Zeinab Hashesh

Although the term bioarchaeology has been used in Egypt since the 1970s, the methodology used has often been ineffective. To mitigate the lack of expertise, and to increase the awareness about human and animal remains, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) has therefore collaborated with various foreign missions and organizations to provide training for MoTA archaeologists, who have an important role in ministry sponsored excavations. The authors of this paper have participated in several such programs since 2006, and have since then attempted to pass on what we learnt not only to other MoTA inspectors, but also to the public. This has been achieved by organizing human remains workshops and training programs in different inspectorates around Egypt and with different cultural authorities. While these measures have been successful in building an understanding among MoTA staff about the importance of bioarcheological research, the lack of care taken with such materials during earlier excavations remains problematic. Further, the training so far provided has mainly concentrated on the excavation of human and faunal remains, rather than documentation and curating of the materials. For that reason, a department within the MoTA for studying, documentation and storing of human and faunal remains was established in 2017, led by the first author of this paper. To date, the department has surveyed the bioarcheological remains in 34 MoTA magazines, in addition to 147 magazines of foreign missions. After completing the country-wide survey, the authors plan to document the results in a custom-made database. This paper will provide an overview of the methodology of the current survey, as well as an outline of the plans for the project going forward with the long and crucial process of documenting and curating human and faunal remains in Egypt.

تنامـت في الآونـة الأخـرة بداخـل الأوسـاط الاكاديميـة والحقـل الأثـري فكـرة الخـروج مـن الأطـر الصارمة لعلـم المصريات
وتخصصاتـه المختلفـة الى مناهـج أكـر اتسـاعاً تسـتوعب جميـع الاتجاهـات الفكريـة الحديثـة، وتسـاعد في فهـم أعمـق
لسـلوك الانسـان قديمـاً. فدراسـة الانسـان قديمـاً في الحقيقـة هـي جوهـر علـم المصريـات بتخصصاتـه المختلفـة، وبمثابـة
دليـل أثـري مـادي لتأكيـد او نقـد الدراسـات التاريخيـة والثقافيـة لمجتمـع مـا، بأسـاليب أكـر شـمولية ماديـة تعتمـد
في منهجهـا عـى الدراسـات الانروبولوجيـة والتـي أطلـق عليهـا في سـبعينات القـرن المـاضى «الآثـار الحيويـة»أو اللفـظ
الانجليـزى المعـرب «البيواركيولوجيـا.» وقـد سـاعدت أسـس نظريـة الاثـار الحيويـة - أو كـا يطلـق عليـه بعـض الباحثين
نهـج الآثـار الحيويـة - في دراسـة علـم المصريـات بشـكل نقـدي لفهـم أوجـه الحيـاة المتنوعـة في مـصر القديمـة باعتبارهـا
جـزء مـن حيـاة الإنسـانية بالمـاضي. وعـى الجانـب الاخـر يمكـن لعلـم المصريـات أن يسـاهم في تقـدم تلـك العلـوم
الاجتاعيـة بنطـاق أوسـع لأنـه يقـدم الدليـل المـادى والنـى والتاريخـى لتلـك العلـوم فتصبـح الدراسـات أكـر تكامـا.
يهـدف البحـث إلى القـاء الضـوء عـى أهميـة الاعتـاد عـى نهـج الاثـار الحيـوى في علـم المصريـات، والأسـاليب المختلفـة
التـي يعتمـد عليهـا الباحثـين للوصـول لنتائـج تسـاهم في إعـادة تصـور المـاضي.
كلات مفتاحية: الاثار الحيوية- البيواركيولوجيا- انروبولوجيا- الاوستيولوجى- التراث البيوثقافى

The exploration of the pyramid complex of King Djedkare at south Saqqara in 2018 revealed a large number of secondary burials. These burials were found between the north part of the king’s funerary precinct and in the south part of his queen’s precinct in an area which had not been previously excavated. This brief preliminary study presents the archaeological frame together with the results of the osteological examination of a small group of burials which contained grave goods. This study shows that at this burial ground, grave goods were associated mostly with immature individuals, and in a smaller number of cases with adult women, while no adult male burial with grave goods was documented in this group.

<jats:p>During excavations carried out in 2014 at Tell Tebilla, Egypt, three tombs were discovered inside a mud-brick mastaba, each one with an individual interment. The occupant of the second tomb was of great interest. It was a partially mummified man about 60 years old, named Wah ib Ra, a priest of Sekhmet. The detailed study of his skull and jaw revealed that this man had lost most of his teeth in life, long before his death. However, we discovered that new false teeth were carefully embedded during the mummification process in the gaps caused by antemortem teeth loss. To perform this maneuver, a white material was used as glue. Chemical analysis performed on this white material confirmed that it was anhydrite (CaSO4), which is the dehydrated form of plaster. Although the final result was successful, the embalmers made several errors in both the placement and the type of new teeth used. This performance of the embalmers can be framed within the actions already described as "prosthesis for the afterlife," in which mummification would not only be a process to avoid putrefaction but also a moment in which the embalmers would try to rebuild, or improve the body in order for the individual to enjoy an eternal life without the problems or illnesses suffered in earthly life.</jats:p>

Paper archives of the Egyptian Antiquities Service (particularly Sohag Inspectorate) found in the Slaughterhuse of the Temple of Seti I, Abydos



Nora Shalaby, Hany Aboelazm, Ayman Damarany, Jessica Kaiser, Mohamed Abul-Yazid, Hazem Salah, Yasser Abdurazik, Zeinab Hashish, Wael Ibrahim, Ahmed Tarek, Fiona Baker, Elizabeth Minor, Rachel Regelein

New unwrapped Mummies have been discovered at Tell Tebilla which located in the East Delta, south of Dikirnis , 12 km. north of Mendes during excavation season 2014  .The Egyptian Archaeologists Team have discovered on the north east of Tell Tebilla  a rectangular Mud brick Mastaba that have been divided to three rooms every room contains Mummy in bad preservation as well as discovered other skeletal remains in the top of Mastaba .The Egyptian Team have been discovered four complete Mummies in situ and Human remains for another six individuals have been discovered during the same excavation  season in. the top phase of Excavation ,This poster focuses also on  the osteological analysis undertaken Egyptian Team for first time to assessment the age , sex and some pathologies which give us plenty of information  about the health , diet  and life style there. And solve problem about identity of these individuals .

The tomb of Khety, governor of the Sixteenth Upper Egyptian province, is one of the largest and best-preserved at Beni Hassan. It has recently been re-excavated and re-recorded by the Australian Centre for Egyptology. The present volume provides a detailed description of the tomb’s architectural features and wall scenes, as well as a translation of all inscriptions. Many of the depicted themes are of special significance; they including an unusual representation of the marshes with rare methods of fishing recorded and where pigs are illustrated. Other scenes show the desert hunt, bird trapping, games played by young men and women, barbers at work, different industries including textile and winemaking, agricultural pursuits, and animal husbandry. Special emphasis was also given to wrestling and war scenes which occupy the full east wall facing the entrance to the chapel. A full report is provided for the skeletal remains of Khety, and probably his son, who was discovered in their burial chambers. Dated to the end of the Eleventh Dynasty, the tomb of Khety is an essential source for the study of this important period of Egyptian history.