A Compositional Approach to a First Dynasty Inscribed Label Fragment from the Abydos Tomb Complex Ascribed to Qa′a

Piquette, Kathryn E.

doi:10.1524/zaes.2010.0005

Cited by 3 publications

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“…The second sign, however, looks more like a small vessel with a broad strap that may have been used to collect resin or gum. 142 The sign depicted below the 'oil pressing bag' in column 9 for 'Den 1' (fig. 3b) also resembles a small vessel with a strap more than an axe.…”

Section: The ḥꜣT-section and The Analysis Of Predynastic Mummy Wrappingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A New Interpretation of the Early Dynastic so-called ‘Year’ Labels. ‘Balm Labels’ and the Preservation of the Memory of the King

Fritschy

2021

The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology

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Inscriptions on Early Dynastic ‘oil labels’ that refer to events have long been thought to contain a ‘year-name’ that dated the oil. During the last two decades, new evidence has become available which suggests that such events referred to what had been characteristic for the regnal period of a deceased king rather than for a specific year. The labels were funerary-ceremonial rather than administrative artefacts. In addition, it can now be argued that they were balm labels rather than oil labels. Moreover, high officials of the Early Dynastic court appear to have used the labels increasingly to record their own activities in providing the precious balm.

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Section: The ḥꜣT-section and The Analysis Of Predynastic Mummy Wrappingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A New Interpretation of the Early Dynastic so-called ‘Year’ Labels. ‘Balm Labels’ and the Preservation of the Memory of the King

Fritschy

2021

The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology

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“…Photographic documentation was accomplished initially using slide and film cameras and subsequently a basic digital camera (with equally basic photographic skill). Selected labels have now been documented using the advanced photographic technique of Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI; Malzbender et al 2001;Earl et al 2011;Piquette 2010a;Piquette 2011;Piquette 2016). In the absence of published colour information, one aim was to assess significance of colour (Research Questions 2-3, §1.8.2- §1.8.3).…”

Section: First-hand Observationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consideration of how environmental conditions (Gibson's "medium" [1979, 16]; §2.4) inform perceptual engagement with the labels is important for understanding past practice as well as for understanding our own documentation methods and interpretive processes (Piquette 2010a). In photography, depending on how an object is lit, details can be alternately obscured or revealed, as was the case for ID303/1390_A where the use of infrared and UV illumination fleshed out faint traces of pigment (Godron 1990, 27-28, pls.…”

Section: Problematising the Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

An Archaeology of Art and Writing: Early Egyptian Labels in Context

Piquette

2018

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implied, as this falls outside the scope of the present study. If fonts differ too greatly from the original GO, written description is used instead. Alphanumeric designators following Regulski (2010a) are also usually cited, e.g. /G5, boat/P3. The specialist reader is also advised to consult Regulski's palaeographic discussion and tables ( Regulski 2010a, Chapter 4 and Part II). Reproduction of the non-linear, non-horizontal configurations for groups of GOs has not been possible here. Further, GO directionality rarely conforms to a left-to-right 'reading' direction. Nevertheless, for those asymmetrical iconic GOs where direction can be determined, I have endeavoured to follow the direction as employed by the past artisan in the text and tables.

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Documenting Early Egyptian Imagery

Piquette¹

2016

Préhistoires De L’écriture

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When attempting to make sense of intentional marks on Predynastic-Late Predynastic material culture, emphasis typically centres on differentiating iconographic from semantic functions and elucidating symbolic meanings. The concern to classify a mark or sets of marks according to conventional, often anachronistically-derived, categories of sign or symbol has led to a general neglect of related areas of past meaning production. One of these areas is material practice, including its technological facets. This paper takes as its point of departure the premise that meaning is not bound up solely in the morphology of graphical marks but also resides in the materials and techniques deployed in their expression. It also aims to address the paradox, that while much of archaeology is ultimately concerned with transformations in technology, as investigators we have been negligent in considering the effects of the technologies we use in the present for the documentation and study of technologies in the past. Before addressing this paradox I discuss how we need to re-materialise our concept of early Egyptian graphical culture so that we can then consider it as part of past technological practice. In doing so, I draw on theoretical concepts of materiality, technological practice and phenomenology for the framework they provide for exploring early graphical evidence as both process and outcome of embodied sensorial and technological practice. In terms of technology in the present as applied to research, various challenges confront inquiry into the finer material details of surface marks and related features. Capture and study using conventional photography, archaeological drawings or other imaging methods are inherently selective and can result in omissions or errors. First-hand study is not always possible and, even then, some surface details can be difficult to discern. Advanced digital technologies are uniquely positioned to overcome such challenges and present exciting potential for bringing diverse subject matter, methodologies, theoretical approaches and media together. Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) enables the high resolution and detailed capture of object surfaces and features. Applied successfully to a range of documentary and other archaeological evidence, RTI is only recently being exploited for the study of early Egyptian graphical culture. I present two RTI case studies: the so-called Battlefield Palette or Lion Palette, and an inscribed ivory funerary label. This RTI data was acquired during the collaborative University of Southampton and University of Oxford project aimed at developing a Reflectance Transformation Imaging Systems for Ancient Documentary Artefacts (RTISAD), funded by the AHRC Digital Equipment and Database Enhancement for Impact scheme (DEDEFI). Through these examples I show the value of taking fuller account of the techno-materiality of graphical marks and demonstrate the tremendous potential offered by RTI for documenting, visualising and studying the early Egyptian graphic traditions and their development.

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A Compositional Approach to a First Dynasty Inscribed Label Fragment from the Abydos Tomb Complex Ascribed to Qa′a

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

A New Interpretation of the Early Dynastic so-called ‘Year’ Labels. ‘Balm Labels’ and the Preservation of the Memory of the King

A New Interpretation of the Early Dynastic so-called ‘Year’ Labels. ‘Balm Labels’ and the Preservation of the Memory of the King

An Archaeology of Art and Writing: Early Egyptian Labels in Context

Documenting Early Egyptian Imagery

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