Science in the Study of Ancient Egypt

There is a notable lack of archaeological science used in Egyptology and Egyptian archaeology today. The reasons behind this are twofold: one, the discipline started with the early translation of Hieroglyphs which, combined with the large amount of written and pictorial material available, has long overshadowed the study of the material culture, including archaeology. Second are the practical and bureaucratic challenges to be found in obtaining access to material. In the light of these challenges, the lack of application of archaeological science in Egypt is hardly surprising.

Science in the Study of Ancient Egypt demonstrates how to integrate scientific methodologies into Egyptology broadly, and in Egyptian archaeology in particular, in order to maximise the amount of information that might be obtained within a study of ancient Egypt, be it field, museum, or laboratory-based. The authors illustrate the inclusive but varied nature of the scientific archaeology being undertaken, revealing that it all falls under the aegis of Egyptology, and demonstrating its potential for the elucidation of problems within traditional Egyptology.

Sonia Zakrzewski is a Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Southampton. She publishes widely in physical anthropology and science journals and has edited two books.

Andrew Shortland is the Director and Senior Lecturer of the Centre for Archaeological and Forensic Analysis at Cranfield University, where he runs a group that specializes in the application of scientific techniques to archaeological and forensic problems. He publishes widely in archaeological and science journals and has written two books and edited two more.

Joanne Rowland is a researcher in the Egyptian Collection at the Royal Museums of Art and History, Brussels and a Research Fellow in Egyptology and Archaeological Science at the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art (RLAHA) at Oxford University. She publishes widely in Egyptology and archaeological science, and has aided in the editing of several Egyptian archaeology volumes.