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Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Drought caused by volcanic eruption led Egyptians to abandon Berenike 2,100 years ago | Daily Mail Online


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-9414687/Drought-caused-volcanic-eruption-led-Egyptians-abandon-Berenike-2-100-years-ago.html

Volcanic eruption sparked a severe drought in an ancient Egyptian port city some 2,100 years ago that forced residents to abandon their homes in search of water, study finds

  • Berenike was founded in 275 BC by Macedonian pharaoh Ptolemy II 
  • An eruption in 209 BC spewed ash and volcanic gas that changed the climate and caused a multi-year drought drought
  • Without their one reliable source of drinking water, residents fled Berenike
  • Artifacts found in sand-filled wells date that desertion to the very end of the 3rd century BC 

Climate change has been influencing human development for thousands of years, according to scientists examining why a well-fortified port city in Egypt was suddenly abandoned more than 2,100 years ago.

Berenike, also known as Berenike Troglodytica, was a fortified city founded in 275 BC by Macedonian pharaoh Ptolemy II, who named it after his mother, Berenice I.

Located on a narrow strip of shore on the west coast of the Red Sea, Berenike relied on an advanced water-storage system for drinking water.

But a volcanic eruption in 209 BC spewed enough gas and ash into the atmosphere to alter the region's climate, setting off a multi-year drought that forced inhabitants to flee.

Archaeologists have found coins, pottery, and other objects in the remains of a newly discovered well that date the desertion of Hellenistic Berenike to the tail end of the third century BC. 

The eruption of an unidentified volcano in approximately 209 BC released large volumes of ash and sulphur into the stratosphere, according to a new report in the journal Antiquity.

The volcanic material blocked sunlight and cooled the atmosphere, causing the traditional summer monsoons that flooded the Nile River to fail.

The failure of the Nile flood, a key element of Egyptian agriculture at the time, had a devastating impact across the region.

Famine is believed to have fueled the Egyptians' rebellion against their Ptolemaic rulers during the Great Theban Revolt of 207-186 BC.

Archaeologists have excavated large pools that would                have held thousands of gallons in what may have been                Berenike's only source of drinking water.                Pictured: Interior of the well in the gate complex

Archaeologists have excavated large pools that would have held thousands of gallons in what may have been Berenike's only source of drinking water. Pictured: Interior of the well in the gate complex

The Ptolemaic dynasty was a Macedonian Greek royal family that ruled ancient Egypt from 305 to 30 BC. 

Ptolemy II Philadelphus, son of the dynasty's founder, established Berenike in 275 BC and it quickly became a trade center for exotic goods from India, Arabia and other parts of Egypt, and a way station for African 'war elephants' sent to fight in various battles. 

But the desert route to Berenike was closed by the drought, which also 'disrupted the long-distance sea routes that the city was dependent upon,' Heritage Daily reports, leading to its abandonment for nearly a half-century.

The ruins of Berenike were first discovered in 1818, though it wasn't until the 1990s that excavations finally began.

Evidence at the newly discovered well at Berenike                suggests the city was abandoned in the late third century                BC because of a multi-year drought caused by a volcanic                eruption in 209 filling the stratosphere with sulphuric                gas and ash and altering the climate

Evidence at the newly discovered well at Berenike suggests the city was abandoned in the late third century BC because of a multi-year drought caused by a volcanic eruption in 209 filling the stratosphere with sulphuric gas and ash and altering the climate

Coins, amphora, and other objects in the remains of a                newly discovered well date the desertion of Hellenistic                Berenike to the tail end of the third century BC

Coins, amphora, and other objects in the remains of a newly discovered well date the desertion of Hellenistic Berenike to the tail end of the third century BC

In 2019, researchers from the University of Warsaw discovered the remains of the Hellenistic fortress, with three large courtyards and numerous structures housing workshops and stores.

They also found a massive well for collecting water near the northwest corner of the fortress, immediately inside a gate through the outer wall.

It housed a series of large pools, the two largest of which may have had a total capacity of over 4,500 gallons, Polish archaeologist Marek Woźniak noted in a 2019 report in Antiquity.

Water was probably taken from the well using a shadouf, an early crane-like implement composed of a pivoting wooden pole with a rope at one end attached to an amphora or bucket and a stone counterweight attached to the other end of the pole.  

The water was stored in basins lined with hydraulic lime plaster, which improved water quality 'through aeration and by allowing suspended solids to settle,' the researchers said.

Founded in 275 BC by Macedonian king Ptolemy II,                Berenike was a fortified port that served as trade center                for exotic goods from India, Arabia and other parts of                Egypt

Founded in 275 BC by Macedonian king Ptolemy II, Berenike was a fortified port that served as trade center for exotic goods from India, Arabia and other parts of Egypt 

'This area was clearly important for water storage – also indicated by the presence of installations for the drainage and collection of rainwater adjacent to the gatehouse to the east,' he said.

The installation 'demonstrates that there was sufficient rainfall to make collection worthwhile, suggesting a more humid climate than today,' Woźniak wrote.

Plans of the early Hellenistic gate complex on                Berenike's western ridge. Archaelogists found a massive                well for collecting water near the northwest corner of the                fortress, immediately inside a gate through the outer                wall

Plans of the early Hellenistic gate complex on Berenike's western ridge. Archaelogists found a massive well for collecting water near the northwest corner of the fortress, immediately inside a gate through the outer wall

The city's limited water supply was taxed even more by a population increase in the second half of the third century BC, 'as would the contemporaneous increase in ship and caravan traffic leaving Berenike.'  

Then the drought caused the well to dry up and be buried under windblown sand.

As reported in Antiquity this month, Woźniak and University of Toledo geologist James Harrell painstakingly removed the layers of sand that had filled in the well.

Underneath, they found coins, pottery and other artifacts that puts the abandonment of Hellenistic Berenike at the very tail end of the third century BC.

'This well represents one of - if not the only - source of drinking water for the inhabitants of the fortress,' the researchers write. 

Bronze coins recovered from the upper layers of the windblown sand came from a mint in Joppa, Israel, and must have been minted some time before 199 BC, when the mint ceased production.

Pottery found in the sand can be traced to the same era, probably during the reign of Ptolemy III or IV, who ruled from 246 to 222 BC and 221 to 204, respectively.

Pictured: Gypsum counterweight (inset) and fragments                of amphora buckets found in the well's southwest                niche. Wood charcoal from hearths found near the bottom of                the well suggests the complex was used as a basic shelter                after the well had run dry

Pictured: Gypsum counterweight (inset) and fragments of amphora buckets found in the well's southwest niche. Wood charcoal from hearths found near the bottom of the well suggests the complex was used as a basic shelter after the well had run dry

'The complete absence of later coins and pottery is a further testament to the rapid infilling of the well and basins after they went out of use,' Woźniak and Harrell wrote.

Wood charcoal from two hearths found near the bottom of the well suggests the complex was being used as a basic shelter after the well had gone dry.  

'As this is the only such structure so far discovered along the Red Sea coast, it allows us to observe, for the first time, how climate can affect the functioning of an ancient settlement in such an extreme environment,' the researchers indicated.

'It also enables us to explore the relationship between geological and climatic phenomena on the one hand, and economic, logistical and political factors on the other.'

The city was later reoccupied in the latter part of the second century BC, becoming even more prosperous as a Roman port city.

Earlier this year, archaeologists reported finding the world's oldest known pet cemetery in Berenike.

By the mid sixth century, though, the city was abandoned once more and never reoccupied.

"The Berenike excavations have not only uncovered the first Hellenistic city on the East African coast, but have also contributed to a better understanding of the effect of natural disasters on ancient societies," the researchers said.

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Sunday, March 28, 2021

"Redeeming Demons" in ancient Egypt, conference April 10.


In addition to registering, please feel free to post either of the attached flyers far and wide.

Glenn


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Sent from my Linux system.

Friday, March 26, 2021

"Redeeming Demons" conference April 10.

Register for this conference. 

 


Face of Ancient Egyptian pharaoh believed to be King Tut's lost DAD revealed

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/14454919/ancient-egyptian-face-king-tutankhamun-dad-akhenaten/

ANCIENT FACES

Face of Ancient Egyptian pharaoh believed to be King Tut's lost DAD revealed

THE long-lost face of an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh has been revealed – and it might be Tutankhamun's father.

Scientists have painstakingly recreated what they believe the late Egyptian ruler may have looked like 3,300 years ago.

This may be the face of King Tutankhamun's father
3
This may be the face of King Tutankhamun's fatherCredit: FAPAB, Sicily

The remains of the mystery figure were found in Egpyt's Valley of the Kings in 1907.

It became known as tomb KV55, and was found very close to the tomb of Tutankhamun himself.

There are several theories about who the body inside the tomb belonged to.

But whoever it may be, scientists have now managed to recreate the ancient face of the mystery pharaoh.

The process took researchers at Sicily's FAPAB centre and 3D forensic artist Cicero Moraes months to create.

They modelled muscles and ligaments onto the skull, then placed skin on top using computer-modelled values.

The skull was modelled and then used to create a              lifelike face
3
The skull was modelled and then used to create a lifelike faceCredit: FAPAB, Sicily

And it ultimately gives us a glimpse of a key figure in Egyptian history.

There is one primary theory regarding who the skeleton belonged to: King Tutankahumn's biological father.

Genetic studies indicated that the body was the son of Amenhotep III, and ultimately Tutankhamun's dad Akhenaten.

However, not all scientists are convinced by this, as incest among ancient Egyptian royals was common.

Computer modelling was used to create an anatomically              accurate rendering of the KV55 body's head
3
Computer modelling was used to create an anatomically accurate rendering of the KV55 body's headCredit: FAPAB, Sicily

Akhenaten reigned from 1351 to 1334BC, and was originally known as Amenhotep IV.

During his rule, Akhenaten abandoned Egypt's polytheistic belief system to worship one god, Aten.

Aten was believed to be an aspect of Ra, the Sun deity.

This new monotheistic system has been called Atenism, and was the main official religion in Egypt for about 20 years.

Curse of the Pharaohs – who died after King Tutankhamun's tomb was opened?

Tutankhamun's tomb was opened on November 29, 1922. These are the deaths that followed...

  • Lord Carnarvon (died April 5, 1923) – a financial backer of the excavation, he died from an infected mosquito bite
  • George Jay Gould I (died May 16, 1923) – a tomb visitor who died from a fever following his visit
  • Prince Ali Kamel Fahmy Bey (died July 10, 1923) – an Egyptian prince who was shot and killed by his wife
  • Colonel The Hon. Aubrey Herbert, MP (died September 26, 1923) – the half-brother of Lord Cardnarvon, he died from blood poisoning related to dental work
  • Sir Archibald Douglas-Reid (died January 15, 1924) – the radiologist who X-Ray Tut's tomb died from a mysterious illness
  • Sir Lee Stack (died November 19, 1924) – the Governer-General of Sudan was assassinated driving through Egypt's capital, Cairo
  • A. C. Mace (died April 6, 1928) – a member of Howard Carter's excavation team, he died from arsenic poisoning
  • The Hon. Mervyn Herbert (died May 26, 1929) – another half-brother of Lord Carnarvon, he died from malarial pneumonia
  • Captain The Hon. Richard Bethell (died November 15, 1929) – Howard Carter's personal secretary, he died from a suspected smothering in a Mayfair club
  • Richard Luttrell Pilkington Bethell (died February 20, 1930) – father of Richard Bethell, he supposedly threw himself off his seventh floor apartment
  • Howard Carter (died February 16, 1923) – Carter opened Tut's tomb, and died aged 64 from Hodgkin's disease. His older brother William died the same year

The ruler proved so controversial that his monuments were dismantled after death, and his name was even excluded from some pharaohs' later lists of rulers.

Akhenaten was largely lost to history until the 19th century, when a city named Amarna that he built to worship Aten was discovered.

This research was conducted by the Forensic Anthropology, Palaeopathology, Bioarchaeology Research Centre in Sicily.

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Thursday, March 25, 2021

ARCE Events: The Arts of Ancient Meroe: Reassessing an Ancient African Visual Culture

Dr. Janice Yellin is a leading authority in Meroitic and Kushite studies, and was the director of the former Royal Pyramids of Kush Project. Years ago when I was trying to sort out what was going on with Meroitic art, her work was invaluable. Don't miss this talk!

Glenn

Register today!

 

Upcoming April Virtual Lecture

Register Today!


Public Access*
Title: The Arts of Ancient Meroe: Reassessing an Ancient African Visual Culture
Date and Time: April 3rd at 1:00 PM Eastern Time/ 7:00 PM Eastern European Time
Speaker: Janice Yellin; Babson College 
 
This presentation will explore the essential Kushite nature of ancient Meroitic art demonstrating how an Egyptocentric approach has, as in other areas of Kushite Studies, distorted our understanding of it. While providing visual pleasure in its own right, an exploration of Meroitic art free of an Egyptocentric viewpoint offers insights into the minds, activities, and tastes of the Middle Nile Valley's ancient inhabitants- a particularly precious gift given that written sources from Meroe are both scarce and not fully translated. 
 
*Registration will close 24 hours in advance of the lecture time. 
 
 

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Egypt’s highly anticipated royal mummies parade set for 3 April - Daily News Egypt

https://dailynewsegypt.com/2021/03/23/egypts-highly-anticipated-royal-mummies-parade-set-for-3-april/

Egypt's highly anticipated royal mummies parade set for 3 April

Parade will take place with great fanfare, before settling in new home at Fustat


Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has announced that the highly anticipated parade of mummies for Ancient Egyptian kings will take place in Cairo on 3 April.

On the day, 22 royal mummies will be transferred in a magnificent parade from their current home in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo's Tahrir Square, to their new permanent display in Fustat's National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.

The royal mummies that will be put on display at the new museum belong to the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Dynasties, and include 18 mummies of pharaohs, and four of queens.

The mummies include those of the Pharaohs: Ramses II; Ramses IX; Ramses VI; Ramses V; Seti I; Seqenenre; and Thutmose III. The queens that will be transferred are: Hatshepsut; Meritamun, the wife of King Amenhotep I; and Ahmose Nefertari, the wife of King Ahmose.

The scene will begin when the doors of the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square are opened at night, to allow the 22 mummies to come out for the last time.

The mummies will be transferred in specially constructed cars for the procession, bearing a logo and the name of the royal mummy present in the car in Arabic, English, as well as hieroglyphs.

War chariots, also specially made for the occasion, and will be present on both sides of the road during the parade, along with horses.

Before the start of the parade, a 21 gun salute will take place in honour of the ancient rulers, and to signal the exit of the cars, one after the other, from the main museum gate. These will move in a circular shape in Tahrir Square itself, and revolve around the obelisk that now lies at the centre of the square.

At the same time, the obelisk and the buildings around it will be lit up for the occasion, before seeing the procession run along the banks of the River Nile. The procession path includes eight points, the most important of which are Tahrir Square and the Ain Sira Lake. The ceremony and parade will be broadcast, with TV screens set to be placed in the streets. 

The procession will feature military music, with an impressive artistic performance to be displayed in celebration of the royal exit from the museum. A number of actors will participate in the ceremony, talking from different tourism destinations, including Sawsan Badr, Hussein Fahmy, Mona Zaki, and others.

Speaking in an interview with local media, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Anani said the procession of royal mummies will take approximately 40 minutes. The whole ceremony, however, will last for 90 minutes, as there are set to be activities before and after the procession.

"We want the world to see the beauty of Egypt's civilisation, with the procession set to be dazzling, different from any other celebration, and among the most beautiful celebrations that the people of the world will see," according to El-Anani, "Everything will start in the dark, then one building after another will be lit, and the lights of Tahrir Square, the lake, and the choir will be singing in the Ancient Egyptian language."

The minister called on those interested in watching the procession to do so from the comfort of their homes, due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The mummies will reach their permanent display in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization at the end of the parade, to settle inside a dedicated hall called the Royal Mummies Gallery.

Ahmed Ghoneim, head of the National Museum of Civilization, said in an interview with local media, that each mummy will be placed in a nitrogen capsule for the sake of its safety.

The ancient remains will not be displayed in the museum until two weeks after their arrival, with Ghoneim saying that the Royal Mummies Gallery is set out in such a way to make visitors feel that it is similar to a "tomb".

There will be a set of X-rays also present, each telling the story of the kings and queens present in the gallery.

He pointed out that the museum will open on 3 April, to receive the public from 4 April, with the mummies on display after two weeks. Ghoneim noted that the transfer of the mummies will be a festival and celebration in which many authorities, bodies and ministries are set to participate.

Talking to Daily News Egypt, the world renowned Egyptologist and former Minister of Antiquities Zahi Hawass said that the transportation of the mummies is very important for the museum.

He noted that, if the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization were to be opened without a starring exhibit, then few visitors would bother to pay the museum attention.


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