Sandals, shoes and other leatherwork from the coptic monastery Deir El-Bachit : analysis and catalogue

The Coptic monastery and cemetery Deir el-Bachit stands on the hilltop of Dra' Abu el-Naga, the well-known necropolis in Qurna (West Bank, Luxor). It is the largest Coptic monastery complex preserved in Western Thebes and the first monastery that has been systematically investigated. The excavation of the monastery was started as a DFG-Project des Ägyptologischen Instituts der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Muenchen in close collaboration with the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut Abteilung Kairo. Until the start of the investigations in 2001 with a survey, little research was done. After three seasons of preliminary research, full archaeological research was started in 2004. The leatherwork was studied in 2007, the present volume of which presents the results. The book consists of two parts: the analysis and a detailed catalogue, including colour images of all finds and, where necessary, line drawings. The finds are analysed within the framework of the excavation as well as within the frameworks of the Ancient Egyptian Leatherwork Project and the Ancient Egyptian Footwear Project (www.leatherandshoes.nl). part I. analysis 9 PREFACE 11 introduction 13 The Archaeological Investigations 13 The Leather Research 14 The Catalogue 14 The Illustrations 15 Quantity and Breakdown by Functional Groups 16 analysis of the leatherwork 16 Preservation7 17 Skin Processing8 17 Skin Type Identification 17 Preparing the Skin,11 Curing/Tanning, Colour 17 Manufacturing Technology13 18 Stitches and Seams 18 Knots 22 Slit-and-Pull Technique25 22 Braiding 24 Coils and Tubes33 24 Decoration40 27 Painted Decoration 27 Impressed and Stamped Decoration 27 Incision51 40 Weaving 40 The Objects 40 Footwear 40 ‘Insignias’ 43 Book Covers 43 Fastenings 44 Belts, Straps, Cordage and Related 45 Bags and Related Objects 46 Offcuts and Waste 46 Unidentified 47 Tools: a short note 49 Wear, repair, re-use 50 discussion 51 notes 52 bibliography 57 part II. CATALOGUE 3 footwear (cat. nos. 1-101) sandals (cat. Nos. 1-98) 3 footwear (cat. Nos. 1-101) shoes (cat. nos. 99-101) 3 insignias (cat. nos. 102-112) 3 book covers (cat. nos. 113-176) 3 fastenings (CAT. NOS. 177-178) 3 belts, straps, cordage and related (cat. Nos. 179-240) 3 bags and related objects (cat. nos. 241-244) 3 offcuts and waste (cat. Nos. 245-255) 3 miscellaneous (cat. Nos. 256-258) 3 unidentified (Cat. nos. 259-410) 3 appendices 3 appendix I Non-diagnostic offcuts etc. 3 appendix II concordances 3 concordance by catalogue number 3 concordance by find number 3 concordance by description 3 The Coptic monastery and cemetery Deir el-Bachit stands on the hilltop of Dra' Abu el-Naga, the well-known necropolis in Qurna (West Bank, Luxor). It is the largest Coptic monastery complex preserved in Western Thebes and the first monastery that has been systematically investigated. The excavation of the monastery was started as a DFG-Project des gyptologischen Instituts der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitt Muenchen in close collaboration with the Deutsches Archologisches Institut Abteilung Kairo. Until the start of the investigations in 2001 with a survey, little research was done. After three seasons of preliminary research, full archaeological research was started in 2004. The leatherwork was studied in 2007, the present volume of which presents the results. The book consists of two the analysis and a detailed catalogue, including colour images of all finds and, where necessary, line drawings. The finds are analysed within the framework of the excavation as well as within the frameworks of the Ancient Egyptian Leatherwork Project and the Ancient Egyptian Footwear Project ((http://www.leatherandshoes.nl) www.leatherandshoes.nl ). The Coptic monastery and cemetery Deir el-Bachit stands on the hilltop of Dra'Abu el-Naga, the well-known necropolis in Qurna (West Bank, Luxor). It is the largest Coptic monastery complex preserved in Western Thebes and the first monastery that has been systematically investigated. The excavation of the monastery was started as a DFG-Project des Ägyptologischen Instituts der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München in close collaboration with the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut Abteilung Kairo. Until the start of the investigations in 2001 with a survey, little research was done. After three seasons of preliminary research, full archaeological research was started in 2004. The leatherwork was studied in 2007, the present volume of which presents the results. The book consists of two parts: the analysis and a detailed catalogue, including colour images of all finds and, where necessary, line drawings. The finds are analysed within the framework of the excavation as well as within the frameworks of the Ancient Egyptian Leatherwork Project and the Ancient Egyptian Footwear Project (www.leatherandshoes.nl). The Coptic Monastery And Cemetery Deir El-bachit Stands On The Hilltop Of Dra' Abu El-naga, The Well-known Necropolis In Qurna (west Bank, Luxor). It Is The Largest Coptic Monastery Complex Preserved In Western Thebes And The First Monastery That Has Been Systematically Investigated. The Excavation Of The Monastery Was Started As A Dfg-project Des Ägyptologischen Instituts Der Ludwig-maximilians-universität München In Close Collaboration With The Deutsches Archäologisches Institut Abteilung Kairo. Until The Start Of The Investigations In 2001 With A Survey, Little Research Was Done. After Three Seasons Of Preliminary Research, Full Archaeological Research Was Started In 2004. The Leatherwork Was Studied In 2007, The Present Volume Of Which Presents The Results. The Book Consists Of Two Parts: The Analysis And A Detailed Catalogue, Including Colour Images Of All Finds And, Where Necessary, Line Drawings. André J. Veldmeijer. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 55-58).