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A thorough transdisciplinary archaeological study of the ancient Egyptian Theban rock-cut tombs at Sheikh 'Abd al-Qurna

In recent years, archeological research has undergone major changes. The material turn in archaeology and related disciplines prompted the adoption of sophisticated scientific, digital, and technical approaches and methods often conducted on a micro level, enhancing our understanding of depositional processes and of the creation and life of an archeological object.

This volume reflects seven seasons of transdisciplinary archaeological research at a cluster of rock-cut tombs in Sheikh 'Abd al-Qurna, an ancient Egyptian hillside cemetery and part of the much larger Theban Necropolis. Organized in twelve main chapters, Life Histories of Theban Tombs presents current investigations in landscape archaeology (including recent excavations at a large debris hill previously covering a tomb), geo- and bioarcheology, the archaeology of tomb construction, burial practices, and domestic uses as well as various epigraphical, visual, and material studies. The last two sections provide additional insight into the applied recording, surveying, and visualization methods and techniques and the database system used for data recording and organization.

Contributors' Affiliations:

• Martina Aeschlimann-Langer, Basel, Switzerland
• Zulema Barahona-Mendieta, University of Basel, Switzerland
• Susanne Bickel, University of Basel, Switzerland
• Oliver Bruderer, Zurich, Switzerland
• Rachael Colldeweih, Nagra, Wettingen, Switzerland
• Lucía Díaz-Iglesias Llanos, Spanish National Research Council, Madrid, Spain
• Xavier Droux, Hierakonpolis Expedition, Oxford, England
• Stéphane Fetler, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
• Zan Gojcic, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), Switzerland
• Charlotte Hunkeler, University of Basel, Switzerland
• Mahmoud Ibrahim, University of Cairo, Egypt
• Matjaz Kačičnik, Cairo, Egypt
• Iwona Kozieradzka-Ogunmakin, University of Manchester, England
• Lara Selina Kurmann, University of Basel, Switzerland
• Andrea Loprieno-Gnirs, University of Basel, Switzerland
• Sabrina Meyer, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland
• Matthias Müller, University of Basel, Switzerland
• Julianna K. Paksi, University of Basel and École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris, France
• Erico Peintner, Cairo, Egypt
• Matthew A. Perras, York University, Toronto, Canada
• Lukas Richner, canton of Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland
• Frank Rühli, University of Zurich, Switzerland
• Marina Sartori, University of Basel, Switzerland
• Nadine Schönhütte, Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences (CICS), Cologne, Germany
• Roger Seiler, University of Zurich, Switzerland
• Stephan M. Unter, University of Basel, Switzerland
• André J. Veldmeijer, American University in Cairo, Egypt
• Noémi Villars, University of Basel, Switzerland
• Andreas Wieser, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), Switzerland
• Andrea Wolter, ETH Engineering Geology Group, Zurich, Switzerland
• Martin Ziegler, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), Switzerland