Dana Grant Report: Bioarchaeology of Deir el-Medina Research Project
Anne Austin, University of Missouri, St. Louis
Note: This report includes data derived from and images of human remains.
The 2024 season of the Bioarchaeology of Deir el-Medina Research Project was made possible through a Stevan B. Dana Grant. This funding allowed us to complete research in three tombs that we have been working in since 2019.
Deir el-Medina was the village for the families of workmen who cut and decorated the royal tombs during Egypt’s New Kingdom period (1550-1070 B.C.E.). This site offers a critical window into ancient Egypt due to its thousands of daily life texts documented on ostrich and papyri. Excavations of the village and surrounding tombs have also elucidated non-royal burial practices and domestic architecture, lending incredible insights into ancient Egyptian daily life. Despite its importance, however, the human remains at the site were never studied prior to our research team joining the Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale mission.
Since 2013, the Deir el-Medina Bioarchaeology Project has been inventorying, analyzing, documenting, and conserving the human remains at Deir el-Medina to learn more about ancient Egyptian health practices, tattooing, burial practices, and demography. This season, our objective was to complete the analysis of human remains from three tombs where we have worked previously: Theban Tomb 217, Theban Tomb 298, and Pit 1340. These three tombs span the site’s occupation and their completion allows us to interrogate new research questions including differences in health across family tombs and periods.
One of the most important research areas this season was the burials from the 18th Dynasty. This early period of Deir el-Medina’s history is also the one we know the least about since few texts have been recovered. We studied these men, women, and children side-by-side with experts on linen, mummification, and coffins to build rich biographies of each person from the 18th Dynasty both during their life and after their death.
We also worked inside the tombs to maintain the best environmental conditions for the preservation and conservation of the human remains. In TT 298, this meant descending a 5-meter ladder into the tomb shaft where ASOR grant funds allowed us to purchase storage to organize and protect the human remains while keeping them in their original resting place. TT 298 has provided fascinating insights into daily life including unusual examples of pathology and tattooing.
Learn more about the Bioarchaeology of Deir el-Medina Research Project on their website!
Hania Kantzer is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studying chemistry and Asian studies. This past summer, she was a grateful recipient of the Stevan B. Dana Fieldwork Scholarship through ASOR, and was able to work as a student researcher on the Huqoq Excavation Project.
“As an archaeology student, my education is all about developing my archaeological understandings and perfecting my craft. This is why we all go to school. But there is just something so special and amazing about the moments in our educational journeys when what we have worked to learn evolves from mere theory to applied practice.”
“I can’t say that I didn’t expect how talented, hardworking, and experienced the professors I worked under were; the knowledge they imparted to us students was extraordinary just like their CVs would tell you. What I did not expect was the level of personal support and kindness they extended. I will never forget how these experts at the top of their field still made time to guide me, an undergraduate fresh out of my first year in college. They didn’t just lead by example; they also provided invaluable mentorship. Months later, I am still brushing off the dust from my work clothes, yet what remains even more vividly from this experience than the dust on my belongings or the treasured trowel displayed on my shelf are the wonderful memories of my first adventure in archaeology!”
“This July I was fortunate enough to travel to Israel for the first time and participate in the archaeological dig at Tel Abel Beth Maacah, near Metula in Galilee, and it was an unforgettable experience. As an Old Testament student much of my time is focused on the literary and linguistic areas of biblical studies, but on the recommendation from one of my professors I applied to be a participant in the excavation at ABM. This experience, although brief, has given me a practical perspective on my current academic endeavors. Thank you to ASOR and the scholarship donors who made this trip possible.”
“One of my favorite things about archaeology is being part of a community forged through hard work, friendship, collegiality and mutual support. There is almost no better feeling than being covered in mud from head to toe, exhausted, hot, thirsty and hungry and yet somehow finding the energy for a race to the car for the best seat for the ride home while laughing all the way. Being part of this kind of family–a chosen family some might say–is a real privilege and one I look forward to every year.”
“In addition to all of the fieldwork, spending time with all of the individuals with the same passion for archaeology was amazing. I will have future colleagues and friends for life.”
