The Spatial Structure of Kom el-Hisn: An Old Kingdom Town in the Western Nile Delta, Egypt 

By Anthony J. Cagle

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
University of Washington, 2001
Program Authorized to Offer Degree: Anthropology

Copyright 2001
Anthony J. Cagle

Note: Only chapters 4, 5, 8 and the appendices are included. Contact me for a full copy on CD. A short summary of my interpretationsof the depositional history of Kom el-Hisn can be found in Section 4.4. An overall review of the depositional history, artifact distributions, and function of structures can be found in Chapter 8.0.

Table of Contents

Abstract

List of Figures

List of Tables

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Context and previous research
  2.1 Neolithic and Predynastic antecedents
  2.2 Predynastic summary
  2.3 Old Kingdom context
  2.4 Summary of architectural development
  2.5 Kom el-Hisn: Context and previous research
    2.5.1 Geographic context
    2.5.2 Previous research
    2.5.3 Current research

3.0 Method and Theory
  3.1 Overview
  3.2 Aggregate units (deposits)
  3.3 Artifact classes

4.0 Materials and methods
  4.1 Materials
  4.2 Deposit characteristics
  4.3 Integrity of units
  4.4 General depositional history of Kom el-Hisn

5.0. Description of excavated deposits
  Unit 1166/1066
  Unit 1192/1035
  Unit 1204/1060
  Unit 1219/1095
  Unit 1235/1056
  Unit 1261/1074
  Room 1
  Room 2
  Room 3
  Room 4
  Room 5
  Room 6
  Room 7
  Room 1220/1072
  Room 8
  Room 9
  Room 10
  Room 12
  Room 13
  Room 14
  Room 15
  Room 16
  Room 17
  Room 18
  Room 20
  Room 22
  Room 23

6.0. Artifact analysis.
  6.1 Ceramics
    6.1.1 General description of ceramic types
    6.1.2 Ceramic type descriptions
    6.1.3 Chronological issues
    6.1.4 Ceramic distribution among deposit types
  6.2 Stone tools
    6.2.1 Chipped stone tools
    6.2.2 Ground stone tools
    6.2.3 Summary of stone tool assemblage
    6.2.4 Stone tool distribution among deposit types
  6.3 Faunal remains
    6.3.1 Fish
    6.3.2 Birds and reptiles
    6.3.3 Mammals
    6.3.4 Distribution of fauna among deposit types
  6.4 Floral remains
    6.4.1 General description of plant remains
    6.4.2 Distribution of plant remains among deposits

7.0 Spatial distributions
  7.1 Ceramic patterns
  7.2 Faunal patterns
  7.3 Stone object patterns
  7.4 Floral remains
  7.5 Summary of artifact patterns

8.0 Discussion and summary
  8.1 Occupational history
  8.2 Architecture

References cited or used

Appendix I: Data.

Appendix II: Artifact drawings..

Appendix III: Textual references to Kom el-Hisn.