Time flies
as the wise ones say, and for sure we wonder where the last three weeks did disappear
to. Our last blog post was a “report” half-way into the season, and we believed
that more would come each week, but hey, better late than never.
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| View of Silsila East's sphinx protector |
As we entered
the last week of this spring season we looked back at the past period and the wealth
of information that we have achieved by continuing our observations and
documentation. From the demotic, hieratic and Greek inscriptions, incorporating
also our first Latin text (!), to the discovery of the various huts, workshops,
causeways and ramps that facilitated the removal and transportation of the
stone to the edges of the Nile where the awaiting flotilla of boats once stood
waiting to carry blocks to their respective destinations within Upper Egypt…: the
last three weeks on site were filled with exciting information and findings.
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| One of the many quays |
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| Mohamed Mohsen |
Quarries are
not everyone’s cup of tea, and for some a quarry conjures images of piles of
stone and huge machinery that can grab, lift and deposit huge amounts of stone
in one swift movement, but what Silsila offers us is an insight and moment in
time where man had only his hands and his brute strength to accomplish the task,
and then could get help of his bovine friends to haul the finished product.
This season’s work has included a much more detailed study of the extraction
process including the “infrastructure” that was built into the living rock such
as rope holes, foot holes and post holes that would have facilitated the
movement of the stone and also the scaffolding that was required to allow the
quarrymen to work at such heights without the fear of falling. The
documentation of these small but significant details have also allowed us to
begin building a picture of what the quarries may have looked like and how they
were managed. Thus, we have considered the ancients’ management of time and manpower
among the quarrymen, and how important this management would have been to the
further development of the site.
John’s study of the spoil heaps is one example
and it reveals not only topographic information, but more importantly the
ancients’ forward thinking: deposits of unwanted spoil were placed in strategic
locations were the heaps would not interfere with subsequent quarrying that
would need to take place to take advantage of quality stone, and the placement
of spoil was clearly included in the overall planning and development of the
quarry.
Epigraphically this season has allowed a deeper insight into the latter phase of quarrying at Silsila as we have come to know some of the ancient individuals in more detail. The Egyptian Tutu, or Totoes as he was called by the Greeks, worked in one of Silsila’s quarries during the time of Tiberius, but he was neither the first nor the last in his family to work here as we have recorded also his father, grandfather, and indeed also his son! This season has also revealed more information concerning the complex quarry marking systems, and we can now understand that the systems changed over time, developing in function, meaning and intention in line with the socio-religious changes that Egypt experienced (at least) between the 18th dynasty and the Roman period. Thus, we have documented examples of Pharaonic quarry marks with a more practical function, such as traditional identity marks, as well as marking systems with an evidentially symbolic significance, alluding to a more superstitious ritualistic function.
Additionally
we have learnt more than we could have ever hoped for in terms of the ancient
extraction process itself by studying in detail the various tell tales on the
vertical quarry faces as well as the more informative ledges and thinner
shelves. Together these details provide us with standardized block size (or the
lack of such!), tool size, working direction, if the workers followed the
natural strata or if they forced their way in regardless, if they quarried in
closed gallery-style like in the limestone quarries, in open galleries, or
possibly both with one ruler destroying a previous’ work… Distinct differences in
quarrying technique were noted not only from one kingdom to another, or between
the dynasties, but sometimes from one ruler to the next!
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| Spoil heaps around the Rameside quarries |
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| The famous stela of Amenhotep IV |
There are
still many questions to be answered, details that require further analysis, such
as where and how the quarrymen lived while at the site, if they were a group of
highly skilled craftsmen or just a handful of hefty built laborers who lacked
the refinements of grace and social interaction; were they slaves, prisoners of
wars and battles who were set to live the remainder of their lives as forced labor,
etc.? We ask ourselves if it is possible at all to answer these questions in general
terms, and acknowledge the importance of recording even the slightest difference
when dealing with different time periods. Of course, there are written records
of quarrying process elsewhere, especially during the Ptolemaic and Roman
periods, but so far there are no documented informative ostraca, papyri or
other administrative records that provide us detailed information about the
work organization at Silsila during its various ancient visitors. The records that we do have at Silsila that
actually mention quarrying, such as the commemorative stelai of Amenhotep III, Seti
and Ramses, are likely overdramatic in their figures, glorifying respective
pharaoh when exaggerating the numbers of workers and especially the soldiers
that accompanied them. Day by day Silsila reveals bits of information that
enable us to build up an idea of this organization, but like so many other
sites around Egypt, Silsila’s continuation of usage often complicates an
archaeologist’s work in interpreting the material.
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| The fallen stela of Ramses II |
Every
archaeologist and/or surveyor knows too well that the juiciest bits of
information are revealed too often in the last week or even the last day; so
was the case also for us as we moved on from the Roman quarries into the
Ramesside quarries with some sneak peeks in the quarries of Amenhotep III and
IV as well as a quarry area that was extracted by a so far unidentified pharaoh.
However, the findings, our dear followers, will remain as a cliff hanger for
our autumn season!
Writing a
blog is akin to emptying ones thoughts and theories upon a page without the
usual recourse and obligatory rules and regulations that should accompany any
paper. However, it also allows us to accomplish the desire to share with you,
our readers, the experience of what has taken place; in a small and yet
confined space it allows us to take you there and, hopefully by doing so, bring
to your attention the importance of Silsila from our perspective. During the
past few weeks we have shared with you some of our insights by posting images “live”
using today’s wonderful social networking instruments (twitter, instagram,
facebook, etc.), which have allowed us to remain in contact with those who
follow our work closely. We hope that these tools, although frowned upon by some,
have brought the site to life, spreading its importance within the rich
tapestry of Egypt’s history from the Prehistoric period through the Dynasties
and into the age of integration with Greek and Roman colonists.
Although the
spring season is now completed there is no rest for the wicked and we will
return out in field again in September: we hope to have you by our cyber-side
also then!
Until next
time, thank you for following us, for your support and encouragement!
So, in ancient style we perform our proskynema and bow down with
gratefulness to “Madam Silsila” and her animal inhabitants for keeping us safe
and protected during our visit; and while uttering words of thankfulness we
acknowledge how truly honoured and blessed we are to work in such an amazing
site!
Maria and John
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| Baby owl |
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| Horus of Silsila |
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| Baby bat with very cute feet |
Acknowledgements:
The Gebel el Silsila Survey Project Team owe their deepest
gratitude to the members of the Permanent Committee for giving us permission to
work at Silsila. Our gratefulness is directed also to the inspectorates of Kom
Ombo, especially Ahmed Saeed and Mohamed Ngar, and Director Abd el Moniem Said,
and equally to the General Directors of Aswan Mr. Abd Elhakim Haddad and Mr.
Fathy Abuzied, and to the inspectors assigned to our project, Mr. Mohamed Ahmed
Abdullah and Mr. Mohamed Mohsen Mohamed, as well as to the local guardians at
Silsila, in particular Mr. Ibrahim and Mr. Ashraf.
The team owe equal thankfulness and recognition to
Lund University and the following foundations:
Kungl. Vetenskapsakademin – Enboms stiftelse, Kungl. Vitterhetsakademin, Mangus Bergvalls
stiftelse, Helge Ax:son Johnsons stiftelse, Birgit and Gad Rausings stiftelse,
and Vetenskapsrådet, which each and everyone has enabled
the continuation of the surveying of Silsila and the study of its quarry
marking systems!
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| Fisherman on the Nile |
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| Speos of Horemheb during night time |
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| photographing... |
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| Shihad, our all-in-one super hero! |
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| Adrienn |
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| Abdul, our dear friend who took so good care of us on our floating survey home |
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| a somewhat heavy boat carrying stone |
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| our floating survey home |
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| Mr. Mohamed Abdullah copying a Greek text |
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| Adrienn's friends ;-) |
