Abstract
The Abusir Drill Core Survey was an investigation of the geoarchaeological deposits in the valley floor of the Abusir pyramid complex, at the apex of the Nile delta in Lower Egypt. The project, part of the author’s PhD research, was graciously funded by the London-based Egypt Exploration Society (E.E.S.). David Jeffreys of the Institute of Archaeology, UCL, supervised the survey, in conjunction with his on-going E.E.S. Survey of Memphis project.
Highlights
The Abusir Drill Core Survey was an investigation of the geoarchaeological deposits in the valley floor of the Abusir pyramid complex, at the apex of the Nile delta in Lower Egypt
On the one hand it is argued that a large settlement, a pyramid town, was directly associated with the pyramid complex, probably located on the valley floor (Goelet 1999; Stadelmann 1991), on the other, it is proposed that a large lake existed at the foot of the desert escarpment at that time (Goedicke 2000; Verner 1992)
Of the other 14 cores, eight had a profile of solid, clean, sand. These eight samples were abandoned before a depth of four metres because the core cavity would collapse as a result of a waterlogged, sandy deposit. These cores did not penetrate into the Old Kingdom levels, they contributed crucial information regarding the depositional history of the site
Summary
The Abusir Drill Core Survey was an investigation of the geoarchaeological deposits in the valley floor of the Abusir pyramid complex, at the apex of the Nile delta in Lower Egypt. The project’s objective was to systematically test the Abusir valley floor using a manual drill core, to settle a debate regarding the ancient landscape of Abusir during the Old Kingdom, circa 2 400 BCE. As a result of the annual inundation, the floodplain was aggregated at an average rate of 10 cm per century or one metre per millennium (Butzer 1976) This estimate would place approximately four metres of sediment on top of any settlement dating to the second millennium BCE. Since the construction of the Aswan high-dam in 1968, the level of the water table has risen significantly to approximately 50 cm below the modern ground level (Málek 2000) Considering these conditions, drill core testing is the best available technique for extracting geoarchaeological samples and allows a large subsurface area to be surveyed within a relatively short period of time. Every 10 - 20 cm, the drill-head is extracted
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
