Study and Publication of Archaeological Collections from Qasr Ibrim, Nubia

This project involves the study of study archaeological collections from the site of Qasr Ibrim, Nubia, and the preparation of a final published report on them. Architectural and textual records from the site are in the possession of the principal investigator at the University of Kentucky, and study of them is already underway. Artifactual collections however are stored in the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Cambridge University, and can only be studied at that location. Although the overall project of study and writing will continue for more than a year, funds are requested only for a three-month period when the investigators will be resident at Cambridge and working with the artifactual collections. This part ofthe study will involve the collaborative effort of three specialists from the United States, and two from England, four of whom have been members of the Qasr Ibrim excavation team in the past. They will contribute their special expertise to the analysis of different kinds of finds, such as pottery, textiles, basketry, and ornamentation. Qasr Ibrim is the single most important archaeological site in Lower Nubia, and excavations there have already revolutionized understanding of many phases of Nubian history. Final publication of the results is a critical necessity. 9. Requested grant period: The project will continue through the whole of 2004 and beyond, but funds are requested only for the period from 1 September to 30 November 2004.