Suchergebnisse

The paper analyzes the results of the work of the Russian Archaeological Mission of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences at Giza in 2013, 2017, and 2019—2020. During these seasons, the team recorded a unique double infant burial in an amphora in rock-cut tomb GE 49 (the southern section of the Russian concession) and a cemetery to the west of the rock-cut tomb of Kakherptah (the north-western section of the Russian concession). The internments are dated to the first half of the 1st millennium B. C. The infant burial in an Egyptian amphora of Dynasty XXI (1070/1069—946/945 BC) has been preserved in fragments. However, part of the accompanying inventory has survived and is represented by a beaded bracelet and a scarab amulet. Of the 29 burials in the cemetery near the tomb of Kakherptah, 11 belonged to children. They are mostly well preserved, allowing us to study the features of burial rites, which included inhumation in an extended position on the back, head to the west with some shift to the south or north. The latter is probably related to burial at different months when orientation of internments followed the solar declination. Unlike the burials of adults, which remained without grave goods, the infant burials were equipped with a significant amount of jewelry and apotropaic amulets. Their shape is typical for Dynasties XXII—XXV (946/945—664 BC), which determines the dating of the cemetery near the tomb of Kakherptah. Despite the abundance of comparative material, primarily amulets, in Egyptological literature and museum collections, the discovery of these items in situ is extremely rare. The archaeological context allows us to consider the characteristics of their use in the ancient Egyptian burial rites of the Third Intermediate Period.

Natakamani and Amanitore ruled the Meroitic (Kushite) kingdom during its last major rise in the 1st century AD. Many scholars consider their reign a period of economic prosperity based on peaceful relations with the Roman Empire and effective control of trade routes between the African inland and the Mediterranean. During the co-regency of Natakamani and Amanitore, an unprecedentedly large-scale program of development of the monumental landscape of the middle Nile Valley was initiated. It is generally believed that the basis for this activity was the desire of the co-rulers to strengthen their legitimacy. This paper examines the cultural landscape of the Meroitic kingdom, the political and economic contexts of the reigns of Natakamani and Amanitore, as well as the main characteristics of the monumental landscape created by them. It is argued that the building activity of the co-rulers reflected the development of the traditional model of relations between Kush and Egypt, whose rulers claimed for their right to unify the lower and middle reaches of the Nile. In this regard, the monumental propaganda of Natakamani and Amanitore appears as an attempt to declare the Meroitic co-rulers as the Ptolemids' heirs who supported the claims of the Meroitic elites for independence from the Roman Empire.

Ancient Egyptian pottery of the Old Kingdom demonstrates typological uniformity not only within the Memphite capital region, but also in the provinces. During Dynasty IV this was reflected in the ceramic assortment, then during Dynasties V and VI the visual dimensional similarity of individual groups of vessels is clearly noticeable, forcing us to see a manifestation of the ceramic standardization in this phenomenon. The pottery workshops show their subordinate position to temple and noble households, thus the assumption of possible standardization of the most popular ceramic forms — beer jars and bread molds — has the right to exist. The nonmonetary nature of the Egyptian Old Kingdom economy is an additional reason to see standardization in the identity of the ceramic molds and volumes, since beer jars and bread molds were the main means of remuneration for plain workmen of the royal, temple and noble households. However, the study of 38 whole and archaeologically whole beer jars from 13 burial complexes discovered by the Russian Archaeological Mission of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 2002—2019 in the eastern part of the Giza Necropolis, makes us doubt the phenomenon of standardization and suspect that this is just a desired illusion for modern science. Analysis of the dimensional characteristics of the jars shows that their external similarity does not correlate with their dimensional similarity, even within the same complex. Moreover, it is difficult to talk about any local standardization, much less countrywide. Thus, the morphological uniformity of the most widespread ceramic type for the second half of the 3rd millennium BC can't be explained by a desire of the local or central authorities to ensure dimensional uniformity of the vessels; but we can realte this with a strong pottery tradition and the activities of groups of professional potters who made vessels of a similar shape and size.

Introduction. One of the material evidences of the Christianization of the territory of historical Alania (the east of the Krasnodar Territory – the northern regions of Chechnya) in the period from the 10th to the beginning of the 13th centuries is the data of staurography: the finds of crosses-encolpia, pectoral crosses, crosses-quadrifolia. The study of this category of finds allows us to consider the features and chronology of the process of Christianization of the population of the largest state in the North Caucasus in the Middle Ages, to study more closely the historical and social portrait of ordinary members of the Christian community of Alania and its elite. Methods. As a result of the messianic activity of Byzantium, which led to the baptism of the Alans at the beginning of the 10th century, as well as the establishment of the Alan Diocese (914), objects of small Christian plastics – crosses of provincial Byzantine as well as ancient Russian origin – are becoming widespread on the territory of Alania. And already with the spread of Christianity in the local Alan environment there are imitative and imitation types of crosses that are not found outside the North Caucasus. To date, more than 125 different crosses are known on the territory of Alania. Analysis. To this case, we can add the finds of five more interesting specimens found in recent years in the eastern regions of the Krasnodar Krai, the south of the Stavropol Krai, the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia. The first quadrifolia cross (fig. 1, 1) is a reverse leaf with the image of an unknown Holy Warrior (St. George?), dating from the second half of the 11th – 12th centuries. Such quadrifolia crosses (including two direct analogies) are known on the territory of Alania, originally imported from the urban craft centers of the Asia Minor provinces of Byzantium or Western Georgia, or could be made according to imported prototypes by local (or visiting) craftsmen. The four following crosses indicate the links between Alania and Ancient Russia. Two crosses (fig. 1, 2–3) – with three-part endings and a rhombic middle cross, one cross has traces of manufacturing defects – the right blade is not completely cast. These crosses were brought from the territory of the Old Russian state, where they are quite widespread and date back to the 11th – 12th century abroad. They are found on the territory of Latvia, Bulgaria and Romania, where they were also imported. The fourth cross (fig. 1, 4) is equi-pointed with rectangular branches. Similar crosses are known in the territory of Ancient Russia, from where they also came to the North Caucasus, where imitative crosses were made. They date from the end of the 11th – beginning of the 12th centuries. The fifth cross (fig. 1, 5) – with a square central part. Such crosses are widely found in many regions of Kievan Rus, but in the territory of the North Caucasus they were imported. Results. The considered finds of crosses complement the body of small Christian plastic products of the 11th – 13th centuries of ancient Russian origin, represented on the territory of Alania by crosses-encolpions, cast icons and coils. The presented finds of crosses not only add to the evidence of Christianization of Alania in the 11th – 12th centuries, but also indicate close trade, religious and ethno-cultural contacts of the population of the North Caucasus with the Asia Minor provinces of Byzantium, Georgia and Ancient Russia.

Introduction. In the period from the 10th to the beginning of the 13th centuries on the territory of historical Alania (the east of Krasnodar Krai – the northern regions of Chechnya), the Christian church flourished. The material evidence of religious life in this territory is the data of staurography – namely, the finds of reliquary crosses, pectoral crosses, quadrifolia. The choice of the subject of personal piety was determined not only by the assortment of local craft workshops and the directions of trade relations, but also by the taste and capabilities of each person. Therefore, the study of this category of finds makes the historical and social portrait of the early Christians of the North Caucasus more prominent. Methods. As a result of the baptism of the Alans in the 10th century and the establishment of the Alan Diocese with its center in Nizhny Arkhyz (914), crosses of Byzantine provincial and ancient Russian origin are becoming widespread on the territory of Alania. With the spread of Christianity, imitative and imitation types of crosses appear in the local Alan environment, the finds of which have not yet been found outside the Caucasus. To date, there are more than 120 crosses-encolpia, pectoral crosses and quadrifolia of the 12th – 13th centuries known on the territory of historical Alania. In this regard, the discovery of each new cross is of outstanding interest. Analysis. Currently, to the body of crosses originating from the territory of Alania, we can add the finds of four more interesting specimens found in recent years in the eastern regions of Krasnodar Krai, the Karachay-Cherkessia Republic, the south of Stavropol Krai, and the north of the Chechen Republic. The first cross is the front leaf of the reliquary cross with the image of the Crucifixion, dates from the 11th – 12th centuries and belongs to the Byzantine crosses of the Balkan (?) origin. Such crosses are quite common, being one of the first in Old Rus, made by visiting craftsmen. The second cross – the reverse leaf of the reliquary cross with the image of the Virgin the Sign. Only two similar instances are known. These crosses were made by local (or visiting) craftsmen in Alania according to numerous Byzantine samples and date back to the 12th century. The third cross is one-sided, with the image of an unknown saint (St. Nicholas?). Crosses of a similar shape are known, but with the image of the Crucifixion. These crosses were made in the local, Alan environment and date back to the 12th – 13th centuries. The fourth cross is one-sided, silvered, with the image of the Crucifixion. As analogies, seven one-sided crosses identical in shape and composition from the territory of the Northern and Western Pre-Caucasus are given. In Alania, these crosses were in use from the middle or the second half of the 10th century to the turn of the 11th – 12th centuries. Different versions of the image of Christ are explained by the presence of several local workshops, as well as different craft and artistic traditions. Results. The presented finds of crosses not only add to the evidence of the Christianization of Alania in the 11th – 12th centuries, but also provide valuable information about the nature of the local, imitative Byzantine originals of the production of objects of personal piety.

The paper deals with the problem of identifying and analyzing non-standard (alternative, deviant, extraordinary, atypical) Egyptian burials of the Old Kingdom (27th—22nd centuries BCE). On the territory of the Nile Valley, non-standard features are usually recorded in orientation of the body of the deceased or its position, manipulations with the body (skeleton) parts, incompleteness of the body (skeleton), and other features that are not consistent with the common burial rite. The problems associated with the study of ancient Egyptian non-normative burial practices are considered in connection to manipulations with heads (skulls) reported from Egyptian necropolises. The author discusses the place of non-standard practices in the structure of Egyptian funerary activities as well as possible reasons for such deviations with relation to Egyptian ideas about the afterlife. Among the main problems associated with the study of non-standard burials, the lack of securely recorded archaeological contexts and the absence of paleopathological reports are discussed. Finally, the paper considers perspectives on the study of non-normative ancient Egyptian burials at the present stage of the development of Egyptology.

The article is devoted to the significant phenomena in the evolution of material part of the ancient Egyptian burial rites and funerary cult of the Old Kingdom (3rd millennium BC) — using of model substitutes of objects in various rituals in the necropolises of the Memphis region. Analysis of historical sources shows that the Egyptians, at the dawn of their dynastic history, came to the need to reduce the material costs for the afterlife sphere with the increasing complexity of the burial rites and funerary cult. Their complication progressed in parallel with their transition from the category of real actions to the category of symbolical ones. The more things the deceased needed for a prosperous existence in the afterlife, the more often these things were replaced by their symbols, which were supposed to turn into real ones in the other world with the help of various magical rituals. In course of time, the complex burial rites and funerary cult of the Egyptian nobility simplified, but the rational idea that quantity can replace quality and contribute to well-being in the afterlife remained and was embodied, in particular, in the multiplication of various symbols of apotropaic amulets.

The Middle Holocene epoch in northeastern Africa was marked by a steady trend towards aridization. However, the transformation of ecosystems and natural landscapes was gradual and had a complex nature. This change directly affected the development of the first ancient Egyptian centralized state as well as the development of its resource base beyond the Nile Valley. This study addresses the problem of using ancient Egyptian epigraphic sources (expeditionary inscriptions) for the study of both paleolandscapes and ecosystems of the Western (Libyan) Desert and the possible socio-economic impact of their change. The author studies several graffiti, which are believed to have preserved information on natural conditions near the Dakhla oasis and in the region of Wadi Toshka during the time of construction of the great pyramids (Fourth Dynasty). The author concludes that it is quite easy to make misleading assumptions when interpreting expeditionary artefacts. At the same time, as an example with an unusual toponym from the quarries near Wadi Toshka demonstrates, even the shortest graffiti can provide researchers with important additional information on possible changes in the ancient climate and landscape.

Introduction. Matarcha was the cathedral city of the Diocese of Zichia of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. It was a major religious and missionary center in the Northwestern Pre-Caucasus. The priests of this autocephalous archdiocese took an active part in the church life of the Byzantine Empire. In this context, among the most important sources on the history of the Byzantine Matarcha, a special place is occupied by the monuments of Byzantine sphragistics. Methods. The paper examines three Byzantine church seals of the 11th–12th centuries, discovered during the research of the Taman settlement (medieval Matarcha was the center of the diocese of Zichia of the Patriarchate of Constantinople). The owners of the seals were: deacon Michael, monk Ignatius and nun Euphemia. Analysis. The article provides information about the previously known 19 seals belonging to the church hierarchs of Zichia and other representatives of the clergy. Similar finds of seals in the Crimean urban centers (Cherson and Sughdea) are indicated. Results. The few details that relate to the ecclesiastical history of the diocese of Zichia emphasize the exceptional value of each new find of seals, and the evidence of direct contacts and established correspondence between the Orthodox clergy once again shows that, in addition to the cleric – deacon, the monastic brotherhood also played a significant role in the development of relations between the church and society. To a certain extent, this could also be facilitated by the trips of the city's residents to pilgrimage sites, as evidenced by the brought relics, the finds of which are known.

The socio-cultural adaptation and economic integration of labor immigrants from the Arab East in Europe remains, until now, an insufficiently studied phenomenon. Meanwhile, this topic is related to solving the issues of increasing the economic and social efficiency of labor immigration to main European cities, and the conclusions of the study may be in demand, including in our country. We have used the method of rapid (three-question) survey of these immigrants. Special attention is paid to labor immigrants in Germany and Bulgaria. A certain disunity between Arab communities from different Mashriq countries, a significant business and cultural distance with people from the Maghreb is revealed. There is a difference in world view between Eastern Arab immigrants and European residents, as well as a relative diasporal isolation (cultural and business) of labor immigrants. The difference in the situation of the communities under consideration in several European countries is small. It is based on the comparable rootedness of communities, primarily in the respective diasporal networks more than in the local business environment. A long-term forecast for the development of migration to Europe is given, which implies that the dynamics of immigration of Eastern Arabs will not grow, but will even decrease over time.

The socio-cultural adaptation and economic integration of labor immigrants from the Arab East in Europe remains, until now, an insufficiently studied phenomenon. Meanwhile, this topic is related to solving the issues of increasing the economic and social efficiency of labor immigration to main European cities, and the conclusions of the study may be in demand, including in our country. We have used the method of rapid (three-question) survey of these immigrants. Special attention is paid to labor immigrants in Germany and Bulgaria. A certain disunity between Arab communities from different Mashriq countries, a significant business and cultural distance with people from the Maghreb is revealed. There is a difference in world view between Eastern Arab immigrants and European residents, as well as a relative diasporal isolation (cultural and business) of labor immigrants. The difference in the situation of the communities under consideration in several European countries is small. It is based on the comparable rootedness of communities, primarily in the respective diasporal networks more than in the local business environment. A long-term forecast for the development of migration to Europe is given, which implies that the dynamics of immigration of Eastern Arabs will not grow, but will even decrease over time.