QuarryScapes: conservation of ancient stone quarry landscapes in the Eastern Mediterranean

The QuarryScapes Project: conservation of ancient stone quarry landscapes in the Eastern Mediterranean

The spectacular monuments and cities of the ancient Near East are testament to an industrial past where large-scale stone procurement remains unsurpassed. Yet, stone quarries are forgotten as key archaeological sites, rich in material remains of crucial significance if we are to understand the social and technological practices of an age when stone was quarried and transported par excellence. Largely invisible, undocumented and unprotected, these ancient quarry landscapes are being destroyed from actions such as modern development and quarrying.

The inspiration for the ‘QuarryScapes' project comes from the necessity to put these ancient industrial landscapes on the map before it is too late and to raise awareness of their research potential across a broad spectrum of audiences, from archaeological researchers to the interested public. The ‘QuarryScapes' project drew together professionals from academic and other institutions in Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, UK, Belgium, Italy and Norway to focus specifically on documentation, conservation and heritage management of these fragile quarry landscapes within the first collaborative and innovative project of its kind.

Publications - QuarryScapes dissemination

Quarryscapes deliverables

(Can be downloaded below. For printed copies, please contact biblioteket@ngu.no)

Deliverable No 4, Work Package 4: Characterisation of complex quarry landscapes; an example from the West Bank Quarries, Aswan. 275 pp, ISBN 978-82-7385-118-4. Edited by: Elizabeth Bloxam, Tom Heldal, Per Storemyr. Authors: Elizabeth Bloxam, Tom Heldal, Per Storemyr, Adel Kelany, Patrick Degryse, Reidulv Bøe, Axel Müller. Download report, mapsheet 1, mapsheet 2.

Deliverable No 5, Work Package 4: The assessment of significance of ancient quarry landscapes - problems and possible solutions. The case of the Aswan West Bank. 26 pp, ISBN 978-82-7385-119-2. Author: Elizabeth Bloxam. Download report.

Deliverable No 1, Work Package 1: Landscape and provenance and conservation of stone sources from selected archaeological sites in Jordan, 175 pp, ISBN 978-82-7385-26-0 Edited by: Nizar Abu-Jaber and Ziad Al Saad Authors: Nizar Abu-Jaber, Ziad Al Saad, Mohammed Al Qudah, Nihad Smadi and Abeer Al Zoubi. Download report.

Deliverable No 2, Work Package 2: Inventory of Ancient quarry landscapes in Turkey: their characteristics, production and state of conservation. 29 pp, Edited by: Emine Caner Saltik. Authors: Emine N. Caner-Saltık, K. Göze Akoğlu, Evin Caner-Özler, Kemal Erdoğan, Alp Güney, Sinan Sülüner, Tamer Topal, Ayşe Tavukçuoğlu, V. Toprak, A.G. Turkmenoglu, M. C. Ustunkaya Taliye Yaşar. Download report.

Deliverable No 3, Work Package 3: The Sagalassos quarry landscape: bringing quarries in context, 84 pp, ISBN 978-82-7385-122-2 Edited by: Patrick Degryse Authors: Patrick Degryse, Tom Heldal, Elizabeth Bloxam, Per Storemyr, Marc Waelkens, E. Trogh, Hannelore Vanhaverbeke, Jeroen Poblome, Philippe Muchez. Download report.

Deliverable No 6, Work Package 5: Risk Assessment and Monitoring of Ancient Egyptian Quarry Landscapes, 207 pp, ISBN 978-82-7385-125-3 Editors: Per Storemyr, Elizabeth Bloxam, Tom Heldal Authors: Per Storemyr, Elizabeth Bloxam, Tom Heldal, Adel Kelany, James A. Harrell, Rawda Yousri, El Shaimaa Fathy. Download report.

Deliverable No 7, Work Package 6: Site Management Concepts for Widan el Faras, Northern Fayoum, Egypt. 40 pp + appendices, ISBN 978-82-7385-135-4 Prepared by NSCE with the close collaboration with Naguib Amin. Download report.

Deliverable No 8, Work Package 7: GIS Products for Management of Ancient Stone Quarry Landscapes: three Egyptian Site Maps, 20 pp and 7 maps, ISBN 978-82-7385-123-9 Edited by: Naguib Amin, Rawda Yousri, Sara Kayser Authors: Elshimaa Fathy, Marwa Sadek, Rabab Abd-el-Kader, Rawda Yosuri, Sara Kayser. Download report.

Deliverable No 9, Work Package 7: Map of Ancient Egyptian Stone Quarries, 26 pp /6 maps, ISBN 978-82-7385-133-8 Edited by: Naguib Amin, Azza Shawarby, Rawda Yousri, Sara Kayser Authors: Elshimaa Fathy, Marwa Sadek, Rawda Yousri, Sara Kayser. Download report.

Deliverable No 10, Work Package 8: Identifying heritage values and character-defining elements of ancient quarry landscapes in the Eastern Mediterranean: an integrated analysis. 161 pp, ISBN 978-82-7385-134-6 Authors: Elizabeth Bloxam and Tom Heldal. Contributions from: Turkey: Emine N. Caner-Saltık, K. Göze Akoğlu, Evin Caner-Özler, Kemal Erdoğan,Alp Güney, Sinan Sülüner, Tamer Topal, Ayşe Tavukçuoğlu, V. Toprak, A.G.Turkmenoglu, M. C. Ustunkaya Taliye Yaşar Jordan: Nizar Abu-Jaber, Ziad Al Saad, Mohammed Al Qudah, Nihad Smadi and Abeer Al Zoubi Egypt: Naguib Amin, Adel Kelany, Rawda Yousri, Sara Kayser, Elshimaa Fathy, Marwa Sadek, Rabab Abd-el-Kader Belgium: Patrick Degryse, Marc Waelkens, E. Trogh, Hannelore Vanhaverbeke, Jeroen Poblome, Philippe Muchez Norway: Per Storemyr, Reidulv Bøe, Axel Müller Italy: Lorenzo Lazzarini. Download report.

Delivery No 11, Work Package 9: QuarryScapes guide to ancient stone quarry landscapes: documentation, interpretation, and statement of significance. 85 pp, ISBN Compiled by: Tom Heldal and Elizabeth Bloxam Contributions from: Turkey: Emine N. Caner-Saltık, K. Göze Akoğlu, Evin Caner-Özler, Kemal Erdoğan, Alp Güney, Sinan Sülüner, Tamer Topal, Ayşe Tavukçuoğlu, V. Toprak, A. G. Turkmenoglu, M. C. Ustunkaya Taliye Yaşar Jordan: Nizar Abu-Jaber, Ziad Al Saad, Mohammed Al Qudah, Nihad Smadi and Abeer Al Zoubi Egypt: Naguib Amin, Adel Kelany, Rawda Yousri, Sara Kayser, Elshimaa Fathy, Marwa Sadek, Rabab Abd-el-Kader Belgium: Patrick Degryse, Marc Waelkens, E. Trogh, Hannelore Vanhaverbeke, Jeroen Poblome, Philippe Muchez Norway: Per Storemyr, Reidulv Bøe, Axel Müller Italy: Lorenzo Lazzarini. Download report or follow this link for the web version.

Deliverable 12: QuarryScapes workshop proceedings – abstracts and extended abstracts. Edited by Patrick Degryse, Tom Heldal and Elizabeth Bloxam. Download.

Deliverable 13: QuarryScapes Atlas of Ancient Stone Quarry Landscapes. Download report version or follow this link.

Journals and book chapters

Abu-Jaber, N., al Saad, Z. and al Qudah, M. (accepted): Geomorphological and geological constraints on the development of Early Bronze chert industries at the northern rim of the Al Jafr Basin, Southern Jordan. Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaemetry

Bloxam, E. (2007): Who were the pharaohs' quarrymen? Archaeology International , 9: 23-7.

Bloxam, E. (in press) ‘Mapping ancient quarry landscapes’. Egyptian Archaeology 34.

Bloxam, E. and Heldal, T. 2007: The Industrial Landscape of The Northern Faiyum Desert as a World Heritage Site: Modelling 'Outstanding Universal Value' of 3rd Millennium BC Stone Quarrying in Egypt. World Archaeology Vol 39 No3: 305-323

P. Degryse, Ph. Muchez, M. Waelkens (2007) Geology and archaeology of late Hellenistic limestone quarries at Sagalassos. MARMORA, 2, 9-20.

P. Degryse, M. Waelkens, P. Vandevelde, Ph. Muchez, W. Viaene (2008) Weathering of limestone in the historical buildings of Sagalassos, in: P. Degryse, M. Waelkens (eds.) Sagalassos VI, Geo- and Bio-Archaeology at Sagalassos and in its Territory, Leuven University Press, 215-227.

P. Degryse, T. Heldal, E. Bloxam, P. Storemyr, M. Waelkens, Ph. Muchez (2008) The Sagalassos quarry landscape: bringing quarries in context, in: P. Degryse, M. Waelkens (eds.) Sagalassos VI, Geo- and Bio-Archaeology at Sagalassos and in its Territory, Leuven University Press, 261-290.

Heldal, T., Bloxam, E., Storemyr , P. 2007: Unravelling ancient stone quarry landscapes in the Eastern Mediterranean: three Egyptian case studies. In Broadening Horizons: Multidisciplinary Approaches to Landscape Study, eds Bart Ooghe and Geert Verhoeven, Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Press, 90-112 Abstract online.

Storemyr, P. (2008): Prehistoric geometric rock art at Gharb Aswan, Upper Egypt. Sahara, 19, 61-76 Abstract online

Storemyr, P., Kelany, A., Negm, M. A., Tohami, A. (2008). More "Lascaux along the Nile"? Possible Late Palaeolithic rock art in Wadi Abu Subeira, Upper Egypt. Sahara, 19, 155-158

Storemyr, P. (in press): A Prehistoric Geometric Rock Art Landscape by the First Nile Cataract. Archéo-Nil, 19 (2009)

Storemyr, P., Bloxam, E., Heldal, T. & Kelany, A. (in press): The Aswan West Bank ancient quarry landscape: Stone procurement, hunting, desert travel and rock-art from the Palaeolithic to the Roman period. Papers from the conference: The First Cataract: One region – Various Perspectives. Berlin, September 2-5, 2007.

Storemyr, P., Bloxam, E., Heldal, T. & Kelany, A. (in press): Ancient Desert and Quarry Roads on the West Bank of the Nile in the First Cataract Region. Desert Road Archaeology, edited by Heiko Riemer and Frank Förster.

Conferences

Storemyr, P., Bloxam, E., Heldal, T. and Kelany, A.: ‘Conservation of Ancient Stone Quarry Landscapes in Egypt' in Prehistoric Mines and Quarries: a Transatlantic Perspective . Papers from the Society for American Archaeology, 71 st Annual Meeting, April 26-April 30 2007, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Bloxam, E., Heldal, T. & Storemyr, P. (2005): QuarryScapes: conservation of ancient stone quarry landscapes in the Eastern Mediterranean. British Egyptology Congress, Cambridge, 24-25 September.

Bloxam, E., Heldal, T. & Storemyr, P. (2006): Late Palaeolithic Origins of a Grinding Stone Industry at Aswan, Egypt. Society for American Archaeology, 71 st Annual Meeting , April 26-April 30, San Juan, Puerto Rico (presentation and abstract in proceedings)

Bloxam, E., Storemyr, P., Heldal, T. & Kelany, A. (2006): "The myth of control": Re-assessing the role of the Egyptian state in ancient quarrying. ASMOSIA 8 , Aix-en-Provence, June 2006. Presentation and abstract in "Book of Abstracts". Abstract online.

Degryse, P., Bloxam, E., Heldal, T., Storemyr, P. & Waelkens, M. (2006): Quarries in the landscape : a survey of the area of Sagalassos (SW Turkey). ASMOSIA 8 , Aix-en-Provence, June 2006. Presentation and abstract in "Book of Abstracts". Abstract online.

Heldal, T., Bloxam, E. & Storemyr, P. (2006): New evidence for the use of fire in ancient quarrying. Society for American Archaeology, 71 st Annual Meeting , April 26-April 30, San Juan, Puerto Rico (presentation and abstract in proceedings)

Heldal, T., Bloxam, E., Storemyr, P. & Kelany, A. (2006): Interpreting a physical stone quarry landscape; the case of the Aswan West Bank quarries, Egypt. ASMOSIA 8 , Aix-en-Provence, June 2006. Presentation and abstract in "Book of Abstracts". Abstract online.

Kelany, A. (2006): Marks of quarry workers at the Unfinished Obelisk Quarry, Aswan, Egypt. ASMOSIA 8 , Aix-en-Provence, June 2006. Presentation and abstract in "Book of Abstracts". Abstract online.

Storemyr, P., Bloxam, E., Heldal, T. & Kelany, A. (2006): Difficulties in preserving an extensive ancient stone quarry landscape: The Aswan West Bank Quarries (Upper Egypt). ASMOSIA 8 , Aix-en-Provence, June 2006. Presentation and abstract in "Book of Abstracts". Abstract online.

Storemyr, P., Heldal, T. & Bloxam, E. (2006): QuarryScapes: Conservation of Ancient Stone Quarry Landscapes in the Eastern Mediterranean. Society for American Archaeology, 71 st Annual Meeting , April 26-April 30, San Juan, Puerto Rico (presentation and abstract in proceedings)

Bloxam, E. (2007) ‘The West Bank Aswan ancient quarry landscape: raising the significance and value of an invisible archaeological site under threat’. British Museum International Egyptological Colloquium, 11-13 July.

Heldal T.,  Bloxam, E, Degryse, P, Storemyr, P. & Kelany, A. (2007): Connecting quarries with stone. The significance of the Old Kingdom gypsum quarries at Umm es-Sawan, Northern Faiyum, Egypt. Norwegian Geological Society Winter Conference, Stavanger, January

Storemyr, P., Bloxam, E., Heldal, T. and Kelany, A. (2007): Quarries and areas of rock-art, raw materials of the region. Conference: The First Cataract: One region - Various Perspectives, Berlin, September 2-5, 2007

Storemyr, P., Bloxam, E., Heldal, T. and Kelany, A. (2007): Stone procurement and rock-art at the West Bank of Aswan, Egypt, Implement Petrology Group Conference, Department of Archaeology, University of York, UK, September 6th-11th 2007. Abstract online

Amin, N. (2007): presentation at A special presentation for the (Institut de Sciences de l'Homme) in France in April 2007

Bloxam, Elizabeth 2008: Multidisciplinary approaches to the investigation of ancient quarries in Egypt: Enhancing our understanding of ancient quarrying in antiquity. 33^rd International Geological Congress, Oslo, Norway, 6 - 16 August 2008

Bloxam, E. 2008: Landscape transformation and millstone quarrying in Egypt and Norway: multi-discplinary approaches to assessing the significance of utilitarian production. 9^th Nordic Conference on the Application of Scientific Methods in Archaeology (SMIA IX) Trondheim, Norway, 11-14 September 2008

Heldal, Tom 2008: A geological approach to ancient stone quarry landscapes. 33^rd International Geological Congress, Oslo, Norway, 6 - 16 August 2008

Degryse, Patrick 2008: The Sagalassos quarry landscape: Bringing ancient quarries in context. 33^rd International Geological Congress, Oslo, Norway, 6 - 16 August 2008

TV-programmes

History Channel (2006): Ramses' Egyptian Empire, Series: Lost Worlds,
episode no. 3, originally broadcasted Monday July 24 (contribution to the programme by QuarryScape's Adel Kelany, Elizabeth Bloxam and Per Storemyr on the ancient quarries in Aswan)

International newsletters

‘Digging Diary’ Egyptian Archaeology Bulletin of the Egypt Exploration Society, No. 32 Spring 2008, pp. 28.

'News and Notes: Quarryscapes' Egyptian Archaeology Bulletin of the Egypt Exploration Society, No. 29: 8 Autumn 2006.

Heldal, T. (2006): Research summary: QuarryScapes — EU project on ancient quarries. ASMOSIA Newsletter , Vol. 16, Issue 2, Fall 2005/Winter 2006. Online.

Newspaper articles, Web news and Public lectures

Kalliomaeki, A. (2007): EAIS and QuarryScapes. Public lecture. House of Sciences / University of Helsinki, Finland, Organised by the Egyptological Society of Finland, 23.1.2007. Audience: 49

Storemyr, P. (2007): Aegyptische Steinbrueche und ihre Bedeutung zu Zeiten der Roemer. Public Lecture attached to the special exhibition "Wege des Steines", Vindonissa Museum, Brugg, Switzerland, 28.1.2007. Audience: ca. 55 [English translation of title: Ancient Egyptian Quarries and Their significance in the Roman Period]

EAIS presentation of QuarryScapes and Egyptian Quarries. Online.

Fayoum's ancient quarry under threat. Feature article by Nadja Tomoum. Al-Ahram Weekly (Cairo), April 2006. Online.

Egyptian Antiquities Information system – EAIS Newsletter, December 2005: QuarryScapes field school in Aswan. Conservation of ancient stone quarry landscapes in Egypt. Online.

Egyptian Antiquities Information system – EAIS Newsletter, March 2006: QuarryScapes Kick-Off 30 Jan – 01 Feb 2006. Online.

Bloxam, E., Storemyr, P. & Heldal, T. (2005): QuarryScapes: conservation of ancient stone quarry landscapes in the Eastern Mediterranean. EES-Lecture, Egypt Exploration Society , Cairo, 7 November 2005

Presentation of the work at Sagalassos at "Archaeology's interactive dig". Online.