Tell Basta blog - 2011 season

Tell Basta blog

With photos.

We’ve been here at Tell Basta for more than a week now and work has begun on the detailed documentation of the finds of the last season, especially glass (by Dr Daniela Rosenow), pottery (by Mandy Mamedow) and terracotta (by Dr Veit Vaelske). These studies should provide interesting insights into the material culture of Bubastis from the Third Intermediate Period until the early Middle Ages as well as new information on trade and cultural relations with other regions - both within Egypt as in the wider Mediterranean world.

In addition epigraphic work, conducted by Eva Lange, has started in the temple. Here the reliefs of the Entrance hall of Osorkon I will be drawn on plastic sheets after identifying the blocks already published by Naville. This work is especially interesting and challenging as we have to play ‘hide and seek’ to find those published by Naville among the heaps of blocks, many of them enormous, which once formed the edifice.