Scribing Work Songs at an Archeological Dig in Egypt

Abstract

This article reports research conducted in the northeastern corner of Egypt’s Nile Delta during an excavation at the Mendes archeological dig site in July—August, 2007. Donald Redford, Professor at Pennsylvania State University, accepted the author as the only nonarcheologist that year. In addition to duties of measuring, registering, and storing artifacts as they were unearthed, the author was the first (to her knowledge) to collect work songs at the Mendes site. The purpose of this research was to make digital recordings of regional work songs in the field. Many songs/chants were recorded, transcribed, and categorized as gender specific. Results also showed that cell phone ring tones were now used as pacesetters, which was of interest to area anthropologists.