The life of Meresamun : a temple singer in ancient Egypt /
: Catalog of the exhibit "The life of Meresamun : a temple singer in Ancient Egypt," held at the Oriental Institute Museum of the University of Chicago, February 10-December 6, 2009. : 135 pages : illustrations (some color), maps ; 30 cm. : Includes bibliographical references (pages 121-126) and indexes. : 9781885923608 (pbk.)
Why did ancient states collapse? : the dysfunctional state
:
Ancient states were rooted in agriculture, sedentism and population growth. They were fragile and prone to collapse, but there is no consensus on the causes or meaning of collapse, and there is an ongoing debate about the importance, nature and even existence of state-wide collapse
Explanations of collapse in terms of competing mono-causal factors are found inferior to those incorporating dynamic, interactive systems. It is proposed that collapse should be explained as failure to fulfil the ancient state’s core functions: assurance of food supplies, defence against external attack, maintenance of internal peace, imposition of its will throughout its territory, enforcement of state-wide laws, and promotion of an ideology to legitimise the political and social status quo.
To fulfil these functions certain necessary conditions must be met. The legitimacy of the political and social status quo, including the distribution of political power and wealth, needs to be accepted; the state should be able to extract sufficient resources to fulfil its functions such as defence; it must be able to enforce its decisions; the ruling elite should share a common purpose and actions; the society needs to reflect a shared spirit (asibaya) and purpose across elites and commoners who believe it is worthy of defence.
Weaknesses and failure to meet any condition can interact to exacerbate the situation: maladministration, corruption and elite preoccupation with self aggrandisement can induce fiscal weakness, reduced military budgets and further invasion; it can induce neglect of key infrastructures (especially water management). Inequality, a commonly neglected factor despite ancient texts, can erode asibaya and legitimacy and alienate commoners from defence of the state.
These themes are explored in relation to the Egyptian Old Kingdom, Mycenae, the Western Roman Empire (WRE), and the Maya. They all exhibit, to varying degrees, weaknesses in meeting the above conditions necessary for stability. (Some of the explanatory political and social factors involved have modern analogies but that issue is not examined).
Remove that Pyramid! studies on the archaeology and history of predynastic and pharaonic Egypt in honour of Stan Hendrickx Remove that Pyramid! studies on the archaeology and histo...
:
This volume in honour of the career of Stan Hendrickx includes 47 contributions that deal with the archaeology and history of Predynastic and Pharaonic Egypt. Given the influential role that Stan Hendrickx plays on our current knowledge of the Predynastic and Early Dynastic periods, many of the articles cluster in that time frame and deal with topics in material culture, iconography, and archaeology of early Egypt (pottery, stone vessels, lithics, state formation, and rock art). Contributions covering the pharaonic period primarily consist of ceramic studies, another field of expertise of Stan Hendrickx. Several articles focus on sites such as Elkab, Dayr al-Barsha, Adaima, and the Dakhla Oasis, where Stan Hendrickx has been involved as an archaeologist and a ceramologist.
Mapping the past : from sampling sites and landscapes to exploring the 'archaeological continuum' : proceedings of the XVIII UISPP World Congress (4-8 June 2108, Paris, France). $n...
:
Session VIII-1 of UISPP 2018 in Paris ?Mapping the Past? brought together several contributions reflecting on the need to develop sustainable and reliable approaches to mapping our landscape heritage. The session was guided by the crucial concept termed the ?archaeological continuum?. This concept can be defined as a proactive approach to landscape survey based on the summative evidence detected (or detectable) within the area under examination, reducing spatial and chronological gaps as far as possible through the intensive and extensive application of a wide variety of exploratory methods and analytical techniques. Research work across Europe as well as contributions presented in this session have demonstrated that it is now possible to explore the whole landscape of carefully chosen areas and study them as an archaeological continuum. Archaeological interpretations derived from this kind of approach can be expected to reveal different layers of information belonging to a variety of chronological horizons, each displaying mutual physical (stratigraphic) and conceptual relationships within that horizon. The raising of new archaeological questions and also the development of alternative conservation strategies directly stimulated by the radical ideas inherent in the concept of the ?archaeological continuum? are among the major outcomes of the session
Papers from the fifty-third meeting of the Seminar for Arabian Studies : held at the University of Leiden, from Thursday 11th to Saturday 13th July 2019
:
This paper introduces the main results of the excavation at the site of Yughbī during the last season of fieldwork of The Crowded
Desert Project in the north-west of Qatar between March and April 2018. While the area of Yughbī was occupied for a long period
of time, this paper focuses on a small number of stone buildings that dated mainly to the Umayyad period (AD 661–750), but also
with reference to a more extended occupation that may be dated as early as the late Sasanian-Rāshidūn caliphate period (AD
498–661), and perhaps even earlier, to the early ‘Abbāsid period (c. AD 750–900). The Umayyad phase includes stone buildings
that served as a permanent or semi-permanent base for a nomadic group in the process of sedentarization, or recently settled at
the site. The finds of pottery, glass, metals, and other materials indicate that the community living at the site was well integrated
within a wider landscape that included economic interests in the desert and the sea, and even long-distance connections.
Le verre de Sabra al-Mansuriya (Kairouan, Tunisie) - milieu Xe-milieu XIe siècle : Production et consommation vaisselle - contenants - vitrages
:
Knowledge of Islamic glass and its craftsmanship in the medieval period has relied heavily on Middle Eastern literature. The study of workshop and rich glass assemblage from Sabra al-Mansuriya (Kairouan), the Fatimid capital founded in 947/948 and destroyed in 1057, shows that Ifriqiya followed the technological evolutions of glass craftsmanship
The archaeological survey of Sudanese Nubia, 1963-69 : the Pharaonic sites
:
This volume, focusing on pharaonic sites, brings to publication the records of the Archaeological Survey of Sudanese Nubia (ASSN). These records represent a major body of data relating to a region largely now lost to flooding and of considerable importance for understanding the archaeology and history of Nubia.
Glazed brick decoration in the Ancient Near East proceedings of a workshop at the 11th International Congress of the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East (Munich) in April 2018 : f...
:
Glazed bricks applied as a new form of colourful and glossy architectural decor first started to appear in the early Iron Age on monumental buildings of the Ancient Near East. This volume provides an updated overview of the development of glazed bricks and scientific research on the topic.
On the origins of the cartouche and encircling symbolism in Old Kingdom pyramids
:
This study suggests the development of the cartouche was closely related to the monumental encircling symbolism incorporated into the architectural designs of the Old Kingdom pyramids. By employing a new architectural style and a new iconographic symbol, the pharaoh sought to elevate his status above that of the members of his powerful court.
Aristotle's Μετεωρολογικά : meteorology then and now
:
Examining the meteorological aspects of Aristotle's work published as "Meteorologica" books A-D, the authors also ask how they compare now with our understanding of meteorology and climate change. In other words, how well did Aristotle fair when he tried to explain weather 2,300 years ago when there was only logic, eye observation, and past experience, with only primitive instrumentation and a few personalized measurements? While there are scientific issues behind Aristotle's writings, this book is written for the non-specialist. The book uses simple examples to present its case, which will be easily followed by general readers.