancient Egyptian crocodile mummy (MHNL 90001591, Musée des Confluences, Lyon, France) dating t... more An ancient Egyptian crocodile mummy (MHNL 90001591, Musée des Confluences, Lyon, France) dating to the Roman period and discovered at Kom Ombo (Upper Egypt) was analysed through synchrotron multiscale mi-crotomography. Using this advanced technology, the virtual autopsy of the animal was carried out without affecting the bones, flesh, balms and linen bandages. The technique allows for the precise analysis of the spe-cimen's bones and tissue, enabling us to establish the cause of death and the last meal(s) of the animal. From these data, we can conclude that this crocodile was hunted while living in the wild. This is the first evidence for this mode of obtaining animals to produce mummies. With this case study, it is apparent that the praxis related to the mummification of animals in ancient Egypt are more diverse than the current Egyptological reconstruction of that phenomenon. Why, into the entrails, the entrails of the crocodile… So to speak, for exploration, for investigation of the facts on the spot. It would, of course, be a novelty, but that is progressive and would at the same time show zeal for enlightenment (Dostoevsky, 1865).
The Egyptian collection in the Gayer-Anderson Museum (Bait al-Kritliya), Cairo is small, as Major... more The Egyptian collection in the Gayer-Anderson Museum (Bait al-Kritliya), Cairo is small, as Major Gayer-Anderson gave or sold most of his pharaonic pieces to museums throughout the world. 2 However, a group of objects of varying degrees of artistic merit remain in his Cairo collection, which is located in two Ottoman houses attached to the mosque of Ibn Tulun. The subject of this article is one of these, a brownish-orange quartzite torso of a woman. The female torso in quartzite comes from a two-thirds life-size seated figure. It measures 34.5 cm high and 33.4 cm at its widest point. The head is missing, broken off almost at the base of the neck. The lower portions of the body are also missing, broken off diagonally from the statue's proper right waist to its proper left hip. There is pitting on the torso's surface that appears to be damage from a pick or other sharp implement, rather than some sort of weathering, and what might be a disfigurement made with a chisel above the navel. The back pillar is partially preserved, although the inscription that was on it seems to have been deliberately demolished—the breakage is too extreme to call it an erasure (figs. 1-3). There is no indication of any kind of head covering or hair descending onto the shoulders; perhaps the statue was adorned with a type of short wig or a crown. The remains of the neck seem to rise straight up from the shoulders. The figure is wearing a schematically rendered, beaded broad collar carved using relief and incised techniques, under which is visible the swell of the realistically modeled clavicles. The collar consists of nine concentric bands, thin and thick alternating, with the outermost band edged by teardrop-or petal-shaped pendant beads. There is no obvious indication of any garment or textile covering; creases at the armpit suggest that the figure is nude or, less probably, wearing an extremely tight, clinging garment. It is possible that details of clothing and additional jewelry might have been added in gesso and gilding or paint, as is seen on other statues. 3 The breasts are located at a realistic level on the chest and are small, firm and gently rounded; there is virtually no suggestion of nipples, and there is a relatively wide space separating them. The waist narrows slightly before flaring out to the swelling hips and the start of a damaged, rounded belly; both features are typical of late 18th and early 19th Dynasty sculpture. The figure is longer waisted than the female figures carved during the reign of Akhenaten, but shorter waisted than those sculpted in the reign of Ramesses II. The engaged arms are broken above the elbow, so that it is difficult to be absolutely certain of their position. However, the 1 This article is most affectionately dedicated to Dorothea Arnold, a brilliant and inspiring scholar, a stimulating teacher, and a generous and kind friend.
The Egyptian collection in the Gayer-Anderson Museum (Bait al-Kritliya), Cairo is small, as Major... more The Egyptian collection in the Gayer-Anderson Museum (Bait al-Kritliya), Cairo is small, as Major Gayer-Anderson gave or sold most of his pharaonic pieces to museums throughout the world. 2 However, a group of objects of varying degrees of artistic merit remain in his Cairo collection, which is located in two Ottoman houses attached to the mosque of Ibn Tulun. The subject of this article is one of these, a brownish-orange quartzite torso of a woman. The female torso in quartzite comes from a two-thirds life-size seated figure. It measures 34.5 cm high and 33.4 cm at its widest point. The head is missing, broken off almost at the base of the neck. The lower portions of the body are also missing, broken off diagonally from the statue's proper right waist to its proper left hip. There is pitting on the torso's surface that appears to be damage from a pick or other sharp implement, rather than some sort of weathering, and what might be a disfigurement made with a chisel above the navel. The back pillar is partially preserved, although the inscription that was on it seems to have been deliberately demolished—the breakage is too extreme to call it an erasure (figs. 1-3). There is no indication of any kind of head covering or hair descending onto the shoulders; perhaps the statue was adorned with a type of short wig or a crown. The remains of the neck seem to rise straight up from the shoulders. The figure is wearing a schematically rendered, beaded broad collar carved using relief and incised techniques, under which is visible the swell of the realistically modeled clavicles. The collar consists of nine concentric bands, thin and thick alternating, with the outermost band edged by teardrop-or petal-shaped pendant beads. There is no obvious indication of any garment or textile covering; creases at the armpit suggest that the figure is nude or, less probably, wearing an extremely tight, clinging garment. It is possible that details of clothing and additional jewelry might have been added in gesso and gilding or paint, as is seen on other statues. 3 The breasts are located at a realistic level on the chest and are small, firm and gently rounded; there is virtually no suggestion of nipples, and there is a relatively wide space separating them. The waist narrows slightly before flaring out to the swelling hips and the start of a damaged, rounded belly; both features are typical of late 18th and early 19th Dynasty sculpture. The figure is longer waisted than the female figures carved during the reign of Akhenaten, but shorter waisted than those sculpted in the reign of Ramesses II. The engaged arms are broken above the elbow, so that it is difficult to be absolutely certain of their position. However, the 1 This article is most affectionately dedicated to Dorothea Arnold, a brilliant and inspiring scholar, a stimulating teacher, and a generous and kind friend.
Remnants of what was believed to be a single baby crocodile, originating from ancient Egypt and c... more Remnants of what was believed to be a single baby crocodile, originating from ancient Egypt and curated in the National Museum of Lithuania, have been recently assessed using noninvasive and nondestructive techniques. These had been donated in 1862 to the then Museum of Antiquities by the prominent Polish-Lithuanian collector Count Michał Tyszkiewicz. After careful investigation of the three mummified reptile fragments available, the authors were able to identify at least two individuals based on morpho-anatomical characteristics. This indicates that the two small crocodiles originally described in historic records are still present within the collection and that none of these items was lost during the different lootings perpetrated throughout the museum's history. Information regarding the post-mortem treatment of these animals was also obtained. This is the first scientific study of animal mummies in the Baltic States, and it should be followed by proper conservation and display of these findings.
Two ancient Egyptian child mummies at the University of Tartu Art Museum (Estonia) were, accordin... more Two ancient Egyptian child mummies at the University of Tartu Art Museum (Estonia) were, according to museum records, brought to Estonia by the young Baltic-German scholar Otto Friedrich von Richter, who had travelled in Egypt during the early 19th century. Although some studies of the mummies were conducted, a thorough investigation has never been made. Thus, an interdisciplinary team of experts studied the remains using the most recent analytical methods in order to provide an exhaustive analysis of the remains. The bodies were submitted for osteological and archaeothanatological study, radiological investigation, AMS radiocarbon dating, chemical and textile analyses, 3D modelling, entomological as well as aDNA investigation. Here we synthesize the results of one of the most extensive multidisciplinary analyses of ancient Egyptian child mummies, adding significantly to our knowledge of such examples of ancient funerary practices.
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Background: Assemblages of mummified and preserved animals in necropoleis of Ptolemaic Period Egypt (ca.
332–30 BC) document some aspects of the ceremonial and religious practices of the ancient Egyptians, but study of
these animal remains can also provide insight into the local environments in which the animals and humans lived.
Results: Excavations of the Sacred Falcon Necropolis at Quesna in the Nile Delta have yielded many thousands of
animal remains, mostly of raptors, but also of a lesser number of small, wild mammals. Among the latter, we identified
four species of murid rodents (Rodentia: Muridae) and five species of shrews (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae). The
soricids are of particular interest because they represent a more diverse assemblage of species than occurs in the
delta today. They include one species, Crocidura gueldenstaedtii (Pallas, 1811), that no longer occurs in the delta and
another, C. fulvastra (Sundevall, 1843), that is now extirpated from Egypt.
Conclusions: The coexistence of this diverse small mammal community suggests that a greater availability and
variety of mesic habitats were present during the Ptolemaic Period than occur there now. The local mammal faunas
recovered at Quesna and other well-studied ancient Egyptian sites together provide evidence of a richer, more complex
regional environment along the Nile Valley. They also provide important insight regarding the biogeography of
the individual species comprising the faunas and about the extent of faunal turnover since the Ptolemaic Period.
mummies originating from Deir el-Bahari, now kept in different
museums throughout Egypt, are presented here. One individual dates
to the Twenty-second Dynasty, and the remaining three date to the
Twenty-fifth Dynasty, and were possibly related. Some of the
mummies possessed amulets, with one individual having unusual
accouterments in addition to the amulets.