Sites In Egypt Research Articles

LAMQS analysis applied to ancient Egyptian bronze coins

Abstract Some Egyptian bronze coins, dated VI–VII sec A.D. are analyzed through different physical techniques in order to compare their composition and morphology and to identify their origin and the type of manufacture. The investigations have been performed by using micro-invasive analysis, such as Laser Ablation and Mass Quadrupole Spectrometry (LAMQS), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), Electronic (SEM) and Optical Microscopy, Surface Profile Analysis (SPA) and density measurements. Results indicate that the coins have a similar bulk composition but significant differences have been evidenced due to different constituents of the patina, bulk alloy composition, isotopic ratios, density and surface morphology. The results are in agreement with the archaeological expectations, indicating that the coins have been produced in two different Egypt sites: Alexandria and Antinoupolis. A group of fake coins produced in Alexandria in the same historical period is also identified.

Adsorption models of 137Cs radionuclide and Sr (II) on some Egyptian soils

Distribution of cesium ( 134Cs and 137Cs) and strontium (Sr-II) between soil/water phases depends on many factors such as concentration of these ions between phases, the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the soil as well as its clay content, chemical composition (especially Na, K, Ca, and Mg ions), grain size distribution, calcite, iron oxide content, and organic coatings. Distribution coefficients (Kd) of cesium (labeled with 137Cs) and strontium were measured on the grain size distributions ≥32 μm of four soil samples. These soils were obtained from four different locations within Inshas site in Egypt and three groundwater samples were obtained from the same site locations. X-ray diffraction showed that the soil samples consisted mainly of quartz mixed with the minor amounts of kaolonite and clay minerals. Sorption experiments were carried out at strontium aqueous concentrations range 10 −7 to 10 −4 mol l −1. The CEC and Kds for cesium and strontium were measured at the same metal concentrations range. Distribution coefficients of cesium were found to be influenced by the composition of the soil, while the distribution coefficients of strontium were found to depend on calcium concentrations in the soil/groundwater system. The aim of this study was to determine the safety assessment of disposal 137Cs radionuclide and Sr(II) in the aquifer regions inside the Inshas site. Sequential extraction tests showed that, strontium was associated with the carbonate fractions and majority of cesium was sorbed on the iron oxides and the residue.

Quantifying tomb geometries in resistivity images using watershed algorithms

Quantifying the geometries (defined here as width, height and depth of burial) of archeological structures within resistivity models produced as a result of the regularization constraints used in most inversion algorithms is difficult, especially when structures are closely spaced. Here we apply the watershed by simulated immersion method of boundary detection to smooth 2D resistivity images generated for synthetic and field data over 3D targets. The synthetic studies include a single cavity model, a model for two widely spaced cavities (spacing ≫ unit electrode spacing) and a model for two closely spaced cavities (spacing < unit electrode spacing). We also examine a single-cavity model where a relatively resistive overburden, common at archaeological sites in Egypt, is included. In the case of the single cavity models, the maximum error for any geometries are 18% for the model without the resistive overburden and 10% for the model where the overburden is included, whereas it increases to 24% for the widely spaced model and 40% for the closely spaced model. Despite, the higher errors in the closely spaced cavity model, application of the algorithm confirms the presence of two features, which is not ascertainable from the smooth resistivity images. Boundaries detected with the watershed algorithm are subsequently used to define a disconnect in the regularization, resulting in a markedly improved estimate of the resistivity structure (particularly for the closely spaced cavity model) in a second inversion step using the model obtained from the smoothness constraint inversion as the starting model. This revised resistivity model also results in a lower root-mean-square (rms) misfit between measured and theoretical data, and between synthetic and inverted models. We demonstrate how the method can be applied on images from the archaeological site at Qurnet Murai, Luxor City Egypt.

Conservation implications of flight initiation distance and refuge use in Corn Crakes Crex crex at a migration stopover site

Cryptic animals commonly wait until an approaching predator is near them before fleeing, i.e. they have short flight initiation distances. We determined flight initiation distances in the Corn Crake Crex crex, a species of conservation concern, at a stopover site in Egypt where this species is hunted with cast nets. When approached by a person, Corn Crakes had short flight initiation distances (2.8±0.1 m), and these distances were not correlated with the distance at which the person started the approach, in contrast to previous findings in other species. After fleeing, crakes predictably chose to hide under the tallest plant in the area where they landed. The combination of a short flight initiation distance and a tendency to select predictable refuges is likely to make this species and others with similar traits particularly vulnerable to human hunting.

Wind flow modeling and simulation over the Giza Plateau cultural heritage site in Egypt

In this article, the wind flow over one of the most important Egyptian historical heritage sites, the Giza Plateau, was investigated using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) state-of-the-art techniques. The present study addresses the influences of wind flow structure, as an important denudation factor, on the site and its famous monuments: the Pyramids and the Great Sphinx. Three-dimensional CFD simulations have been performed based on the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations for the cases of the northwest wind, at the average wind speed over the year, and the southwest windstorms. In addition, the wind-driven sand was considered for the same cases. Particular attention was paid to the Great Sphinx and the Pyramids to investigate their parts most vulnerable to the wind, which is contributing to the erosion of these monuments. The Great Sphinx was buried by sand and it was cleared several times throughout its history. In this study, we also address the less understood, yet important, burial mechanism of the Great Sphinx. The present work may give more insight to the effect of wind around the Giza Plateau when developing a global plan for conserving and protecting the site.

Degradation of methomyl by the novel bacterial strain Stenotrophomonas maltophilia M1

The use of microorganisms in the degradation and detoxification of many toxic xenobiotics, especially pesticides, is an efficient tool for the decontamination of polluted sites in the environment. A novel bacterial strain (M1) was isolated from several water samples contaminated with methomyl which is capable of degrading methomyl pesticide (1000 ppm) in the presence of 0.05% glucose. These water samples were collected from different irrigation sites in Egypt where methomyl is heavily applied. The partial sequence of 16SrRNA gene of the isolate showed the highest similarity to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia . Restriction fragment patterns of isolated plasmid DNA showed that this strain harbours two different plasmids PMa (8Kb) and PMb (5Kb). PMb succeeded to be transferred to Escherichia coli DH5α strain. This transformed strain (M2) acquired the ability to grow in the presence of methomyl (1000 ppm) and 0.05% glucose. So it was deduced that the gene responsible for the degradation process was encoded by this plasmid. The ability of the two strains M1 and M2 to degrade methomyl was detected by using solid phased extraction coupled to capillary liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-ESI-MS).

On-site analysis of archaeological artifacts excavated from the site on the outcrop at Northwest Saqqara, Egypt, by using a newly developed portable fluorescence spectrometer and diffractometer

Blue-painted pottery was produced in the New Kingdom, Egypt, and decorated with blue, red, and black pigment. In this study, two newly developed portable instruments, a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and a portable X-ray powder diffractometer, were brought to the site on the outcrop at Northwest Saqqara, an archaeological site in Egypt, to verify their performance in on-site analysis of excavated artifacts at the site. Pigments used for the blue-painted pottery and plasters in the New Kingdom were analyzed by these instruments on the basis of both their chemical compositions and crystal-structural information. The blue pigments were identified as two different pigments, Egyptian blue and cobalt blue. The diffraction pattern of the blue pigment of the painted pottery exhibited that of spinel structure. The XRF spectrum of the blue pigment obtained by the same instrument from the same position indicates the presence of Mn, Co, Fe, Ni, and Zn. The possibility of compositional transitions of the cobalt blue pigment with time was revealed on by detailed analysis of the XRF data. The reason for the transitions is considered together with the archaeological background of the New Kingdom, Egypt.

Change in chemical composition of early Islamic glass excavated in Raya,Sinai Peninsula, Egypt: on-site analyses using a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer

The Raya port (eighth to 12th centuries) on the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, was one of the important port cities for the Red Sea trade. We performed on-site analyses of Islamic glass vessels (used in eighth to 11th centuries) mainly from this site in Egypt using a portable XRF spectrometer. The aim of this paper is to contribute to our understanding of the chemical compositions of early Islamic glass vessels by comparing their archaeological date and typology. In the early Islamic period, glass objects were mainly produced from natron as the soda source. Among the natron glass analyzed in this study, glass vessels with low titanium and iron and high strontium contents, which were probably produced in the Syria–Palestine region, were excavated in the eighth century layer. From the ninth century layer, a large number of samples with high levels of calcium, titanium and iron, probably produced in Egypt, were found. It should be noted that a large number of glass vessels with this chemical composition were found at the Raya site, because this type of glass was rarely reported from other Islamic sites. We finally concluded that this type of glass seems to be produced under a fixed recipe, although some samples contain a colorant or decolorized materials.

Viability analysis of PV power plants in Egypt

This paper investigates, from techno-economical and environmental points of view, the feasible sites in Egypt to build a 10 MW PV-grid connected power plant. Available PV-modules are assessed and a module is selected for this study. The long-term meteorological parameters for each of the 29 considered sites in Egypt from NASA renewable energy resource website (Surface meteorology and Solar Energy) are collected and analyzed in order to study the behaviors of solar radiations, sunshine duration, air temperature, and humidity over Egypt, and also to determine the compatibility of the meteorological parameters in Egypt with the safety operating conditions (SOC) of PV-modules. The project viability analysis is performed using RETScreen version 4.0 software through electric energy production analysis, financial analysis, and GHG emission analysis. The study show that placement of the proposed 10 MW PV-grid connected power plant at Wahat Kharga site offers the highest profitability, energy production, and GHG emission reduction. The lowest profitability and energy production values are offered at Safaga site. Therefore, it is recommended to start building large-scale PV power plants projects at Wahat Kharga site.

Ion beam analysis of ancient Egyptian wall paintings

Polychromatic decorations of ancient Egyptians tombs and temples have a long tradition over three millennia but are hard to identify because many pigments have been subjected to severe chemical reactions, which have entirely changed their original colours. Optical microscopy, PIXE and microbeam-PIXE have been used for determination of the nature of pigments, their chronology, and identification of domestic and imported materials. Paint flakes from various archeological sites in Egypt were analyzed: we report the results of the analysis of samples which were collected at the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III (Habu Town), and the tombs of Tuthmosis III (Valley of the Kings) and Sennefer (Valley of the Noblemen). The paint is composed of grains of sizes typically ranging from 50 μm to 300 μm embedded in binding material and has great non-uniformity of pigment depth and lateral distributions and discontinuity of the paint layers. Qualitative analysis using broad beam PIXE has been performed to allow determination of the average composition of both support and pigments. Microbeam-PIXE has been used for mapping of selected grains. Goethite FeO(OH) (yellow), orpiment As 2S 3 (green), and the two blues: Egyptian Blue CaCuSi 4O 10 and Green Frit CaCuSiO 3 (mixed with the red haematite Fe 2O 3) were identified, and interesting details of the painting technique of ancient masters, like blending of pigments and the use of multilayer structures, were revealed.

An Empirical Method for Estimating Global Solar Radiation over Egypt

Global solar radiation has been estimated on the basis of measurements of sunshine duration for different selected sites in Egypt; (Marsa-Matruh, Cairo, Aswan, Al-Kharga, Abu-Simble and Halaib-Shalatin). The regression coefficients (a) and (b) of Angstrom type correlation are calculated for the selected sites. The values of the regression coefficients are found to vary from 0.219–0.611 and 0.107–0.576, respectively. These values have been calculated by three different approaches. The estimated values of the global solar radiation are compared with the measured values. Although the (a) and (b) values differ from one site to another; the summation (a+b) is almost the same for the selected sites. The difference between the estimated and measured values of the global solar radiation at the various sites varies from 4 % to 12 %.

Electricity generation and wind potential assessment at Hurghada, Egypt

A technical and economic assessment has been made of the generation of electricity using wind turbines at one of the most promising wind sites in Egypt: Hurghada. In this paper, we used wind data recorded over 23 years for this site. The WASP program was used to calculate the values of wind speed frequency for the station, their seasonally values have been estimated and compared with measured data. Weibull parameters and the power law coefficient ( n) for all seasons at different heights (10–70 m) has been estimated and used to describe the distribution and behavior of seasonal wind speed and their frequencies at Hurghada. The monthly and annual values of wind potential at a height of 70 m were obtained by extrapolation of the 10 m data from the results of our previous article [Ahmed Shata AS, Hanitsch R. The potential of electricity generation on the east coast of Red Sea in Egypt. Renew Energy 2006;31:1597–615] using the power law. Also, the monthly plant load factor (PLF) has been estimated, which is used to determine the expected annual energy output of a wind energy conversion system (WECS). Variation of annual capacity factor with rated wind speed for 10 different wind turbines has been studied. The lower the rated speed for the WECS of the same height, the higher will be the capacity factor values. The expected electrical energy cost of kWh produced by the wind turbine ( Repower MM82) with a capacity of 2 MW considered for Hurghada station was found to be less than 1.5 € cent/kWh.

Site-Specific Limitations of Using Urea as a Nitrogen Source in Biodegradation of Petroleum Wastes in Soil

Nutrient addition is important to achieving the carbon/nitrogen balance and successful biodegradation of petroleum contaminants. Urea has been considered as a preferred nitrogen source in enhancing biodegradation, because of its high nitrogen content and commercial availability. This study investigated urea in the biodegradation of petroleum-contaminated soils collected from an arid and sandy area in Egypt. Ammonium nitrate served as the nitrogen amendment control in this study. Biodegradation of petroleum-contaminated soils from Wyoming was monitored as a comparison. Addition of urea failed to improve the enhancement of biodegradation of petroleum-impacted soil from the Egyptian site; in addition, urea demonstrates an adverse effect on the biodegradation rates. Results indicate that urea or its intermediates may inhibit the microorganisms involved in petroleum degradation. Data from this study suggest that the application of urea in the enhancement of biodegradation of petroleum compounds should consider site specificity, and may not be applicable in geological areas or soils structures similar to those in this study.

Satellite Remote Sensing Methods for Monitoring Archaeological Tells in the Middle East

Using a variety of types of satellite imagery (SPOT, Corona, Landsat, and Quickbird) and concentrating on archaeological sites in the Egyptian floodplain, this paper proposes methods for monitoring the rate of archaeological site destruction in the Middle East. This image analysis shows how tells can be documented and monitored from computers anywhere in the world, emphasizing the multispectral capabilities and applications of satellites. The effects of population growth, looting, urban expansion, and war on archaeological sites in Egypt are reviewed, and a system is proposed to record sites by focusing on their individual spectral profiles. The analysis demonstrates how satellite imagery analysis can be applied to similar flood plain environments in Israel, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

THE ANALYSIS OF SECOND MILLENNIUM GLASS FROM EGYPT AND MESOPOTAMIA, PART 1: NEW WDS ANALYSES*

A recent analytical study by SEM–WDS was carried out on 226 glasses from the Late Bronze Age, analysing each of the glasses for a total of at least 22 elements, the largest such analytical study conducted on these glasses. The aim of the analysis was first to identify which elements were brought in with each of the raw materials and, second, to accurately characterize those raw materials. Since different glassmaking sites in Egypt and the Near East would probably use at least some local raw materials and these raw materials will vary slightly from site to site, this has potential for provenancing the glass. Analysis showed new patterns in the compositions of glass from the various sites and led to new conclusions about the supply of raw materials and personnel for the glass workshops. This forms the basis for further work by LA–ICPMS to be presented in part 2 of this paper.

Miners and mistresses

Expeditions to procure gemstones from mines in Egypt’s marginal territories during the Middle Kingdom (c. 2055-1650 BC) are generally perceived as representing centralized, bureaucratized and hierarchical missions to essentially monopolized resources. Traditional ‘top-down’ approaches to the social context of mining in this period assume the pivotal role of the state in controlling such endeavours through large-scale centrally organized expeditions, as deduced from the epigraphic record. This article advances a ‘bottom-up’ approach to gemstone mining in the Middle Kingdom by the deployment of cross-cultural and cross-level theories in social archaeology to microlevel production data at three key mining sites in Egypt’s marginal territories. Strategies of engagement and negotiation at local levels to get access to a local labour force and the source, rather than monopolization and state controlled procurement, are forwarded as significant aspects of Middle Kingdom gemstone mining outside the Nile Valley. Feminine imagery at gemstone mines may have constituted a ritual and symbolic device to foster solidarity and cohesion among a local labour force in Egypt’s marginal zones.

Epidemiology and genetic characterization of Shigella flexneri strains isolated from three paediatric populations in Egypt (2000–2004)

Ninety-seven isolates of Shigella flexneri from children seeking medical care from three sites in Egypt were characterized. Overall, 46.4% of children (median age 17 months) were febrile or reported blood in their stools, 25.8% were dehydrated and 16.5% were admitted to hospital. Serotypes 2a (37.1%), 1b (18.6%), 1c (17.5%), and 6 (15.5%) comprised over 88.7% of the total isolates. We observed marked resistance to ampicillin (87.6%), tetracycline (84.5%) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (63.9%). Pulsed-field electrophoresis grouped the majority of isolates within a serotype together, separately from isolates of an alternative serotype. The set gene was present in all serogroup 2a isolates, however, the sen gene was detected in every isolate. Our results show S. flexneri 1c has emerged as a dominant S. flexneri serotype in Egypt. Development and application of a Shigella vaccine should consider the diversity of Shigella serotypes within a geographical region prior to administration.

Site Management: An Application to Wadilmeluk (the Valley of the Kings)

‘Value has always been the reason underlying heritage conservation. It is self‐evident that no society makes an effort to conserve what it does not value.’1 However, assessing the value of a cultural heritage asset as a representative sample of our tangible and intangible heritage for present and future generations is a difficult concept to deal with. It is, therefore, the aim of the researchers to help the conservation decision process by attempting to make an assessment of the values attributed to the cultural heritage assets of one of the most notable heritage sites in Egypt: the Valley of the Kings in Luxor.

Development of adaptable and flexible treatment manuals for externalizing and internalizing disorders in children and adolescents

In this paper we describe the process used to develop treatment manuals for internalizing and externalizing disorders in children and adolescents. These manuals were developed to offer health care providers and others working in child mental health a flexible intervention that could be adapted to different countries and localities based on: 1) the amount of health care and school resources that are available; 2) the nature and severity of the types of problems children have; and 3) the preferences and cultural factors that are important within these communities. We also discuss the experiences and cultural issues faced by sites in Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, and Brazil who volunteered to implement the manualized treatment programs. The feedback received from these sites indicates that the manuals can be implemented to help children with internalizing and externalizing problems.

Sunshine and global solar radiation estimation at different sites in Egypt

A simple non-linear method is proposed for estimating relative sunshine duration based on monthly mean daily maximum and minimum air temperatures and cloud cover fraction at six sites in Egypt, where long-term period (9–15 years) data were recorded. This method gives low errors (mean bias error is about −0.4% and root mean square is about 2.3% for pooled data), so it can be used in case of unavailability of sunshine duration data. Also, a non-linear equation has been proposed at the same sites to estimate monthly mean daily global radiation based on observed and estimated values of relative sunshine duration. This method was compared with linear Ångström–Prescott and double linear of Garg–Garg equation. These methods were tested seasonally and at different sky conditions (clear, partially cloudy and overcast skies). Also they have been tested against 32 stations dataset, at worldwide sites. The results show that the bias error for the proposed method is low, average values to mean bias error and root mean square error are around 0.1% and 6%, respectively, while they are around 3% and 7% to the other methods at pooled data. Generally, the proposed method preformed better than the others.