New blog - The archaeology of Egypt's deserts

I've put together a new blog which will focus on the archaeology of Egypt's deserts. Unlike this blog it will include relevant lecture and conference news. Visitors to this blog will know that I am a bit of a desert nut.

I've been copying over some older articles to create something of an archive, and there is more to be added. If you're interested you'll find it at the following address:
http://egyptiandeserts.wordpress.com/

Here's the introduction:

I set up this blog to bring together all the latest news about the archaeology of the beautiful deserts of Egypt.

The Egyptian deserts are home to a rich resource of prehistoric archeaology from the post glacial period when the whether was warmer and wetter and the eastern Sahara was much greener. Even after the climate began to dry in the Predynastic period the oases of the Western Desert continued to be occupied throughout the Pharaonic periods. The Eastern Desert, which has produced extensive evidence for pre-Pharaonic occupation including the earliest evidence for sheep in Egypt, was used extensively for the mining and quarrying of its rock and mineral resources up until the end of the Roman/Byzantine period. In both Eastern and Western Deserts a vast collection rock art has survived.

The geology of the Eastern Desert is one of its most remarkable features. Geology in the Western Desert is more dispersed but is the only place in Egypt where the earliest layers can be seen at the surface.

Sadly, the deserts are under increasing threat from badly managed tourism and unofficial "expeditions".