New insights into old problems : the application of a multidisciplinary approach to the study of early Egyptian ceramic chronology, with a focus on luminescence dating
This thesis takes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of ancient Egyptian ceramics by applying scientific dating techniques alongside more traditional methods. It is the first study to apply OSL dating to an Egyptian ceramic assemblage, and it has done so by developing the minimum extraction technique (MET), which has made it possible to use OSL to sample, and thus analyse, ceramics housed in museums. The MET is at present essential to the success of OSL dating of Egyptian ceramics, as the exportation ban on antiquities has prevented OSL analysis of field material. For this thesis, using this new sampling technique, OSL has been applied to several assemblages from the Predynastic to the Early Dynastic period. Ceramics from [ADD IN REVIEW ] have been examined, with three phases being established: late Naqada III, First Intermediate Period, and the mediaeval Islamic period. Absolute dates have been determined for each phase and, where comparison is possible, have been found in good agreement with the historical chronology. A set of vessels from Naqada, Ballas, and the Tomb of Djer at Abydos have been examined using OSL in conjunction with radiocarbon dating. Again, three phases of activity were discerned:
Hood, Amber Giles Eve
Archaeological Science ; Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating ; Egyptian Archaeology ; Relative Dating ; OSL ; Chronology ; Cladistics ; Egyptian ; Ceramics ; Archaeology ; Radiocarbon ; Absolute Dating ; Naqada Period ; Early Dynastic Period
New insights into old problems : the application of a multidisciplinary approach to the study of early Egyptian ceramic chronology, with a focus on luminescence dating. This thesis takes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of ancient Egyptian ceramics by applying scientific dating techniques alongside more traditional methods. It is the first study to apply OSL dating to an Egyptian ceramic assemblage, and it has done so by developing the minimum extraction technique (MET), which has made it possible to use OSL to sample, and thus analyse, ceramics housed in museums. The MET is at present essential to the success of OSL dating of Egyptian ceramics, as the exportation ban on antiquities has prevented OSL analysis of field material. For this thesis, using this new sampling technique, OSL has been applied to several assemblages from the Predynastic to the Early Dynastic period. Ceramics from [ADD IN REVIEW ] have been examined, with three phases being established: late Naqada III, First Intermediate Period, and the mediaeval Islamic period. Absolute dates have been determined for each phase and, where comparison is possible, have been found in good agreement with the historical chronology. A set of vessels from Naqada, Ballas, and the Tomb of Djer at Abydos have been examined using OSL in conjunction with radiocarbon dating. Again, three phases of activity were discerned:
new_insight old problem application multidisciplinary study early egyptian ceramic chronology focus luminescence dating take multidisciplinary study ancient_egyptian ceramic apply scientific date technique alongside traditional_method first study apply date egyptian ceramic assemblage develop minimum extraction technique met make_possible use sample thus analyse ceramic house museum met present essential success date egyptian ceramic ban antiquity prevent analysis field material use new sampling technique apply several assemblage predynastic_early dynastic_period ceramics add review examine three_phase establish late iii first intermediate period mediaeval islamic_period absolute_date determine phase comparison possible find good agreement historical chronology set vessel tomb examine use conjunction radiocarbon_dating three_phase activity discern