The Excavations at Ismant al-Kharab I

Carlo Rindi Nuzzolo has a PhD in Egyptian Archaeology from Monash University and is Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Global Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Institute for Heritage Science, CNR, Italy. Previously, he was Lead Curator for a cultural heritage project based at the British Museum. His research focuses on Late Period to Roman Period burial customs, cultural heritage protection, provenance research, and the History of Archaeology. His current project, CRAFT, funded by the European Union, builds on the outcomes of the present work by investigating cartonnage regionalism in the Fayum Oasis. Colin A. Hope has edited 2 prior volumes on the Dakhleh Oasis Project and has worked with Gillian Bowen for over 30 years. They are currently joint recipients of a 5 year Australian Research Council Discovery Project grant to investigate the cult of the god Seth in Egypt, especially in Dakhleh, and its supposed proscription during the first millennium BCE. He lectured at Monash University until recently, holding the position of associate professor and director of the Centre for Ancient Cultures. Hope is a founding member of DOP and a chief investigator, who oversees the study of ceramics and directs excavations at two major sites. Gillian E. Bowen has worked with Colin Hope for over 30 years and they are currently joint recipients of a 5-year Australian Research Council Discovery Project grant to investigate the cult of the god Seth in Egypt, especially in Dakhleh, and its supposed proscription during the first millennium BCE. Until recently, Bowen was senior lecturer in ancient history at Monash University. Bowen has worked in Dakhleh since 1990, specialising in the archaeology of Christian Egypt; she has three concessions in Dakhleh from the Egyptian government all with Christian remains. Additionally, she is a numismatist and authority on ancient textiles.

Foreword (Colin A. Hope)

Acknowledgements

List of figures, plates, maps and tables

Introduction: Scope, methodology, and structure of the study

Status quaestionis: previous research and major contributors

Scope of the present study and research questions

Significance of the research: the importance of the Kellis cartonnage case-study

Methodology

Chapter 1: Cartonnage from Ismant al-Kharab: the archaeological context

Introduction: Ancient Kellis. Description of the site and archaeological investigation Ismant al-Kharab: areas of interest in relation to cartonnage

The Kellis 1 Cemetery: Archaeological investigation

The Dakhleh Oasis Project documentation: sources for the Kellis 1 Cemetery

The Kellis 1 Cemetery: description of the site and previous research

Cartonnage from the North Tomb Group Cartonnage from other sites in Dakhleh Oasis

Chapter 2: The Kellis cartonnage: typological and iconographical study

Mummy masks

Foot-cases

Full body covers

Cartonnage from other areas of Dakhleh

Chapter 3: The Kellis Craftsmen

Introduction

The Kellis Craftsmen

Identification process

The craftsmen groups

Conclusions: the craftsmen and the Kellis cartonnage production

Chapter 4: Cartonnage from Kharga Oasis

Introduction

Ain el-Labakha

Ain el-Dabashiya

El-Deir Dush

Chapter 5: Unprovenanced cartonnage on the art market and in museums

Introduction Cartonnage on the art market

Cartonnage in museums

Conclusions

Bibliography

Appendices

Catalogue of objects

Cartonnage typology