International Archaeology

Session Hosting Format: 
in-person session
Date/Time: 
Friday, May 3, 2024 - 10:20am to 11:40am
(CST)
Room: 
Venice
Organizer(s): 
  • CAA 2024
Contact Email: 
caa2024@thesas.ca
Presentations
10:20 AM to 10:40 AM: The Chornobyl Exclusion Zone is a palimpsest of early medieval sites: the impact of the war in Ukraine on scientific and rescue excavations
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Alla Kurzenkova - Ukrainian Affiliate Researcher, Department of Archaeology, University of Glasgow, School of Humanities, under the British Academy’s Researchers-at-Risk scheme.

The Chornobyl settlement is written into the landscape, intertwined with human history from the end of the 10th - 11th centuries to man-made crises such as the Chornobyl disaster (1986), which led to the creation of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ), and the full-scale war in Ukraine (24 February 2024), which prevented any further archaeological excavations there.

The Chornobyl settlement is a palimpsest of its past, showing the continuity of its function from the late 10th century until the Chornobyl disaster, cataloguing ‘memories’ of perception and experience of the landscape.

It is crucial to reflect on how the memory of an ‘abandoned landscape’ has been enveloped by academic interest in the archaeological potential of the ancient settlement of Chornobyl.

This discussion brings the review up to date:

- General archaeological research in the CEZ before the full-scale war in Ukraine.

- Surviving archaeological sites: the impact of the war on the monitoring of areas in the CEZ and access to archaeological sites.

- Challenges for further excavation: de-mining, surface survey methods, human potential of qualified archaeologists.

This is important to reflect on what has been done and what needs to be done in the future.
10:40 AM to 11:00 AM: Unveiling the Secrets of Pseudo Mummies: MicroCT Scanning Reveals Insights into Two Ibis Mummies from Ancient Egypt.
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Maris Schneider - Western University
  • Shumeng Jia - McGill University
  • Salah Brika - École de technologie supérieure
  • Vladimir Brailovski - École de technologie supérieure
  • Natalie Reznikov - McGill University
  • Andrew Nelson - Western University

Animal mummies are among the most enigmatic and captivating artifacts from the ancient world, offering a fascinating window into ancient Egypt’s beliefs, culture, and rituals. The practice of mummifying animals in ancient Egypt dates back over 4,000 years and is deeply rooted in religious beliefs that view animals not merely as creatures of the physical world but as manifestations of divine forces. Two conical bundles (suspected mummified ibises) were loaned from the Redpath Museum in Montreal for three-dimensional imaging and species identification. MicroCT scans of the two ibis mummies were acquired on a Comet Yxlon FF35 CT scanner. Scans of Ibis 2727.01 were acquired at 70kV, 200uA at 90µm voxel and again at 27µm (focusing on the head end of the bundle). A scan of Ibis 2727.02 was acquired at 80kV, 380uA at 94µm. The three microCT volumetric images were processed in Dragonfly software (v.2022.2-1409, Comet Technologies Canada Inc.). One bundle contained a small ibis hatchling, no larger than 5cm, and the other contained solely textiles and clay. Pseudo mummies were prevalent during the animal mummy industry in ancient Egypt, owing to one of the most common truths in history – humans over-exploit their resources.
11:00 AM to 11:20 AM: Investigation and Analysis of Hypogeum Burial Patterns in The Near East (Continuity or Change)
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • Shahrzad Parsaei

Burial is one of the most significant manifestations of human life since it represents not only the people's religion and culture but also their thoughts and beliefs about death and the world after life. Burial patterns in any society are a function of the religious and ideological beliefs of that region. Climate, social status, gender, age, and the continuation of cultural patterns in the region's traditions all have an impact on the burial pattern. Burial patterns alter with the entrance of new faiths, although these changes are minor, and we witness the persistence of burial practices. The hypogeum burial custom, which dates back to the third millennium BC, has persisted in a variety of geographical and cultural regions despite the passage of time and changes in faith and philosophy.

The purpose of this research is to investigate archaeological evidence of hypogeum tombs in Near Eastern geography. Investigating the geographical regions where the earliest examples were discovered, the cultures and ethnic groups they belonged to, the religious practices and worldviews these people held over time, during various eras, and eventually looking into the factors that have influenced the persistence and evolution of the hypogeum burial tradition.
11:20 AM to 11:40 AM: How does archaeology keep us from getting lost in history?
Presentation format: In-Person
Author(s):
  • GORAN ABDULLA HAMA ALI - UNIVERSITY LECTURER

Archaeology plays an important role in helping us better understand human past and present by studying artifacts left and material remains by past civilizations. It provides beneficial insights into social culture, human history, technological advancements, culture and the development of societies over time. Throughout history, archeology has played a crucial role in preserving people and human activities through archaeological excavations. This means that archaeology is not only a science that interpreting the past, but we can also gain insight into present and future life through archeology. The purpose of this primarily theoretical work is to make these assumptions more evident and visible. In this research, I will also focus on a number of ways that shows the important role of archaeology as a connector between the past and the present such as preserving cultural heritage, Tracing human migrations and interactions, filling gaps in historical records, material culture and Uncovering historical knowledge.