Mower, J. & Tassie, G. J. 2000. Egyptian Human Remains: Retrieval, Conservation and Analysis: A...

116 Conference reviews

Egyptian Human Remains: Retrieval, Conservation and Analysis.A Conference held at Qantara, Egypt, 25 th_27 th April ZOOO

J. P. Mower & G. J. Tassie,Institute of Archaeology, VeL

This three-day conference. originally conceived by Peter Ucko, Director of theInsliwtc of Archaeology (loA), Vel. was designed to open a forum on the currentstatus of the slUdy and preservation of archaeological human remains in Egypt andaddress the challenges faced by modern bioarchaeology in Egyplloday. In order to beable 10 inform participants on the nature of the human rcmains held within Egypt,Ted L. Tucker (Ohio State University), aided in her research by Hany Ahmed Abu clAzen of the SeA. had earlier been invited to conduct a survey. recording the location,number and condition of recovered human remains. The international community ofscholars present were invited to share their experiences with others, whilst beinggiven a forum for outlining current research concerns allover the country. The mainperiods of interest were the Predynastic and Early Dynastic. although papers weredelivered on material from later periods as well. It was hoped that the conferencewould raise awareness of the importance of studying and conserving these remains.

Sponsorship for the even! came from the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt(SCA), University College London (UCl). The Wellcome Foundation and theBioanlhropology Foundation.

The conference. held at the North Sinai Archaeological Research Centre. was dividedinto six sections. investigating approaches to human remains in bioarchaeology.conservation. and museum studies.

Day One: April 2Slb

Professor Gabal1a A. Gabal1a, Secretary General of the SCA, took the chair to openthe proceedings, stressing the importance of focusing on the proper retrieval andstudy of human remains in the context of Egyptology as a whole. This was followedby an introductory lecture by Peter Ucko, whose brief retrospective history ofbiollrchlleological research on Predynastic Egypt supplied a background to theinvolvement of Western science in the study of Egyptian human remains over the last200 years.

Goals of011 Archaeolog)' of Humall RemainsFollowing the inlroduction, Simon Hillson (loA) gave a lecture on information thaican be gained through bie-archaeological research, highlighting health and nutritionissues. Roxie Walker. President of the Bioanthropology Foundation, then continuedthis theme, calling for more individual profiles, as well as population profiles. Shealso discussed the lack of bioarchaeological training available for young Egyptians,suggesting that a Bioarchaeological Centre be established with more field-schools tobe run in Egypt.

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Excavations ofEarly Egyptian Human RemainsThe presentation of current field research throughout the country provided thosepresent with an insight into their colleagues' research, exploring common experiencesand differences in approach at a number of sites. The first site discussed was thePredynastic to Early Dynastic cemetery at Hierakonpolis. Barbara Adams and JimMower (loA), presented 'Bone Puzzles: Osteological Investigations in a High StatusCemetery at Hierakonpolis'. This lecture examined Locality 6 (HK 6), wheresophisticated techniques of recovery and reconstruction were shown to have provideda great deal of useful data, despite the widespread looting and disturbanceencountered. The 1999 season had positive implications for the future of the cemeteryexcavations at Locality 6 due to the discovery, for the first time on site, of in-situhuman remains. Renee Friedman then gave an 'Overview of Research to Date' at theLocality 43 cemetery at Hierakonpolis. She demonstrated the importance of the site,contrasting the well-preserved remains from the cemetery, with the highly disturbednature of the Locality 6 remains. Amy Maish (University of Toronto) expanded onthis theme, discussing 'Trauma at HK 43' with an excellent presentation, highlightingpathological concerns. Ahmed Gamal Fahmy (Cairo University) then talked about the'Plant Macro Remains From HK "43', demonstrating how they can be used toreconstruct the ancient diet. Still in Upper Egypt, Shomarka Keita delivered a lectureon his research into the Nagada population - 'Preliminary Studies on PredynasticRemains from Upper Egypt: Diachronic Considerations'. This presentation causedsome controversy, with some members of the conference disagreeing with Keita'sfindings, citing methodological issues as a cause for concern. Patricia Podzorski(Museum of Art and Archaeology, University of Missouri) then gave a 'Review of theWork Carried Out at Nag ed-Del". This fascinating presentation explored both thehistorical legacy of archaeological investigations at the site, and touched on changingattitudes, both of the local Egyptian populace and of scholars, to the excavation andtreatment of human remains. This was a continuing debate at a conference drawing ondifferent experiences from the international community. One of the most interestingpoints from this lecture was the discovery of penis sheaths found in situ on some ofthe Egyptian male burials at Nag ed-Del', a practice that used to be accepted as beingindicative of Libyan influence.

There then followed a series of lectures on Kafr Hassan Dawood (KHD), with FekriA. Hassan giving an overview with 'KHD: A Terminal PredynasticlEarly DynasticCemetery', an overview of the work carried out by the combined SCA/UCL teamsince 1995 at the East Delta site. This was followed by Simon Hillson's lecture,which discussed the problems of excavating multiple disarticulated burials - 'SkeletalRemains from KHD'. Hillson's presentation demonstrated the quick-thinking andsensible improvisation often needed when attempting to conserve very fragile remainsunder difficult circumstances. It also showed the rewards gained from on-siteeducation in the conservation and recovery of human remains.

Teri L. Tucker presented an overview of the bioarchaeological research strategy andresults at KHD in her lecture the 'Human Remains from KHD'. The majority ofgraves were relatively small, oval pits, containing a single flexed inhumation.Although little evidence existed for specific diseases, most of the population appearsto have died between the ages of 17-35. Tucker pointed out that regardless of grave

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type and contents, at least one symbolic potsherd was found located in the hands, faceor nexl 10 the sacrum in many burials. The last lecture in the series, 'GraveConstruction and Transfonnation Processes' was delivered by Mohammed AbdelRahman Hamdan (Cairo University). This lecture focused on the need for carefulexcavation and single context recording methodology, 10 aid lhe clear understandingof the geological transfonnation processes affecting graves on the site.

The session then relUmed in Upper Egypt, with Eric CrubCzy (Universitie de PaulSabatier) and Bertrand Ludes (Institu( de Midecine Ligale) delivering Ten Years ofExcavations in the Predynaslic Cemetery of AdaIma (Upper Egypl): From FuneraryRitual 10 Palaeoepidemiology of Predynastic Populations'. This lecture revealed thearray of burial practices found at Ada'ima. focusing on the children's cemetery in thewest of the site. The team had noticed that the size of individuals in life appeared tobe renected in the vessels buried alongside them. Even those with deformities wereinterred with damaged or badly formed vessels. The team suggested that the numberof pots placed in a grave should not be thought of as indicative of wealth. Like theplacing of a baby in its mother's arms within the grave (showing the familialrelationship to the living), the funeral ceremony was more for those left behind thanthe dead.

Presentations then focused on the Western Desert with Scott Woodward (BrighamYoung University) infonning the delegates about The Genealogical, and OtherReconstructions Using DNA Analysis of the Fag tl Gamous Cemetery' in theFaiyum. a cemetery that holds over 150,000 burials dating from 350 BC to 150 AD.The site showed traumas caused by violence occurring on both sexes. Moving South.Joseph EI-Molto (Lakehead University) spoke about the 'Bioarchaeological Researchin the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt: Research Strategies and Key Findings'.

Day Two: April 26110

R~cording, Lifting and LocatiollThe day staned with Jerome Rose and Kate Spradley (University of Arkansas)delivering an imponant lecture on field protocols, 'Ocvelopment of StandardizedOsteology Data Collection Systems: Three Examples of Success from the USA'. Suchstandardisation of data can enable ease of comparison in inter-site investigations. Thestandards include the minimum required information for reliable comparativepopulation studies. It was considered vital that these standards be introduced into thestudy of human remains in Egypt, especially if they are to be incorporated into adatabase of all the human remains known. J. Rose's Standards can be obtained fromhttp://www.uark.edulcampus·resourceslarchinfolsod.html

Julie Eklund (loA) focused on the conservation and lifting of human remains in 'SafeRecovery: On Site Conservation Considerations to Maximise the Research Potentialof Human Remains'. In this lecture. Eklund discussed the use of various methods ofretrieval and consolidants in the field, noting also that these substances should not beused when the human remains were to be sampled for DNA or Stable IsotopeAnalysis. Methods for the safe lifting of burials using polyurethane foam were alsodiscussed. Barbara Adams then read Helena Jaeschkc's paper on 'Conserving Bodies


at HK 6', with similar conclusions. Jaeschke's work at Hierakonpolis clearly showedthat conservators need a comprehensive understanding of many aspects ofarchaeological practice, both in the field and the laboratory, in order to formulate thebest response to changing conditions of preservation.

Fathi Saleh (SCA) gave a lecture on 'The Archaeological Map of Egypt: Enclosure ofHuman Remains Archaeology'. This lecture suggested that relational databasescontaining information on human remains and other areas of archaeology should beattached to the GIS map of Egypt, currently being compiled by Fathi Saleh and histeam at the National Centre for Cultural and Natural Sites. Joanne M. Rowland (loA)then explained 'The Application of Geographical Information Systems at KHD', andshowed how they can aid in the spatial and temporal analysis of a site.

Teri Tucker then tabled her report on the bioarchaeology of Egypt, which detailed thenumber, whereabouts, storage and archiving of human remains around Egypt. Theresults of the survey, still in progress, revealed the difficulties faced in gaining accessto collections of human remains and the necessity for monitored protocols inconservation treatment and storage. Tucker's attempts to create a database of humanremains as part of the conference were the cause of much debate and difference ofopinion amongst those attending, demonstrating that cooperation within the academiccommunity must be improved for Egyptian archaeology to really move forward.

Storage and CurationAhmed Saleh (SCA) told the delegates about the 'Mummification Museum, Luxorand its Importance'. Saleh's presentation was a stark reminder of the challenges facedby those working in the Egyptian Antiquities service. Issues discussed includedfunding and environmental threats to the mummified remains, leaving those attendingwith an impression that there is much to be done at a local level in Egypt before clearcoordination in the preservation of human remains can be achieved. In a similar vein,Patricia Podzorski's presentation on 'Storage and Maintenance of Human Remains',demonstrated that the conservation, archiving and storage requirements feir humanremains might be beyond the financial and practical realities of Egypt itself. Muchdebate on this issue was forthcoming from participants.

A comparative perspective was offered by Sonia Guillen's (Centro Mallqui) lectureon 'Guarding Mummies, a Peruvian Experience'. This was a heartening and positiveexamination of what can be achieved by singularly dedicated individuals prepared tomake the best use of existing resources whilst seeking out funding from theinternational community. The Peruvian experience, similar to conditions in Egypt inmany ways, demonstrated to all that obstacles to the proper consideration andpreservation of human remains are far from insurmountable.

Post-Excavation AnalysisThe focus of the conference then changed to post-excavation analysis, with MichaelSchultz (Zentrum Anatomie der Georg-August-Universitdt) presenting 'NewApproaches in Palaeopathology by Diagnosing Skeletal and Mummified Remains byMicroscopic Techniques'. This entertaining presentation showed how well-fundedscientific research is able to provide new insights into the examination of human


remains, with implications for recovery in the field, and in conservation. MohammedFawzi Gaballah (Cairo University), one of Egypt's lop Palaeopathologisls thenpresented 'The Kasr EI-Aina Collection of Modern Dry Bones Showing PathologicalManifestations and its Contribution to the SlUdy of Palaeopathology·. This studycentred on how the use of modern Osteological techniques in bio-anthropology canlead to important discoveries regarding the past. The 'Dental Pathology in AncientEgyptians from Giza' was the theme of Ana Sarry EI-Din's (National ResearchCentre) lecture, demonstrating the importance of studying dentition.

Day Three: April 27P

Post-£fcavation Alwl}'sis (Camillllcd)The final day opened with Naglaa Kholoussi's (National Research Centre) interestinglecture on 'Histological Analysis of Ancient Egyptian Skeletal Remains: HealthStatus. Age Estimation. Sex Differences and Osteoporosis'. Roxie Walker then readJoann Aetcher's fascinating paper on 'Hair and Nails'. This lecture focused onAetcher's main area of interest, palaeoethnotrichology (the cultural and scientificstudy of ancient hair), correctly pointing out that until relatively recently both hairand nails have been largely ignored as a source of information about ancient societies,Fletcher defined the three different types of hair found in Egypt, I) natural scalp hair;2) false hair such as wigs; 3) hair deposits as offerings. There are three basic levels ofexamination, visual; electron microscopy; and sub-molecular. These can illuminateinformation regarding the general condition of health and diet, allowing interpretationin terms of social status and profession.

The final sections of this session covered two relalively new areas of invcstigationwith the potential to revolutionise the field of bioarchaeology - DNA and StableIsotope Analysis. ScOIt Woodward presented a lecture on the 'Extraction andRecovery of DNA from Ancient Human Material'. This lecture was particularlyuseful in illuminating the new types of procedures available to archaeologists.Woodward echoed Julie Eklund's presentation in arguing against the use ofconsolidanlS on skeletal material if samples are to be extracted. Joseph EI-Moltospoke on 'MIDNA Research on Kallis 2 Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt' highlighting the useof DNA studies in constructing site genealogies. Benrand Ludes and Eric Crubizypresented 'Ancient DNA and Predynastic Populations from Adai'ma: From Samplingto Family Relationships and Epidmiology', a fascinating study of a Predynasticpopulation. focusing on familial relationships at Adai'ma. Michael Richards (ResearchLaboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford) presented'Direct Evidence of Subsistence from Human Remains: The POiential of StableIsotope Analysis to Provide New Data on Diet in the Predynastic and Early DynasticPeriods'. This particular lecture was well received by the delegates, demonstratingthat a single hair can reveal an individuals' health, including seasonality in their diet.The hair grows at an average of 1 cm a month, therefore with hair over 12 cm long,the diet of an individual over the last year of life can be reconstructed. Richard'swork also has implications for showing status and gender access to foodstuffs.


Discussion Session: Strategy and Future PlansPeter Ucko took the chair at the conclusion of the three-day conference to begin thedebate on what had been learnt from the experience. The previous days' presentationswere considered by the participants, in order to formulate recommendations to bemade to the Egyptian Antiquities service and the Supreme Council itself. Livelydebate followed with much participation from the Egyptian contingent, particularlyGaballa A. Gaballa, who was extremely supportive and positive in light of theobstacles highlighted during the conference itself. The discussion that followedestablished that human remains should be treated with respect, involving professionalcUl'ation, with the aim that skeletons should not be separated, but stored asindividuals. This related to the urgent need for the complete and accessible databaseof existing human remains begun by Teri L. Tucker. Collaborative research washighlighted as an extremely important issue, both between foreign missions workingin Egypt, and between foreigners and Egyptian scholars. The sharing of equipmentand personnel was considered vital, with Professor Gaballa extending an openinvitation to foreign researchers who may wish to collaborate specifically on Deltaprojects. An invitation to use the Qantara Research Centre itself was extended to allparticipants. Publication was raised as an issue, particularly the need for anexcavation manual containing procedures, standards and conventions, a guide to thetreatment of human remains in the field, and a summary of the conference papers inArabic to be published by the Supreme Council and provided to Egyptian scholarsand field workers free of charge. These publications related directly to the overalldiscussion of training in Egypt, with the necessity for University, Inspectorate andfield training in relation to human remains to be expanded upon. Participantsconcluded that it would be essential to:

• introduce guidelines to ensure that research designs were provided beforeany archaeological work was undertaken;

• recommend that all teams utilise the appropriate specialists for investigatingspecific data;

• recommend that the submission of all reports to the Supreme Councilinclude a detailed listing of recovered human remains.

The conference had drawn on international experts from diverse fields bringing themtogether with a common goal; the ethical treatment of human remains. Theconference demonstrated that several obstacles must be overcome if the legacy ofcivilization in Egypt is not to be lost for the next generation of bio-anthropologists.Problems faced by scholars include bureaucratic inefficiency and lack of funding, aswell as practical issues such as teaching young Egyptians basic archaeologicaltechniques at field-schools and in Egyptian universities. It is clear, however, thatstandardisation of recording procedures would require great changes in the currentorganisation and treatment of cultural resources by both the state and the majorinstitutions working within Egypt. With this in mind, the conference represented asignificant step in simply beginning a debate on this much neglected subject. It wasagreed by all that the conference should be followed by further workshops in order tomore fully explore the collaborations suggested and recommendations made. Theexperience was a positive one and enabled those present to clearly envisage the


challenges that lie ahead, and become aware of the obstacles to be overcome, if weare to preserve the past and the present for the fulure.

Below is an extract of a letter sent by Prof. Ucko to Pmf. Gaballa A. Gaballa(Secretary General of the SeA):

The following are the recommendations from the Workshop on the BioarchaeologicalHeritage of Egypt, held at the Northern Sinai Research Centre, Qantara, Egypt 25-27April 2000. They have been circulated to all Workshop participants and modified inthe light of comments received.

1. Although wider questions regarding the ethics of dealing with human remainsmight be considered at a latcr meeting, it was the view of the Workshop thatrespect should be accorded to ancient human remains and that this involvestaking on responsibility for professional curation of such unique items, e.g. theunnecessary allocation of separate parts of an individual to different storagefacilities should not be allowed.

2. As a matter of urgency, it was recommended that an inventory of all collectionsof ancient Egyptian human remains in Egypt should be completed on acomputerised database as soon as possible and that the database should then beaccessible. It was also agreed that it would be premature to press all overseasinstitutions holding ancient Egyptians human remains to provide detailedinformation of the above kind until the internal Egyptian database was availableto such overseas institutions and until Egypt had solved its acute current storageproblem. Meanwhile it was agreed that the information about overseas holdingswould continue to be sought through individual contacts by researchers andthrough published references to the holding of material in museums and otherinstitutions outside Egypt. It was agreed that in order to complete and check theinventory in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo would require two to three monthswork and you agreed to second a member of staff to achieve this. In addition, itwas recognised that this whole initiative will require inspection of the contents ofmagazines and you agreed to provide access to magazines for this purpose. Itwas agreed that following the completion of the inventory it would then benecessary to identify the actual remains and their physical locations, and to makean assessment of their conservation needs.

3. The Workshop was informed of proposed collaborative research on the late predynastic/early dynastic sites of the Eastern Delta region, such collaboration toinclude the sharing of equipment, personnel (such as DNA, histology, osteology,palaeopathology experts), and facilities. You described this as an open invitationfor foreign researchers to collaborate with Egyptians in the current efforts by theSupreme Council of Antiquities (hereafter, SCA) to safeguard the arehaeologicalsites of the Delta. Moreover, you stressed that funding from the SeA is alsoavailable for foreign scholars to work in the Delta, the only stipulation being thatany foreign involvement should involve the training of Egyptians and theproduction of material for publication. You also announced the establishment ofa new Sinai Research Centre with its own Director, a facility which would


include a bioarchaeology unit with its own building, laboratories, work space,lecture halls, library and curatorial facilities with climatic controls to whichancient human remains from anywhere within Egypt could be brought for studyto be made accessible for researchers from Egypt or abroad. A plot of land hasbeen set aside and a substantial contribution to the cost of constructing thebuilding will be financed by the SCA. You also made it clear that from your sideyou are now awaiting firm proposals regarding the physical requirements of theproposed Centre and its architectural design; and you stressed the urgency ofdetailed action. It was agreed that a task force should be established after thisWorkshop. Therefore, I now recommend to you a task force comprising three ofyour representatives, a representative of the Wellcome Foundation, arepresentative of the Bioanthropology Foundation, a representative of theInstitute of Archaeology, University College London, and two other internationalexperts.

4. These announcements were greeted with acclaim and it was felt that theestablishment of this Centre could well lead to international collaborations suchas one suggested by Professor Schultz to come to Egypt with a technician toprovision a laboratory and train Egyptian technicians in microscopic histologicalanalysis.

5. It was agreed that there was an acute need for three different types ofpublications in Arabic: I) an excavation manual which would include samplingmethods for DNA, histology, etc., 2) a manual on the excavation, lifting andrecording of burials, and 3) a summary of the papers presented at the presentWorkshop. You agreed to produce and publish all three of the above in Arabicfree of charge.

6. It was agreed that trammg was acutely needed at three distinct levels: theuniversity level, at Inspectorate level, and for field workers. All felt that overallthe status of human bioarchaeology within Egypt needed to be raised. Withregard to the university level, Professor Zaizafon Hussein Badway offered toteach a post-graduate course on human anatomy to Egyptology, archaeology andall other interested students and she hoped that it would become an accreditedcourse. With regard to the Inspector, not only would the manuals be relevant, butit was agreed that especially designed short courses should be provided forInspectors. You recommended that at first Inspectors should under go training inarchaeological field methods, before they were then trained in the specific skillsof bioarchaeology. With regard to the wages of field workers and Inspectors, thealready existing system did differentially reward those who had acquired specialskills. It was stressed that no system existed or would be introduced which wouldbase financial renumeration on the number of objects recovered. In addition itwas agreed that scholarships should be sought for those with particular aptitudesto be trained abroad in advanced field and analytical techniques. Whereas it wasrecognised that several foreign expeditions do indeed provide training forEgyptians, some felt that this was still insufficient and that foreign commitmentto such training should be increased. This was left for further discussion at afuture Workshop. Meanwhile, you announced that there would be a year-round


training program at the newly established Research Centre in North Sinai andthat Professor Fekri Hassan would meet shortly with the newly appointedDirector of the Centre to discuss details of the such training programs.

7. It was agreed that the above-mentioned task force should consider thedesirability of asking the SCA to produce guidelines regarding the followingpoints: a) To ensure that both Egyptian Inspectors and foreign archaeologistsshould be requested to produce written research designs before undertaking newresearch. b) To ensure that excavation teams include relevant specialists, such asbioarchaeologists and conservators where appropriate. c) That all reports to theSCA should include a listing of the total number of individuals found, as well asany other important bioarchaeological data.

8. As it had already been agreed to welcome the proposed collaborative work in theDelta, and to support any moves which would improve the provision of adequatestorage and the Egypt-wide need for adequate facilities for the curation of humanremains (and an associated provision of a reliable database), your announcementof a new Bioarchaeology Research Centre was accepted with acclaim as meetingalmost all the points which had been raised during the previous two and halfdays. You stressed that the new Qantara Centre was the beginning of adevelopment that might lead to storage centres in other parts of the Delta and inUpper Egypt, and also the possible development of the Luxor MummificationMuseum as another research and study centre. You accepted that your vision forthe proposed Qantara centre would see it as being the natural focus for several ofthe research projects which the Workshop had raised over the previous days, e.g.the significance of multiple burials, the causes for differential skeletaldecomposition, and the development of methodologies of the analysis of bonefragments.

9. In view of the success of the Workshop it was agreed that further Workshopsshould be held and that the above-mentioned task force (to represent as widely aspossible the interest of Workshop participants) should be established as a matterof urgency in order to ensure that recommendations be implemented, and detailsbe further elaborated and action taken on them.

Finally, I have pleasure in being able to report that I have secured a year's sabbaticalleave from the end of September 2000 for Dr. Fekri Hassan (Petrie Professor ofArchaeology loA, UCL), with the primary aim of allowing him to be physically basedin Egypt to facilitate implementation of the above recommendations.

Mower, J. & Tassie, G. J. 2000. Egyptian Human Remains: Retrieval, Conservation and Analysis: A...

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