The Swedish Expedition to Gebel el-Silsila, Volume: 1, 2023
For the first time, this book presents the complete collection of Greek inscriptions of Gebel el-... more For the first time, this book presents the complete collection of Greek inscriptions of Gebel el-Silsila East – Ancient Egypt’s largest and most important sandstone quarry, including lists of names and professions of individuals involved in the quarry expeditions. The inscriptions are described, illustrated and analysed and placed within their archaeological context based on careful documentation in situ with up-to-date methodology. The work makes substantial contributions in the form of novel and improved readings and interpretations of known texts and of the new publication of texts discovered through the fieldwork. It is the first volume of three dealing with Graeco-Roman inscriptions on the east bank, with the following two volumes to cover the demotic texts and quarry marks respectively.
This study deals with a unique crown that was created for Queen Arsinoë II. The aim is to identif... more This study deals with a unique crown that was created for Queen Arsinoë II. The aim is to identify and understand the symbolism that is embedded in each pictorial detail that together form the crown and how this reflects the wearer’s socio-political and religious positions. The study focuses on the crown and its details, while also including all contextual aspects of the relief scenes in order to understand the general meaning. This crown was later developed and usurped by other female figures; the material includes 158 Egyptian relief scenes dating from Arsinoë’s lifetime to Emperor Trajan, c. 400 years. In order to show the development of the crown’s symbolism, this work includes a large number of later scenes depicting the Egyptian goddess Hathor wearing a crown almost identical to Arsinoë’s.
The results of this study suggest that the crown of Arsinoë was created for the living queen and reflected three main cultural positions: her royal position as King of Lower Egypt, her cultic role as high priestess, and her religious aspect as thea Philadelphos. It indicates that she was proclaimed female pharaoh during her lifetime, and that she was regarded the female founder of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. The results of the study of the later material suggest that the later Hathoric crown was created in a time of political instability, when Ptolemy IV needed to emphasise his ancestry – underlining his lineage from Arsinoë II and Ptolemy II. The comprehensive study of the contextual pictorial setting indicates that this is a plausible explanation: the crown of Arsinoë became a symbol of authority worthy of continuation.
Graffiti game boards attest to the presence of historical populations at an archaeological site a... more Graffiti game boards attest to the presence of historical populations at an archaeological site and, in some cases, assist in dating an archaeological context. While games suggest the presence of a social activity, their contextual significance compared to the graffiti of texts and images, pottery finds, and other diagnostic tools of archaeology is open to further enquiry. The presence of multiple board game traditions at Gebel el-Silsila in Egypt creates an ideal environment to study the differences between graffiti texts and images, excavated materials and game boards when they are found in the same location. It is shown that game boards may confirm human presence in different historical time periods for which only limited additional evidence exists, or they may signal the presence of a different historical population. Their symbolic significance remains unclear, but game boards otherwise provide an independent source of information and an asset to a general archaeological inquiry.
Five “New” deities in the Roman Pantheon at Gebel el-Silsila
Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections, 2017
The list of Egyptian deities attested in Greek and demotic inscriptions in the sandstone quarries... more The list of Egyptian deities attested in Greek and demotic inscriptions in the sandstone quarries of Gebel el-Silsila comprises Amun, Horus, Hathor, Isis, Khnum, Montu, Pachimesen, and Shai. Several new inscriptions and divine names are here added to previous records: the Egyptian gods Min, Bes, Tutu, and the Greek goddesses Athena and Tyche.
The current paper is aimed as a primary publication of eight scarabs assembled by the Swedish-Egy... more The current paper is aimed as a primary publication of eight scarabs assembled by the Swedish-Egyptian excavation team between 2015 and 2016, found in private tombs of the Eighteenth Dynasty necropolis at Gebel el-Silsila East. Each entry includes information about field number, dimensions, material, description, inscription, and dating if possible. Typology conclusions are based on comparisons to other scarabs, while dating is indicated by their archaeological context. Scarabs containing royal names, herein including Thutmose III and Amenhotep II, reveal a terminus post quem for production, which is consistent with their archaeological context, but the postproduction of Thutmose III scarabs prevent any absolute dating. As a primary publication of objects, interpretation of function and meaning will be avoided (Less)
Gebel el-Silsila throughout the ages : Part 1 – Early visitors
For over two hundred years, Egyptologists, archaeologists, explorers, knowledgeable enthusiasts, ... more For over two hundred years, Egyptologists, archaeologists, explorers, knowledgeable enthusiasts, as well as intrepid tourists and laypeople alike have regarded Gebel el-Silsila as a minor archaeological site of little significance within the greater ancient scarred landscape of Egypt. For many, Gebel el-Silsila’s enduring and captivating sculptured stone landscape has been viewed merely from the deck or window of a passing ship or dahabeya, while navigating the narrow passage and cruising the sacred River Nile that separates the sites into two parts. This denigration and outdated perception of the site is something the current archaeological team hope to change. This paper is the first of a series aimed to present Gebel el-Silsila: the site, the team, the various chronological periods, discoveries and new results. Here, the aim is to introduce the site and its early visitors. (Less)
Quarrying for Augustus: Gebel el-Silsila as a Source for Early Roman Monuments at Dendera
Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections, 2019
This paper presents a selection of epigraphic documents dispersed over three quarry faces (C11–C1... more This paper presents a selection of epigraphic documents dispersed over three quarry faces (C11–C13) in the Main Quarry (Q34) at Gebel el-Silsila’s east bank, dating from the reign of the Emperor Augustus. The aim is to describe and decipher the various marks and depictions, and to translate the Demotic and Greek texts, in order to determine for what structure the stone from the quarry was intended. Based on the results, it will be argued that the quarry was the source of blocks used to construct the unfinished enclosure wall, sections of the Roman Mammisi, and plausibly the eastern gate at Dendera. That said, any conclusions at this point must be considered preliminary. Documents included here are part of a corpus of 537 quarry marks and 52 texts displayed over quarry faces C11–13 (with overviews in Appendix 3). The majority of the inscriptions have been unpublished until now. Due to the high number of documents in the collection, however, in this essay a selection has been made bas...
The subject of this article is a selected group of textual graffiti intended as a preview to a co... more The subject of this article is a selected group of textual graffiti intended as a preview to a comprehensive hieroglyphic and hieratic corpus of Middle Kingdom rock inscriptions at Gebel el-Silsila currently being prepared for publication. All texts included were incised into the sandstone bedrock and stretched along the so-called Middle Kingdom road as well as along today’s main touristic pathway along the New Kingdom cenotaphs, also on the west bank of Gebel el-Silsila. The inscriptions were documented by the current scientific team during the course of several survey seasons (2012–15) and demonstrate various administrative and official titles providing an insight into activity during the Middle Kingdom, which otherwise is difficult to demonstrate archaeologically, i.e. within the physical remains of the ancient quarries. Titles included herein, such as [Formula: see text] – inspector, [Formula: see text] – general/mission leader, [Formula: see text] – seal-bearer of the God and [...
This study deals with a unique crown that was created for Queen Arsinoë II. The aim is to identif... more This study deals with a unique crown that was created for Queen Arsinoë II. The aim is to identify and understand the symbolism that is embedded in each pictorial detail that together form the crown and how this reflects the wearer's socio-political and religious positions. The study ...
In: Chloé Ragazzoli, Khaled Hassan, Chiara Salvador (eds.), Graffiti and Rock Inscriptions from Ancient Egypt: A Companion to Secondary Epigraphy. Cairo: IFAO, pp. 137-170., 2023
The Gebel el Silsila Project is a multi-disciplinary Swedish mission dedicated to the study of th... more The Gebel el Silsila Project is a multi-disciplinary Swedish mission dedicated to the study of the archaeological remains at Ancient Egypt’s largest sandstone quarry of Gebel el Silsila, Mountain of Chain, just north of Kom Ombo in the Aswan region. This paper presents a general summary of the epigraphical and archaeo-topographical survey of the largest quarry on the east bank – Quarry 34 or the Main Quarry.
Non-textual marking systems at Gebel el Silsila : From Dynastic signifiers of identity to symbols of adoration
In Gebel el Silsila the quarry faces are cluttered with literally thousands of pictorial and text... more In Gebel el Silsila the quarry faces are cluttered with literally thousands of pictorial and textual representations; together they form a window of information to the ancient activity in the area and provide us with a prosopography of its workers and an idea of the ancients’ contemporary ideology. The more complex category of representations is quarry marks, a form of graffiti that appears in abundance with some 5000 examples, dating from the New Kingdom to early Roman Imperial times. Engraved into the surface, the marks are all executed technically in the same way, carefully carved with a metal chisel. They are located as singulars or in linear series in all the cardinal directions and all over the full heights of the quarry faces, measuring between c. 10 cm up to sometimes 1.5 m in height. Their character is comparable with contemporary script systems, concrete pictograms, abstract geometrical patterns, etc. and as such they fall into the category of pseudo script or non-textual ...
Mason or priest? : A comparison between Graeco-Roman signs on magical amulets and symbols in Egyptian quarries
The aim of this paper is to present a general introduction to a series of Graeco-Roman quarry mar... more The aim of this paper is to present a general introduction to a series of Graeco-Roman quarry marks found in Egyptian quarries and on extracted stone blocks within temple structure, and to evaluate their possible apotropaic or superstitious significance by comparing them with figures and characters on magical amulets. Included is also a brief introduction to the authors’ current research project dealing with so called pseudo script in the Egyptian sandstone quarry of Gebel el Silsila.
Surveying the sandstone quarries of Gebel el Silsila
Kmt a Modern Journal of Ancient Egypt, 2014
In 2012 a Swedish project was initiated to study and document the archaeological remains at Gebel... more In 2012 a Swedish project was initiated to study and document the archaeological remains at Gebel el Silsila, located about 65 km north of Aswan and 130 km south of Luxor. Mission director Dr. Maria Nilsson of Lund University summarizes the results of the first three seasons.
Continuing on the topic presented in the last number of Ancient Planet Online (2012/2), which int... more Continuing on the topic presented in the last number of Ancient Planet Online (2012/2), which introduced the topic of pseudo script in the ancient quarries at Gebel el Silsila in Egypt, this article will look closer at one group of quarry marks and their symbolic association with solar religion during the Ptolemaic and early Roman periods.
The Swedish Expedition to Gebel el-Silsila, Volume: 1, 2023
For the first time, this book presents the complete collection of Greek inscriptions of Gebel el-... more For the first time, this book presents the complete collection of Greek inscriptions of Gebel el-Silsila East – Ancient Egypt’s largest and most important sandstone quarry, including lists of names and professions of individuals involved in the quarry expeditions. The inscriptions are described, illustrated and analysed and placed within their archaeological context based on careful documentation in situ with up-to-date methodology. The work makes substantial contributions in the form of novel and improved readings and interpretations of known texts and of the new publication of texts discovered through the fieldwork. It is the first volume of three dealing with Graeco-Roman inscriptions on the east bank, with the following two volumes to cover the demotic texts and quarry marks respectively.
This study deals with a unique crown that was created for Queen Arsinoë II. The aim is to identif... more This study deals with a unique crown that was created for Queen Arsinoë II. The aim is to identify and understand the symbolism that is embedded in each pictorial detail that together form the crown and how this reflects the wearer’s socio-political and religious positions. The study focuses on the crown and its details, while also including all contextual aspects of the relief scenes in order to understand the general meaning. This crown was later developed and usurped by other female figures; the material includes 158 Egyptian relief scenes dating from Arsinoë’s lifetime to Emperor Trajan, c. 400 years. In order to show the development of the crown’s symbolism, this work includes a large number of later scenes depicting the Egyptian goddess Hathor wearing a crown almost identical to Arsinoë’s.
The results of this study suggest that the crown of Arsinoë was created for the living queen and reflected three main cultural positions: her royal position as King of Lower Egypt, her cultic role as high priestess, and her religious aspect as thea Philadelphos. It indicates that she was proclaimed female pharaoh during her lifetime, and that she was regarded the female founder of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. The results of the study of the later material suggest that the later Hathoric crown was created in a time of political instability, when Ptolemy IV needed to emphasise his ancestry – underlining his lineage from Arsinoë II and Ptolemy II. The comprehensive study of the contextual pictorial setting indicates that this is a plausible explanation: the crown of Arsinoë became a symbol of authority worthy of continuation.
Graffiti game boards attest to the presence of historical populations at an archaeological site a... more Graffiti game boards attest to the presence of historical populations at an archaeological site and, in some cases, assist in dating an archaeological context. While games suggest the presence of a social activity, their contextual significance compared to the graffiti of texts and images, pottery finds, and other diagnostic tools of archaeology is open to further enquiry. The presence of multiple board game traditions at Gebel el-Silsila in Egypt creates an ideal environment to study the differences between graffiti texts and images, excavated materials and game boards when they are found in the same location. It is shown that game boards may confirm human presence in different historical time periods for which only limited additional evidence exists, or they may signal the presence of a different historical population. Their symbolic significance remains unclear, but game boards otherwise provide an independent source of information and an asset to a general archaeological inquiry.
Five “New” deities in the Roman Pantheon at Gebel el-Silsila
Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections, 2017
The list of Egyptian deities attested in Greek and demotic inscriptions in the sandstone quarries... more The list of Egyptian deities attested in Greek and demotic inscriptions in the sandstone quarries of Gebel el-Silsila comprises Amun, Horus, Hathor, Isis, Khnum, Montu, Pachimesen, and Shai. Several new inscriptions and divine names are here added to previous records: the Egyptian gods Min, Bes, Tutu, and the Greek goddesses Athena and Tyche.
The current paper is aimed as a primary publication of eight scarabs assembled by the Swedish-Egy... more The current paper is aimed as a primary publication of eight scarabs assembled by the Swedish-Egyptian excavation team between 2015 and 2016, found in private tombs of the Eighteenth Dynasty necropolis at Gebel el-Silsila East. Each entry includes information about field number, dimensions, material, description, inscription, and dating if possible. Typology conclusions are based on comparisons to other scarabs, while dating is indicated by their archaeological context. Scarabs containing royal names, herein including Thutmose III and Amenhotep II, reveal a terminus post quem for production, which is consistent with their archaeological context, but the postproduction of Thutmose III scarabs prevent any absolute dating. As a primary publication of objects, interpretation of function and meaning will be avoided (Less)
Gebel el-Silsila throughout the ages : Part 1 – Early visitors
For over two hundred years, Egyptologists, archaeologists, explorers, knowledgeable enthusiasts, ... more For over two hundred years, Egyptologists, archaeologists, explorers, knowledgeable enthusiasts, as well as intrepid tourists and laypeople alike have regarded Gebel el-Silsila as a minor archaeological site of little significance within the greater ancient scarred landscape of Egypt. For many, Gebel el-Silsila’s enduring and captivating sculptured stone landscape has been viewed merely from the deck or window of a passing ship or dahabeya, while navigating the narrow passage and cruising the sacred River Nile that separates the sites into two parts. This denigration and outdated perception of the site is something the current archaeological team hope to change. This paper is the first of a series aimed to present Gebel el-Silsila: the site, the team, the various chronological periods, discoveries and new results. Here, the aim is to introduce the site and its early visitors. (Less)
Quarrying for Augustus: Gebel el-Silsila as a Source for Early Roman Monuments at Dendera
Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections, 2019
This paper presents a selection of epigraphic documents dispersed over three quarry faces (C11–C1... more This paper presents a selection of epigraphic documents dispersed over three quarry faces (C11–C13) in the Main Quarry (Q34) at Gebel el-Silsila’s east bank, dating from the reign of the Emperor Augustus. The aim is to describe and decipher the various marks and depictions, and to translate the Demotic and Greek texts, in order to determine for what structure the stone from the quarry was intended. Based on the results, it will be argued that the quarry was the source of blocks used to construct the unfinished enclosure wall, sections of the Roman Mammisi, and plausibly the eastern gate at Dendera. That said, any conclusions at this point must be considered preliminary. Documents included here are part of a corpus of 537 quarry marks and 52 texts displayed over quarry faces C11–13 (with overviews in Appendix 3). The majority of the inscriptions have been unpublished until now. Due to the high number of documents in the collection, however, in this essay a selection has been made bas...
The subject of this article is a selected group of textual graffiti intended as a preview to a co... more The subject of this article is a selected group of textual graffiti intended as a preview to a comprehensive hieroglyphic and hieratic corpus of Middle Kingdom rock inscriptions at Gebel el-Silsila currently being prepared for publication. All texts included were incised into the sandstone bedrock and stretched along the so-called Middle Kingdom road as well as along today’s main touristic pathway along the New Kingdom cenotaphs, also on the west bank of Gebel el-Silsila. The inscriptions were documented by the current scientific team during the course of several survey seasons (2012–15) and demonstrate various administrative and official titles providing an insight into activity during the Middle Kingdom, which otherwise is difficult to demonstrate archaeologically, i.e. within the physical remains of the ancient quarries. Titles included herein, such as [Formula: see text] – inspector, [Formula: see text] – general/mission leader, [Formula: see text] – seal-bearer of the God and [...
This study deals with a unique crown that was created for Queen Arsinoë II. The aim is to identif... more This study deals with a unique crown that was created for Queen Arsinoë II. The aim is to identify and understand the symbolism that is embedded in each pictorial detail that together form the crown and how this reflects the wearer's socio-political and religious positions. The study ...
In: Chloé Ragazzoli, Khaled Hassan, Chiara Salvador (eds.), Graffiti and Rock Inscriptions from Ancient Egypt: A Companion to Secondary Epigraphy. Cairo: IFAO, pp. 137-170., 2023
The Gebel el Silsila Project is a multi-disciplinary Swedish mission dedicated to the study of th... more The Gebel el Silsila Project is a multi-disciplinary Swedish mission dedicated to the study of the archaeological remains at Ancient Egypt’s largest sandstone quarry of Gebel el Silsila, Mountain of Chain, just north of Kom Ombo in the Aswan region. This paper presents a general summary of the epigraphical and archaeo-topographical survey of the largest quarry on the east bank – Quarry 34 or the Main Quarry.
Non-textual marking systems at Gebel el Silsila : From Dynastic signifiers of identity to symbols of adoration
In Gebel el Silsila the quarry faces are cluttered with literally thousands of pictorial and text... more In Gebel el Silsila the quarry faces are cluttered with literally thousands of pictorial and textual representations; together they form a window of information to the ancient activity in the area and provide us with a prosopography of its workers and an idea of the ancients’ contemporary ideology. The more complex category of representations is quarry marks, a form of graffiti that appears in abundance with some 5000 examples, dating from the New Kingdom to early Roman Imperial times. Engraved into the surface, the marks are all executed technically in the same way, carefully carved with a metal chisel. They are located as singulars or in linear series in all the cardinal directions and all over the full heights of the quarry faces, measuring between c. 10 cm up to sometimes 1.5 m in height. Their character is comparable with contemporary script systems, concrete pictograms, abstract geometrical patterns, etc. and as such they fall into the category of pseudo script or non-textual ...
Mason or priest? : A comparison between Graeco-Roman signs on magical amulets and symbols in Egyptian quarries
The aim of this paper is to present a general introduction to a series of Graeco-Roman quarry mar... more The aim of this paper is to present a general introduction to a series of Graeco-Roman quarry marks found in Egyptian quarries and on extracted stone blocks within temple structure, and to evaluate their possible apotropaic or superstitious significance by comparing them with figures and characters on magical amulets. Included is also a brief introduction to the authors’ current research project dealing with so called pseudo script in the Egyptian sandstone quarry of Gebel el Silsila.
Surveying the sandstone quarries of Gebel el Silsila
Kmt a Modern Journal of Ancient Egypt, 2014
In 2012 a Swedish project was initiated to study and document the archaeological remains at Gebel... more In 2012 a Swedish project was initiated to study and document the archaeological remains at Gebel el Silsila, located about 65 km north of Aswan and 130 km south of Luxor. Mission director Dr. Maria Nilsson of Lund University summarizes the results of the first three seasons.
Continuing on the topic presented in the last number of Ancient Planet Online (2012/2), which int... more Continuing on the topic presented in the last number of Ancient Planet Online (2012/2), which introduced the topic of pseudo script in the ancient quarries at Gebel el Silsila in Egypt, this article will look closer at one group of quarry marks and their symbolic association with solar religion during the Ptolemaic and early Roman periods.
Gebel el-Silsila was ancient Egypt's greatest source of sandstone, a fine to medium-grained beige... more Gebel el-Silsila was ancient Egypt's greatest source of sandstone, a fine to medium-grained beige-grey stone in high demand at all periods from Dynasty 18 on, when the site was first exploited on a massive scale. Stone extracted from the quarries was conveyed to locations throughout Upper Egypt and employed for building blocks in most of the major temples between Aswan and Abydos. The quarries lie in the massif of Gebel el-Silsila or 'mountain of the chain', between Edfu and Kom Ombo. Today the nearest larger cities are Luxor, 130 km to the north, and Aswan, 65 km to the south. Located on either side of the Nile where the valley reaches its narrowest point, possibly once a cataract, the quarries stretch along the river for approximately 2.5 km. Known as Khenu or Kheny as early as the Old Kingdom, the site acquired its true importance during Dynasties 18-20, when extraction work was carried out for such famous New Kingdom rulers as Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, Amenhotep III and Amenhotep IV/ Akhenaten, Sety I, Ramesses II and III. In addition to the physical stone extraction, the pharaonic presence at Silsila is attested by the remains of monumental architecture: cenotaphs, stelae and a rock-cut temple dedicated by King Horemheb to the Nile gods (Caminos 1955, 51-55; Caminos and James 1963; Bommas 2003; Thiem 2000). Local religious festivals were celebrated biannually, the high priest of Memphis performed rituals here and high officials wished for their souls to return to the site in the afterlife (Gomaà 1973; Habachi 1971). Even after the end of the New Kingdom, Gebel el-Silsila retained its religious profile and continued to see quarrying activity. There is, however, a distinct difference between the two banks of Silsila: archaeological records attest continued activity on the west bank as late as Emperor Domitian (Sayce 1907, 102 with fig. 2), while the east bank quarries were abandoned in the early Roman period. Thus far textual graffiti attested the exploitation of the east bank until the reign of Tiberius (Preisigke and Spiegelberg 1915), but in 2012 the Gebel el Silisila Survey Project revealed a series of demotic and Greek inscriptions in one of the smaller quarries that push the final quarrying activity two generations later, in the four-year period between the sixth and tenth imperial years of Claudius (AD 45/46-49/50). The small quarry of Claudius has now been labeled Q35 (Quarry 35). Q35 is located in the central part of Gebel el-Silsila East, directly south of the largest and best-known quarry (Q34). It can be reached either via the plateau past a series of workmen's huts, or through a small wadi that shoots off from the main pathway along the Nile. Oriented east-west, this wadi provides a natural road for transporting blocks out of Q35 to a Nile quay located some 225m to the west. The quarry consists of eight quarry faces (A-H), including a short corridor-like entry, and its maximum length and width measure 35 x 25m. The tool marks on the quarry faces follow a diagonal, parallel pattern generally recognised as representing the Ptolemaic and Roman extraction technique (Klemm and Klemm 2008, 194-201, esp. figs 305-306). Archaeologically the quarry is more or less empty with the exception of some pottery
Graffiti game boards attest to the presence of historical populations at an archaeological site a... more Graffiti game boards attest to the presence of historical populations at an archaeological site and, in some cases, assist in dating an archaeological context. While games suggest the presence of a social activity, their contextual significance compared to the graffiti of texts and images, pottery finds, and other diagnostic tools of archaeology is open to further enquiry. The presence of multiple board game traditions at Gebel el-Silsila in Egypt creates an ideal environment to study the differences between graffiti texts and images, excavated materials and game boards when they are found in the same location. It is shown that game boards may confirm human presence in different historical time periods for which only limited additional evidence exists, or they may signal the presence of a different historical population. Their symbolic significance remains unclear, but game boards otherwise provide an independent source of information and an asset to a general archaeological inquiry.
“Gebel el Silsila, the project and most recent discoveries”
Presentation given for school children and the educational board at the Department of Education i... more Presentation given for school children and the educational board at the Department of Education in Kom Ombo, Egypt, 5 March 2017
From Epipalaeolithic petroglyphs to Roman graffiti: Stylistic variability of anthropomorphs at Gebel el Silsila (Upper Egypt)
Presented at the Royal Academy of Overseas Sciences, Brussels:
The quarryscape of Gebel el Silsi... more Presented at the Royal Academy of Overseas Sciences, Brussels:
The quarryscape of Gebel el Silsila in Upper Egypt displays an astounding concentration of incised illustrations, among which images of anthropomorphic figures are frequent motifs. Chronologically, depictions of human-like figures are recorded over a period of several millennia; from Prehistoric petroglyphs possibly contemporaneous with the Epipalaeolithic Elkabian industry, to pictorial graffiti of dynastic periods and throughout into the early Roman imperial days. Over the span of six millennia visitors to Gebel el Silsila have depicted huntsmen pursuing wild game, warriors armed with swords, shields or arrows, boatmen, horsemen, religious devotees expressing adoration, as well as apotropaic daemons, gods and human figures of varying iconographic complexity. These splendid commemorations range from miniscule, delicately carved figures to grand scenes or rough and elusive hammered depictions. The ancient artists recorded their changing environment as it transformed from a prehistoric wet and flooded Nilotic landscape to the more arid and scarce quarryscape of historical times. This paper aims to present stylistic, technical and chronological variability of anthropomorphic figures illustrated at Gebel el Silsila, including considerations of spatial distribution, archaeological context, and – if possible – an interpretation of their significance.
Returning to Gebel el Silsila: New discoveries of the Swedish Archaeological Project
Presented at ICE XI in Florence 2015
Although long admired for its Pharaonic stelae, cenotaphs, ... more Presented at ICE XI in Florence 2015
Although long admired for its Pharaonic stelae, cenotaphs, and Speos, the grand ancient site of Gebel el Silsila remains fairly unknown within mainstream Egyptology and Archaeology. A general idea is that the site functioned merely as a sandstone quarry, but few are aware of its rich archaeology that incorporates evidence of millennia of human activity and cultural features that meet seven of UNESCO’s ten outstanding values. Since 2012 the Swedish-run archaeological project works towards changing previous misconceptions, and in conducting a comprehensive archaeological study the aim is to increase the general awareness of the site’s importance and unique legacy. The aim is here to present an introduction to the project, its new approaches, discoveries and results achieved so far. Epigraphic reference will be made to the most recent findings of the enigmatic boat scene in the Speos, superimposed carvings on the Nile Stelae, a unique stela of Amun-Ra and Thoth, and a quick summary of the complex pseudo-scripted marking system with some 5000 documented signs. Archaeologically, we will explore the re-discovered Temple of Kheny with its exceptional Thutmosid limestone fragments, but also an administrative building known to the team as ‘Tiberius’ Stables’, the rich locale of ‘Pottery Hill’, and round up with an announcement of the discovery of a remarkable object from the reign of Amenhotep III.
Pictorial representations at Gebel el Silsila – a 10 000 year long repertoire
Gebel el Silsila (Mountain of Chain) is located between Kom Ombo and Edfu on both banks of the Ni... more Gebel el Silsila (Mountain of Chain) is located between Kom Ombo and Edfu on both banks of the Nile where it reaches its narrowest point. The site is generally known for its many Pharaonic cenotaphs, stelai and the speos of Horemheb, but it was once also the world’s largest quarry. As such it was renowned for its high quality sandstone, and the stone was extracted and transported to all over Upper Egypt, used for the construction of some of Egypt’s greatest temples such as Karnak, Luxor, Ramesseum, Edfu, Dendera, etc. However, in addition to its monumental grandeur what makes Gebel el Silsila unique is its extensive pictorial repertoire that ranges from Epipalaeolithic rock drawings to one of the world’s more complex quarry marking systems. This paper aims to present a brief overview of the site itself, the aims of the ongoing survey project, and with a strong focus on the pictorial representations from Epipalaeolithic rock drawings dated to approximately 10 000 B.P. to the highly symbolic Graeco-Roman quarry marks with some 5000 examples.
“Early Caesars in Gebel el Silsila: Quarry activity under divine protection”
The ancient Egyptian site of Gebel el Silsila has been a place of scientific pilgrimage ever sinc... more The ancient Egyptian site of Gebel el Silsila has been a place of scientific pilgrimage ever since the days of Napoleon; admired for its Pharaonic stelae, cenotaphs and speos. It also features ancient Egypt’s largest series of sandstone quarries running for approximately 2.5 km on both sides of the Nile, providing information on quarrying techniques and transportation of blocks extracted for the building of numerous Upper Egyptian temples. Presented is also a great variety of carved and painted commemorations – textual and pictorial –recorded from Prehistory and throughout all subsequent ancient periods. However, the site has never been properly documented, and even after R. Caminos’ epigraphic study in the mid 20th century, large areas of material remained unpublished. So, a long-term comprehensive survey project was initiated in 2012 under the patronage of Lund University, endeavouring to document all archaeological features of the site, including a revision of the epigraphic material. This paper aims to present a summary of results achieved so far, with a focus on physical and religious changes in the landscape during the early Roman period based on archaeological and epigraphic attestations. It will explore Roman extraction and Egyptian divine protectors called upon by the quarrymen for safekeeping.
Quarry Marks in Gebel el Silsila – signifiers of men and gods alike?
In Gebel el Silsila the quarry faces are cluttered with literally thousands of pictorial and text... more In Gebel el Silsila the quarry faces are cluttered with literally thousands of pictorial and textual representations; together they paint a picture of ancient activity in the area and provide us with a prosopography of its workers and an idea of the ancients’ contemporary ideology. The more complex category of representations is quarry marks, a form of graffiti that appears in abundance with some 5000 examples, dating from the New Kingdom to early Roman Imperial times. Engraved into the surface with a single or sometimes double outline, the marks are all executed technically in the same way, carefully carved with a metal chisel. They are located as singulars or in linear series in all the cardinal directions and all over the full heights of the quarry faces, measuring between c. 10 cm up to sometimes 1.5 m in height. Their character is comparable with contemporary script systems, concrete pictograms, abstract geometrical patterns, etc. and as such they fall into the category of pseudo script or non-textual marking systems. They are often considered as signifiers of identity, with the referent assumed to be an owner, contractor, a single workman or a group, etc. Other practical considerations of use include marks for transportation, positioning, height and depth, etc., but this paper aims to explore also alternative meanings and discuss a possible progression from marks that originally signified work or workmen to more complex religious expressions. As a work still in progress, this paper is a summary of results achieved thus far.
Mason or priest? A comparison between Graeco-Roman signs on magical amulets and symbols in Egyptian quarries.
Using Graeco-Roman amulets and gems as a starting point for comparison and stylistic identificati... more Using Graeco-Roman amulets and gems as a starting point for comparison and stylistic identification this paper deals with the exoteric and esoteric value (s) of magical signs located in the Egyptian sandstone quarries of Gebel el-Silsila. While individual signs on talismans have been recognized by generations of scholars for their magical connotations, those of Egyptian stone quarries have been dismissed as so called masons’ marks, believed to signify workman groups or individual contractors. A second, now disregarded theory was put forward by early archaeologists such as Georges Legrain, suggesting a linguistic application: “It is by forming a sort of Corpus of the inscriptions that we shall be the better enabled to arrive at the conclusion that these singular characters are probably not simply stone-workers’ marks, but are real characters which have served to transcribe a foreign language that the future may perhaps enable us to understand” (Legrain, G., ‘Inscriptions in the Quarries of el Hosh’, Society of Biblical Archaeology 1906, 25f.).
Here referred to as ‘symbols’ in accordance with the semiotic terminology, we would like to present a third option based on the comparison with magical amulets, being contemporary with the quarry symbols. We suggest a most similar magical function, as did Sir Arthur Evans when interpreting symbols located on Minoan palaces at Crete. As such, this paper will present a variation of quarry symbols documented personally in situ, individual and in groups, as well as symbols located on temple structure and as graffiti. The images and results presented are included in an ongoing project aiming to catalogue and analyze these symbols for the first time in a comprehensive form. The symbols are studied according to an interdisciplinary approach, combining the concepts of classicism, Egyptology and Art History with an iconographical and semantic analysis of form and appearance and an iconological and hermeneutic analysis of meaning and function. Based on a classification system, which establishes a typology, the aim is to explore the symbols’ fundamental function and cultural position in the society. The aim is also to identify the person or group (the creator) behind the symbols in order to reassess the question of a possible wider continuum of usage. Therefore this paper functions as an introduction to the research project rather than a completed corpus. This paper will include also a brief comparison with the British medieval templar church of Garway indicating a continuation of styles and function into a new historical and religious era, thus including also a wider cultural spectrum of application.
De ptolemeiska kvinnorna som politiska maktpjäser i äktenskapsallianser (in Swedish) (transl. Ptolemaic women as political pawns in marriage alliances)
Presented at CRE XIV, Cambridge 2013
The recently increased scholarly interest in pseudo script ... more Presented at CRE XIV, Cambridge 2013
The recently increased scholarly interest in pseudo script has opened up a somewhat new avenue within traditional Egyptological studies, offering a deeper insight into marking systems that traditionally are not included within the boundaries of established written languages and/ or iconographical representation. Thus, in addition to studying the rich and well preserved demotic and Greek inscriptions on site, the Gebel el Silsila Epigraphic Survey Project 2012 also documented, categorised and analysed engraved marks—‘quarry marks’—in the ancient Egyptian quarry for the purpose of identifying who was responsible for making these stone cuttings and why. This paper will use the theme of the conference and cross the boundaries of previous academic generalisation— the identification of quarry marks with masons’ marks, stone cutters’ marks or identity marks as a whole. By exploring the quarry marks in detail within their textual context and by comparing the individual marks with contemporary signs found on other media, other options will be explored as well, including a more religious/superstitious significance that is emphasised in the late Ptolemaic and early Roman periods during which they were created. This paper will present a general overview of the mission’s epigraphic survey in 2012 and the results achieved so far.
International Conference "What Ever Happened to the People? Humans and Anthropomorphs in the Rock... more International Conference "What Ever Happened to the People? Humans and Anthropomorphs in the Rock Art of Northern Africa" (Brussels, 17-19 September 2015)
The quarryscape of Gebel el Silsila in Upper Egypt displays an astounding concentration of incised illustrations, among which images of anthropomorphic figures are frequent motifs. Chronologically, depictions of human-like figures are recorded over a period of several millennia; from Prehistoric petroglyphs possibly contemporaneous with the Epipalaeolithic Elkabian industry, to pictorial graffiti of dynastic periods and throughout into the early Roman imperial days. Over the span of six millennia visitors to Gebel el Silsila have depicted huntsmen pursuing wild game, warriors armed with swords, shields or arrows, boatmen, horsemen, religious devotees expressing adoration, as well as apotropaic daemons, gods and human figures of varying iconographic complexity. These splendid commemorations range from miniscule, delicately carved figures to grand scenes or rough and elusive hammered depictions. The ancient artists recorded their changing environment as it transformed from a prehistoric wet and flooded Nilotic landscape to the more arid and scarce quarryscape of historical times. This paper aims to present stylistic, technical and chronological variability of anthropomorphic figures illustrated at Gebel el Silsila, including considerations of spatial distribution, archaeological context, and – if possible – an interpretation of their significance.
Since the Swedish concession begun work in 2012 the an-
ARCE 68th Annual Meeting
71
cient site of... more Since the Swedish concession begun work in 2012 the an- ARCE 68th Annual Meeting 71 cient site of Gebel el-Silsila has been divided into 104 individual quarries, 52 on respective side of the Nile, each one studied within their archaeological and geological landscape. Together, archaeology, epigraphy, geography and detail studies of preserved infrastructure, extraction techniques and transportation methods, provide us with an insight into the overall administration of Gebel el-Silsila, and how the ‘Mountain of the Chain’ developed into a complex quarryscape. The Roman Quarry 24 is an excellent example of how the individual quarries acted as a microcosm thriving with activity during a limited period of time; this will be explored here.
Stretching out over an area of almost 30,000 m2 and exploited during the reign of Emperor Tiberius, the quarry is preserved with hundreds of epigraphic documents, including dedications to Montu and depictions of pylons indicating the intended architectural feature for the extracted blocks, animal stables, and an administration building with 13 rooms exposed so far. Since excavations begun in 2015 this building has produced over a hundred demotic ostraca, coloured textile, seal impressions, coins and beads, sandstone figurines and amulets, inscribed plaques (etc.), and over 30,000 ceramic sherds. Together material culture and epigraphic documents provide us with intriguing clues about the chronology, function and development of the site, as well as the correlated temple destination to where the stone was to be transported. This paper presents a preliminary report from the ‘Stables of Tiberius.’
ARCE annual meeting, Kansas City, 21-23 April 2017
Returning to Gebel el Silsila: New discoveries and current goals of the Swedish Archaeological Project
Although long admired for its Pharaonic stelae, cenotaphs, and Speos, the grand ancient site of G... more Although long admired for its Pharaonic stelae, cenotaphs, and Speos, the grand ancient site of Gebel el Silsila remains fairly unknown within mainstream Egyptology and Archaeology. A general idea is that the site functioned merely as a sandstone quarry, but few are aware of its rich archaeology that incorporates evidence of millennia of human activity and cultural features that meet seven of UNESCO’s ten outstanding values. Since 2012 the Swedish-run archaeological project works towards changing previous misconceptions, and in conducting a comprehensive archaeological study the aim is to increase the general awareness of the site’s importance and unique legacy. The aim is here to present an introduction to the project, its new approaches, discoveries and results achieved so far. Epigraphic reference will be made to the most recent findings of the enigmatic boat scene in the Speos, superimposed carvings on the Nile Stelae, a unique stela of Amun-Ra and Thoth, and a quick summary of the complex pseudo-scripted marking system with some 5000 documented signs. Archaeologically, we will explore the re-discovered Temple of Kheny with its exceptional Thutmosid limestone fragments, but also an administrative building known to the team as ‘Tiberius’ Stables’, the rich locale of ‘Pottery Hill’, and round up with an announcement of the discovery of a remarkable object from the reign of Amenhotep III.
Symbolae Sacrae: symbolic formulae for protection and adoration within the sandstone quarries of Gebel el Silsila
Within the grand sandstone quarries of Gebel el Silsila is a vast amount of unique symbolic r... more Within the grand sandstone quarries of Gebel el Silsila is a vast amount of unique symbolic representations; stylized iconographic and pseudo-scripted signs and marks that to some extent signify deities and their protection against demons, evil and mishaps. Like written protective formulae, these marks were placed within the quarries to symbolically safe-keep the quarry workers, and for expressing gratefulness once the work had been completed. For such reason a single quarry face/wall could be incised with more than 300 marks with no apparent order of distribution; some carved immediately adjacent adoration texts or dedications. In total, thus far, some 5000 quarry marks have been documented and analysed by the current archaeological concession (Lund University).
This paper aims to present a selection of quarry marks that can be associated with the metaphorical world of the ancients (chiefly early Roman) with focus on assigned protective deities (eg. Bes, Min, Horus, Amun, but especially the local Agathodaimon Pachimesen); the ever assimilating daemon Shaï; apotropaic figures (anguipedes, akephaloi, Harpocrates, Tutu); and marks used for protection, adoration, respect and gratefulness. It is an attempt to broaden the perspective of traditionally accepted ancient apotropaia, and incorporate superstitious representations communicated by a group of hard working men within the quarries of Gebel el Silsila. The material presented is based on preliminary conclusions.
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Books by Maria Nilsson
The results of this study suggest that the crown of Arsinoë was created for the living queen and reflected three main cultural positions: her royal position as King of Lower Egypt, her cultic role as high priestess, and her religious aspect as thea Philadelphos. It indicates that she was proclaimed female pharaoh during her lifetime, and that she was regarded the female founder of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. The results of the study of the later material suggest that the later Hathoric crown was created in a time of political instability, when Ptolemy IV needed to emphasise his ancestry – underlining his lineage from Arsinoë II and Ptolemy II. The comprehensive study of the contextual pictorial setting indicates that this is a plausible explanation: the crown of Arsinoë became a symbol of authority worthy of continuation.
Papers by Maria Nilsson
The results of this study suggest that the crown of Arsinoë was created for the living queen and reflected three main cultural positions: her royal position as King of Lower Egypt, her cultic role as high priestess, and her religious aspect as thea Philadelphos. It indicates that she was proclaimed female pharaoh during her lifetime, and that she was regarded the female founder of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. The results of the study of the later material suggest that the later Hathoric crown was created in a time of political instability, when Ptolemy IV needed to emphasise his ancestry – underlining his lineage from Arsinoë II and Ptolemy II. The comprehensive study of the contextual pictorial setting indicates that this is a plausible explanation: the crown of Arsinoë became a symbol of authority worthy of continuation.
The quarryscape of Gebel el Silsila in Upper Egypt displays an astounding concentration of incised illustrations, among which images of anthropomorphic figures are frequent motifs. Chronologically, depictions of human-like figures are recorded over a period of several millennia; from Prehistoric petroglyphs possibly contemporaneous with the Epipalaeolithic Elkabian industry, to pictorial graffiti of dynastic periods and throughout into the early Roman imperial days. Over the span of six millennia visitors to Gebel el Silsila have depicted huntsmen pursuing wild game, warriors armed with swords, shields or arrows, boatmen, horsemen, religious devotees expressing adoration, as well as apotropaic daemons, gods and human figures of varying iconographic complexity. These splendid commemorations range from miniscule, delicately carved figures to grand scenes or rough and elusive hammered depictions. The ancient artists recorded their changing environment as it transformed from a prehistoric wet and flooded Nilotic landscape to the more arid and scarce quarryscape of historical times. This paper aims to present stylistic, technical and chronological variability of anthropomorphic figures illustrated at Gebel el Silsila, including considerations of spatial distribution, archaeological context, and – if possible – an interpretation of their significance.
Although long admired for its Pharaonic stelae, cenotaphs, and Speos, the grand ancient site of Gebel el Silsila remains fairly unknown within mainstream Egyptology and Archaeology. A general idea is that the site functioned merely as a sandstone quarry, but few are aware of its rich archaeology that incorporates evidence of millennia of human activity and cultural features that meet seven of UNESCO’s ten outstanding values. Since 2012 the Swedish-run archaeological project works towards changing previous misconceptions, and in conducting a comprehensive archaeological study the aim is to increase the general awareness of the site’s importance and unique legacy. The aim is here to present an introduction to the project, its new approaches, discoveries and results achieved so far. Epigraphic reference will be made to the most recent findings of the enigmatic boat scene in the Speos, superimposed carvings on the Nile Stelae, a unique stela of Amun-Ra and Thoth, and a quick summary of the complex pseudo-scripted marking system with some 5000 documented signs. Archaeologically, we will explore the re-discovered Temple of Kheny with its exceptional Thutmosid limestone fragments, but also an administrative building known to the team as ‘Tiberius’ Stables’, the rich locale of ‘Pottery Hill’, and round up with an announcement of the discovery of a remarkable object from the reign of Amenhotep III.
Here referred to as ‘symbols’ in accordance with the semiotic terminology, we would like to present a third option based on the comparison with magical amulets, being contemporary with the quarry symbols. We suggest a most similar magical function, as did Sir Arthur Evans when interpreting symbols located on Minoan palaces at Crete. As such, this paper will present a variation of quarry symbols documented personally in situ, individual and in groups, as well as symbols located on temple structure and as graffiti. The images and results presented are included in an ongoing project aiming to catalogue and analyze these symbols for the first time in a comprehensive form. The symbols are studied according to an interdisciplinary approach, combining the concepts of classicism, Egyptology and Art History with an iconographical and semantic analysis of form and appearance and an iconological and hermeneutic analysis of meaning and function. Based on a classification system, which establishes a typology, the aim is to explore the symbols’ fundamental function and cultural position in the society. The aim is also to identify the person or group (the creator) behind the symbols in order to reassess the question of a possible wider continuum of usage. Therefore this paper functions as an introduction to the research project rather than a completed corpus. This paper will include also a brief comparison with the British medieval templar church of Garway indicating a continuation of styles and function into a new historical and religious era, thus including also a wider cultural spectrum of application.
The recently increased scholarly interest in pseudo script has opened
up a somewhat new avenue within traditional Egyptological studies,
offering a deeper insight into marking systems that traditionally are not
included within the boundaries of established written languages and/
or iconographical representation. Thus, in addition to studying the rich
and well preserved demotic and Greek inscriptions on site, the Gebel
el Silsila Epigraphic Survey Project 2012 also documented, categorised
and analysed engraved marks—‘quarry marks’—in the ancient Egyptian
quarry for the purpose of identifying who was responsible for making
these stone cuttings and why. This paper will use the theme of the
conference and cross the boundaries of previous academic generalisation—
the identification of quarry marks with masons’ marks, stone cutters’
marks or identity marks as a whole. By exploring the quarry marks
in detail within their textual context and by comparing the individual
marks with contemporary signs found on other media, other options will
be explored as well, including a more religious/superstitious significance
that is emphasised in the late Ptolemaic and early Roman periods during
which they were created. This paper will present a general overview of
the mission’s epigraphic survey in 2012 and the results achieved so far.
The quarryscape of Gebel el Silsila in Upper Egypt displays an astounding concentration of incised illustrations, among which images of anthropomorphic figures are frequent motifs. Chronologically, depictions of human-like figures are recorded over a period of several millennia; from Prehistoric petroglyphs possibly contemporaneous with the Epipalaeolithic Elkabian industry, to pictorial graffiti of dynastic periods and throughout into the early Roman imperial days. Over the span of six millennia visitors to Gebel el Silsila have depicted huntsmen pursuing wild game, warriors armed with swords, shields or arrows, boatmen, horsemen, religious devotees expressing adoration, as well as apotropaic daemons, gods and human figures of varying iconographic complexity. These splendid commemorations range from miniscule, delicately carved figures to grand scenes or rough and elusive hammered depictions. The ancient artists recorded their changing environment as it transformed from a prehistoric wet and flooded Nilotic landscape to the more arid and scarce quarryscape of historical times. This paper aims to present stylistic, technical and chronological variability of anthropomorphic figures illustrated at Gebel el Silsila, including considerations of spatial distribution, archaeological context, and – if possible – an interpretation of their significance.
ARCE 68th Annual Meeting
71
cient site of Gebel el-Silsila has been divided into 104 individual
quarries, 52 on respective side of the Nile, each one studied
within their archaeological and geological landscape. Together,
archaeology, epigraphy, geography and detail studies of preserved
infrastructure, extraction techniques and transportation methods,
provide us with an insight into the overall administration of Gebel
el-Silsila, and how the ‘Mountain of the Chain’ developed into
a complex quarryscape. The Roman Quarry 24 is an excellent
example of how the individual quarries acted as a microcosm
thriving with activity during a limited period of time; this will be
explored here.
Stretching out over an area of almost 30,000 m2 and exploited
during the reign of Emperor Tiberius, the quarry is preserved with
hundreds of epigraphic documents, including dedications to Montu
and depictions of pylons indicating the intended architectural feature
for the extracted blocks, animal stables, and an administration
building with 13 rooms exposed so far. Since excavations begun in
2015 this building has produced over a hundred demotic ostraca,
coloured textile, seal impressions, coins and beads, sandstone
figurines and amulets, inscribed plaques (etc.), and over 30,000
ceramic sherds. Together material culture and epigraphic documents
provide us with intriguing clues about the chronology, function
and development of the site, as well as the correlated temple
destination to where the stone was to be transported. This paper
presents a preliminary report from the ‘Stables of Tiberius.’
ARCE annual meeting, Kansas City, 21-23 April 2017
This paper aims to present a selection of quarry marks that can be associated with the metaphorical world of the ancients (chiefly early Roman) with focus on assigned protective deities (eg. Bes, Min, Horus, Amun, but especially the local Agathodaimon Pachimesen); the ever assimilating daemon Shaï; apotropaic figures (anguipedes, akephaloi, Harpocrates, Tutu); and marks used for protection, adoration, respect and gratefulness. It is an attempt to broaden the perspective of traditionally accepted ancient apotropaia, and incorporate superstitious representations communicated by a group of hard working men within the quarries of Gebel el Silsila. The material presented is based on preliminary conclusions.