1st
Start of the Second Day
Good morning! We’ve reconvened and just started a few minutes late with Penny Wilson, Director of the EES/University of Durham expedition at Sais, is talking about ‘dynamic’ and ‘indolent’ sites in the Delta. For some sites the centre of population changes over time, others are more static. The size and shape of the Delta as a whole is affected by changes in sea-level, erosion, river movements and environmental changes. Life in the Delta varies from the coastal regions where sea-based industries such as fishing predominate, to the more central agricultural areas. Looking at Survey of Egypt maps, settlement patterns show extinct river branches - the Canopus one is particularly evident.
(The wifi connection keeps cutting out so I shall type summaries in Open Office and upload them as and when I can!).
Penny went on to describe the results of the excavations and survey at Sais, investigating the Great Pit and Kom Rebwa West where domestic remains of the Ramesside Period were found including a room with many complete but smashed vessels were found on a floor. The roof of the building had collapsed on top of them, possibly the result of subsidence.
She moved on to discuss the possibility of a number of settlements in the Delta being ‘twin’ sites, perhaps divided by a river branch or canal.
Discussion centred on the ‘blank area’ on one of Penny’s maps, north of Quesna – the area where Jo’s Delta Survey work should help to fill in the gaps.
