The Belgian Excavations at Deir al-Barsja, Season 20031

Abstract

The mission of the KU Leuven at Deir al-Barsha realised its second season. Research in the quarries led to the discovery of hundreds of new inscriptions of the time of Nectanebo I and II. Much time was devoted to the study of a large graffito depicting forty, mostly Greek, ships. Another interesting discovery is the presence of quarry graffiti dated to years 10 and 11 of Akhenaten. In the area of the nomarchal tombs of the Middle Kingdom, the epigraphic record of tombs 8-10 was finished. The clearance in and in front of the tomb of Djehutihotep was pursued. This has led to a better understanding of the architecture of the monument, to the rediscovery of four tomb shafts of the subordinates of the nomarch, and to the recovery of parts of Djehutihotep's tomb equipment. The excavation of some pits inside the tomb led to the discovery of decorated wall fragments. Further downhill Old Kingdom tombs on the northern flank of the wadi were excavated. Some tomb equipment of that date or slightly later has been found, but the area turns out to have been intensively reused in later periods as well. Interestingly, numerous tombs turn out to contain Second Intermediate Period burials containing ceramic of Upper Egyptian style. Some tombs also yielded burials of Graeco-Roman date. In and around the early Christian habitations much evidence was found of food consumption on a grand scale. The excavation in the plain led to the discovery of an untouched cemetery area. The tombs date to the early Middle Kingdom and at least one was undisturbed.