Thank you, Josie, I had forgotten all about this site:
JANUARY and FEBRUARY 2008
This is an educational web site that aims to provide the viewer with the elements of archaeological work, including the progress of excavation. The daily results are crucial to an understanding of how field investigation takes place, since decisions must be made on the basis of ongoing work. The people involved in the work are also an essential feature and contribute profoundly to the final outcomes. The focus of our diary is thus often on the people and their activities.
In January 2008, Dr. Betsy Bryan once more traveled to Egypt with students. Work at the temple of Mut began later than usual, however, as Dr. Bryan first led fifteen undergraduate and three graduate students on a study tour of Egypt. This intensive intersession course included sites rarely visited in recent years due to result of convoy traffic that moves non-Egyptians at certain times of the day, and only allows stops at a few and unvarying archaeological sites. In order to maximize the opportunity to see Egypt’s remarkable ancient heritage, Dr. Bryan arranged a tour with a private police accompaniment that allowed the students to move whenever and wherever they wished. The group therefore saw numerous sites and with few tourists but themselves. The result of this tour is shown here through the first week’s photographs taken by JHU photographer Will Kirk, who traveled with the group from January 4 to 12. A few that we took ourselves after Will’s departure will also be included.
Beginning with Sunday, February 3 we will also show our work at the Mut temple. Work there began on January 16, as Mr. Charles van Siclen, field director, began work alongside stone mason Franck Burgos. In the summer of 2007 Mr. Burgos dismantled two walls in the Mut temple, where the foundations were seriously endangered. Beneath them was the final deposit of columns placed by Queen Hatshepsut or Thutmose iii between 1479 and 1425 B.C.E. much of the stone from these walls is eroded beyond reuse, so Franck is now rebuilding the wall and will need to cut new stone for the upper courses. Next week, Mr. Burgos will begin to dismantle the east end of the north wall that was our focus in 2006. Within the wall are inscribed and decorated reused blocks, and, as in 2006 and 2007, their preservation and restoration is the goal of our conservators Kent Severson and Hiroko Kariya. Our excellent photographers Jay VanRensselaer and Norman Barker will be documenting our work on the site and at Beit Canada, where Dr. Bryan will continue the analysis of pottery from the last seven seasons.
This version of Hopkins in Egypt today will continue until February 28.
As always, the Johns Hopkins University thanks the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities and, in particular, its Secretary General, Dr. Zahi Hawass, for their ongoing support of our archaeological work in Egypt . The Supreme Council of Antiquities supervises all fieldwork research in Egypt and also monitors and preserves the ancient monuments.
To follow the day to day progress of the JHU Expedition, click on the thumbnail images in the calendar below.
Calendar for January 2008
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Calendar for February 2008
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© The Johns Hopkins University 2008
The images shown on this web site have been approved for one time use through the kindness of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. No other use of any kind is allowed without their further permission.
For additional information contact:
macie.hall@jhu.edu http://www.jhu.edu/egypttoday/