the excavation of the Amarna site to gather new archaeological evidence
The proposed project involves the excavation of the Amarna site to gather new archaeological evidence. The site is located in the middle of Egypt, where Pharaoh Akhenaton constructed the new city. This area of the proposed excavation is at a point of archaeological potential because it offers a unique window into life in an ancient Egyptian urban center. A group of German and British archaeologists revealed evidence of the rich and poor’s possible existence and some social mixing. The proposed excavation would significantly impact the archaeological remains associated with either life in an ancient Egyptian urban center and the difference between the rich and the poor. A strategy has been agreed to involve a program of archaeological fieldwork to be undertaken to excavate designated parts of the Amarna site to preserve the remains, such as jewelry and furnishings of valuable materials such as gold and ivory, metal and pottery by the record. The program would be carried out by seven specialists who are the members of the team. Excavating Pharaoh Akhenaton’s new city can provide new knowledge about the ancient civilization and help document and protect archaeological deposits and features.
Background and Description of the problem
The National Geographic Society financial support is significant for this proposed project because its objective aligns with it as a granting agency. The National Geographic Society is driven to explore and protect the planet by collaborating with other researchers and organizations committed to promoting awareness about the world’s treasures and protecting the places they have explored. That said, in this project, I plan to offer valuable insight into earlier civilization in Egypt by documenting and protecting essential remains, which will be discovered during the excavation process. The new capital built by Pharaoh Akhenaton in the middle of the country has reported exciting discoveries that show its use as a significant religious sanctuary. This site is viable for study because it had an economic and a political character throughout its existence due to its proximity to the sun god Aton. Thus, this historical site is suitable for excavating vital archaeological remains before they are wiped away for good.
Plan and Schedule of Work
This archaeological excavation process will focus on four separate areas. These include the Main and North City and newly discovered North and South Cemeteries.
Sampling Strategy – This excavation will be carried out according to a watching brief’s guideline and standard. A non-probabilistic sampling will be utilized since the team focuses on already visible or suspected sites (Main and North City and North and South Cemeteries) and does not require sample elsewhere (Erin et al. 2015). The team would plan to obtain a record of the archaeological materials on Amarna and to retrieve data that would be otherwise disturbed or destroyed by increasingly high human activities at the site. The team plans to visit the historic homestead and burial sites to record the most significant remains within the proposed Amarna site (Central City, as shown in the map). The team specialist will then assess and interpret the key aspects of archaeological remains, such as the date and function of the things discovered on site. After completing all fieldwork, it is expected that further analysis would be conducted to produce a post-excavation assessment report. This will be essential in setting out a detailed program for archive and final publication.
Excavation Methodology- This process would involve the removal of the rubble, sediments, rocks, and layer of soil directly beneath the topsoil or the ‘spoil.’ This part of the excavation process would be conducted using a machine like an appropriately sized excavator with a toothed or a toothless ditching bucket. This will help retrieve the artifacts present or have survived at a higher level than anticipated and further gain access to extensive deposits that will be encountered. The process will happen under direct archaeological supervision to ensure the process is more secure and prevent destroying archaeological deposits (Johnston 2020). A collaboration of seven team specialists would then continue the excavation process by hand. This will involve retrieving jewelry and furnishings of valuable materials such as gold and ivory that might reflect social status and/or metal and pottery that the residents might have been imported from outside of Egypt. The group would then assess, investigate, and record information discovered in the specified areas of excavation.
The Team
This proposed archaeological expedition’s success will depend, to a great extent, on a team of specialists. The team will be made of a field director, a site manager, a science manager, a funds manager, and two site staff. Members mentioned above are all needed for this excavation exercise. For example, a field director will oversee the management of the Amarna daily. The field director’s responsibility will include overseeing the site logistics, ensuring the budget is spent wisely, ensuring the digger’s needs are met, and guiding policy and strategy. The field director will work hand in hand with the site manager to ensure the smooth running of the Amarna excavation site and ensuring that every team member is in the right place at the right time and every day. Also, a science manager will be needed to explore the physical environment of Central City, like settlements and burial sites, to determine how people lived. A science manager will help to assess sampling strategies. He/she will also organize and train a small team to carry out the daily processing of archeological remains discovered on site by overseeing sorting, drying, and sieving of samples to determine microscopic evidence of the past lives of residence in Amarna. The finds manager will help collect the trays of artifacts retrieved on-site daily. Finally, the site staff will be responsible for documenting all the information gathered through the description, measuring, collecting, drawing, and listing.
Dating Methods
Radiocarbon dating methods will be the most ideal in studying this archeological site. This is because it has proven significantly effective in studying organic materials and shows the chronology of events. Organic materials such as bones, shells, and wood often contain radioactive isotopes making carbon dating the most effective dating method for this archeological site. Radiocarbon dating uses carbon 14 isotope, which is unstable and radioactive. When in contact with the organic materials, it causes radioactive decay, making it possible for researchers to study such materials (Duling 2018). Therefore, in this case, Radiocarbon dating will help unearth this city’s way of life, including their diet and movements. Other dating methods, such as stratigraphy dating, maybe ineffective because previous researchers have already disturbed the site.
Laboratory Analysis
Typological analysis is the most appropriate laboratory analysis to provide evidence of the social interactions of people who lived in this urban center. Typology analysis assists in managing a large mass of archeological information. It mostly uses a morphological approach that involves classifying objects based on their external features and physical characteristics. In this case, typology analysis is the most appropriate laboratory analysis method because it will help classify the objects in the archeological site, such as house size and layout, and other artifacts, and help determine the different social status of the people who lived in the site. The typological analysis involves grouping artifacts based on their attributes, such as colors, size, and material. Through this assortment, the related artifacts are placed in the same group then studied. Hence, typology analysis will be critical in classifying different artifacts and structures in the archeological site to identify people’s different social status who lived in the city.
In conclusion, the Amarna site’s proposed excavation in Egypt will help gather new archaeological remains that will offer a fresh perspective in existing knowledge about this ancient civilization. The information will be documented, and special artifacts gathered on-site like jewelry will be submitted to one of the local museums for safekeeping and public exhibition.