The aim of this thesis is to examine changes in the status of traditional Egyptian religious culture during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, from 331 BCE to 313 CE. Four distinct categories of material culture are examined: monumental construction of temples and civic buildings, traditional hard-stone sculpture, Alexandrian tombs, and Roman coins. These bodies of evidence were chosen because each offers a unique perspective, reflecting respectively the personal inclinations and official attitudes of both the culturally Hellenic and indigenous elites, which have not previously been studied in this context. Examined together for the first time, these categories reveal commonalities that show clearly the progression of the status of indigenous religious culture. From this, it is argued that, despite being economically disadvantaged by the Roman administration, the high status of this culture persisted in Egyptian society under both the Ptolemies and the Romans. Patterns of Egyptian temple and classical civic building show that Egypt's indigenous elite controlled the resources allocated for temple construction under the Ptolemies, but that the Romans gradually transferred this land into the management of the culturally Hellenic elite. This resulted in a decrease in Egyptian temple building after the first century CE and a corresponding increase in classical construction from then on. The production of hard-stone statues is shown for the first time to reveal that the indigenous elite had the resources and cultural confidence to continue and develop their traditions under the Ptolemies, while the sharp decrease at the start of the Roman period reflects their diminution in autonomy and prosperity under Roman rule. New analysis of traditional elements and motifs in the tombs of Alexandrian elites shows that this group respected and adopted indigenous religious customs and beliefs, with a higher incidence of indigenous imagery in the Roman period compared with the Ptolemaic period. In a similar way, well-informed Egyptian religious iconography rendered in a classical style on Alexandrian coins demonstrates the respect of the Roman authorities for Egyptian religious cults and institutions at an official level. In sum, it is argued that indigenous religious culture largely maintained its privileged economic and social status throughout the Ptolemaic period, despite political upheavals. Under Roman rule, the individuals and institutions representing Egyptian religious culture were disadvantaged economically; however, its social importance and standing were preserved and it continued to enjoy respect.

Les cavités artificielles funéraires sont à la fin de la Préhistoire en Méditerranée occidentale un type d’architecture privilégié. La compréhension de la chaîne opératoire de construction des hypogées est essentielle afin de déterminer quelles techniques et stratégies entrent en jeu dans la mise en place de ces architectures souterraines. C’est dans le cadre de cette thèse qu’une méthode a été développée sur le sujet. Celle-ci se présente en trois axes : l’étude technologique du macro-outillage de creusement, l’analyse à l’aide de la photogrammétrie des traces présentes sur les parois des hypogées et l’expérimentation permettant de confirmer ou d’infirmer les hypothèses émises. Ces trois axes ont été développés dans des contextes différents, en France dans les Bouches-du-Rhône avec l’ensemble monumental de Fontvieille et en Sardaigne avec notamment la nécropole à domus de janas de S’Elighe Entosu. Ces deux contextes offrent la possibilité d’étudier des hypogées possédant des caractéristiques différentes. La comparaison entre les divers contextes sélectionnés en Méditerranée occidentale permet d’entrevoir les différences et similitudes présentes dans les chaînes opératoires de creusement et les choix effectués par les différents groupes humains. Au-delà de la connaissance des techniques employées pour le creusement de ces architectures, cette étude permet également de s’interroger sur le rôle de celles-ci au sein de la communauté par l’investissement que leur mise en place engendre. / At the end of Prehistory in the Western Mediterranean, the rock-cut tombs are a privileged type of architecture. The understanding of the hypogea’s digging process is essential In order to determine which techniques and strategies come into play in the establishment of these structures. In the context of a PhD research work, a method has been developed on the subject. It is presented in three lines of reflection: the technological study of digging macro-tools, the analysis of the traces which are present on the walls of hypogea using photogrammetry, and an experimentation to confirm or refute the assumptions made during the first two axes of the study. These three axes were developed in different contexts, the monumental context of Fontvieille, located in the geographical area of the Bouches-du-Rhône administrative department in France and the necropolis of S'Elighe Entosu in Sardinia, Italy. These two fieldworks allows us to study the different characteristics of the hypogea. The comparison between the various contexts selected in the western Mediterranean allows us to glimpse the differences and similarities present in the digging process chains and the choices made by the different human groups. Beyond the knowledge of the techniques used for the digging of these architectures, this study also makes it possible to question the role of these in the community by the investment that their establishment generates.

Gegenstand dieser Studie ist eine Gruppe von acht Felsgräbern und zwei Schaftgräbern im Zentralbereich von Dra’ Abu el-Naga (Central Dra’ Abu el-Naga, CDAN) auf der thebaischen Westseite. Die Errichtung dieser Anlagen geht auf die Zeit des ägyptischen Neuen Reichs zurück, doch wurden sie über viele Generationen nach der Bestattung der ursprünglichen Grabinhaber weiter benutzt. Die Einleitung (Chapter 1) skizziert den Rahmen der Untersuchung und umfasst drei Teile: Zunächst werden Hintergrundinformationen zur geographischen Lage und physischen Gestalt des Fundareals geliefert. Schließlich werden Verlauf und aktueller Stand der Forschungen in CDAN skizziert. In folgenden Hauptkapitel (Chapter 2) werden die vom ägyptische Ministry of State of Antiquities (MSA) in dem Areal durchgeführten Ausgrabungen behandelt. Durch die Konzentration auf die Analyse der vorkommenden Architekturelemente und deren Einordnung in die in CDAN vorkommenden Stiltypen konnten unserem Wissen. Im dritten Hauptteil (Chapter 3) setze ich mich mit den Überbleibseln und Spuren der antiken Bestattungsgebräuche auseinander, also in erster Linie mit Objektgruppen auseinander. Im Letztem Hauptteil (Chapter 4) Wiederbenutzung der Grabanlagen in späteren Perioden. Abschließen wird die Bedeutung der neu entdeckten Grabanlagen für den Gesamtkontext der Archäologie von CDAN beleuchtet. Dabei haben sich neue Erkenntnisse zu den spezifischen Verwendungen und Funktionen sowie Nachverwendungen monumentaler Bestattungen in CDAN ergeben – gerade auch dadurch, dass sich der Betrachtungszeitraum vom Neuen Reich bis zur Moderne erstreckte und so unser Blick für die vielfältigen Bezugnahmen und Entwicklungen geschärft wurde. Die vier Hauptkapitel werden durch einen Katalog der behandelten Objekte ergänzt. / In this thesis, a group of eight rock cut tombs and two shaft-tombs located in Central Dra’ Abu el-Naga (CDAN) at the West Bank of Luxor were studied. The construction of these tombs dates mainly to the period of the New Kingdom (NK, c. 1550-1070 BCE), but they continued to be in use for many generations after the death of the original tomb owners. The framework of this study, as sketched in Chapter 1, is characterized by three approaches: the first section is titled The geographical and geological nature of DAN. The overview of The history of excavation at CDAN Finally, the focus is on the history of research on the necropolis of CDAN. In Chapter 2, the excavations conducted in the area by the Egyptian Ministry of State of Antiquities (MSA) are described. I described and discussed the architectural elements of the newly excavated tombs. At the end, the architectural styles that prevailed in the CDAN were described, as a step in clarifying the development of the history of the area. In Chapter 3, deals with the relics and traces of ancient burial customs, especially with the objects like statues, pottery, coffins, shanties, funerary cones, and other funerary equipment, which came to light during the excavations in the area. Particular attention was given to their dating. The last section, Chapter 4, the frequent re-use of the tombs in later periods, as illustrated, e.g., by ceramics and other small finds. At the end, the significance of the newly discovered tombs is highlighted. Further insights into the specific usages and functions of monumental tombs in CDAN in general were gained, and to increase the understanding of the connections, interrelationships and developments, this started from NK and ended to very modern time. The four main chapters are followed by a catalogue of objects.

The master thesis called "Semiotics Han Tombs" does not only deal with the semiotics view of space of Han dynasty tombs, when we are examining the number of structures, which are permeating Han graves, we find structures of the world of man living in China, but this process also points to problems of culture interpretation which cultural semiotics helps to eliminate. Problems associated with the sign plays an important role in shaping the very cultural and social identity. The issue of understanding and interpretation of cultures occurs at the time when we select certain features or characters from the structure of a culture to freely create a system without having analyzed the real culture. Always all these elements must be considered in the context of the overall system or structure, or we only deal with empty concepts or definitions. In other words, we do not see the whole picture. Han tomb as a text is polysemous and in many respects incomprehensible. However, the creation, reading and semiosis takes place in it and it is the statement of understanding of this world. So revealing the speaker's worldview depends on the process of interpretation, because the statement may involve a degree of ideological connotations which determined the interpretation independently on the previous coding. Key...

Les tombes royales et les tombes de prestige sont spécifiques d’une partie de la communauté détenant un pouvoir régional ou local. Dans le contexte du Bronze Ancien en Mésopotamie et en Syrie, l’étude archéologique a permis de distinguer les tombes de prestige des autres tombes selon trois critères principaux : l’architecture monumentale, la localisation topographique et le matériel funéraire déposés dans les tombes. Ces traits constituent un ensemble de signes complexes intégré dans un discours idéologique. L’étude a eu pour objectif de replacer les pratiques funéraires dans la société et les pratiques rituelles et sociales du pouvoir. Une perspective anthropologique apportée au sujet des tombes royales et de prestige a permis de mettre en évidence comment les pratiques funéraires sont un instrument institutionnel de manipulation idéologique, intégrées dans un discours social et politique structuré. Comme d’autres moments centraux de la société, les pratiques funéraires sont des pratiques rituelles et sociales qui jouent un rôle dans la représentation du pouvoir des élites et la structuration de la communauté. Elles permettent de reproduire et de maintenir l’équilibre social et de justifier le pouvoir des dites élites. / The royal tombs and the tombs of prestige are specific of a group detaining a regional power or local power. We have identified archaeological traits in the Syrian and Mesopotamian Early Bronze Age context which could distinguish the prestige tombs from the others. These formal features are the monumental architecture, the specific location of the prestige tombs and the group of graves associated, and the grave goods. The wealth of the deposition and the structure are characteristics of the prestige tombs and it constitutes complex signs integrated in an ideological discourse. Thus, an anthropological perspective has been essential to appreciate the social implication of the elite funerary practices. As others main events in the society, funerary practices of prestige are rituals and social practices which play a role in the representation of the elite power and in the structure of the society. The royal tombs and the tombs of prestige are social instruments of ideological manipulation; the funerary practices are integrated in social discourse through rituals in order to reproduce and maintain social structure and justify the elite power.

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Doctorat en philosophie et lettres / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

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The present work examines the taxonomy and function of potters’ marks applied to pottery in the Amman-Zarqa region during the last phase of the Early Bronze Age, the so-called EB IV ca. 2350/2300–2000 BC. The study is anchored in a small data set gathered from 12 archaeological sites, in which 24 different mark types have been identified. These mark types - together with their associated vessel classes, circumstances of deposition, and geographical distribution - comprise the background against which previous suggestions regarding potters’ marks are evaluated. Evidence from ethno-archaeological sources concerning traditional potters’ rationales for marking vessels today is also included as part of the interpretive framework. The mode and scale of production is discussed on the basis of the ceramic evidence, the size and character of settlements located within the region, and the socio-economic setting of the EB IV period in general.

New archaeological research was carried out between 2009 and 2011 by the Ministry of State for Antiquities (MSA) at central Dra’ Abu el-Naga. Joining the MSA excavation team in the field in 2009, the author has been studying the findings from this area since then. The excavation site is situated ca. 700 km south of Cairo, opposite the modern city of Luxor in Upper Egypt on the western side of the Nile. Dra\'' Abu el-Naga is the modern name of the northern area of the extended necropolis. Central Dra’ Abu el-Naga lies to the north of the causeway of queen Hatshepsut and just south of the German and Spanish concessions, overlooking the valley where a temple of Amenhotep I was once erected. The tombs are situated just below the hilltop of the middle range of the Dra’ Abu el-Naga hills Review And to reach fulfill this main objective, it was proposed in 2013 to follow these research objectives: Consequently one main objective was the recording of architecture of the new discovered tombs and the reconstruction of the original context of the objects, which formed part of their burial equipment. The overlying aim of the research is: Preparing plans of all the new tombs, and also sections and 3D views of two of the tombs as they are very complicated. To place the new tombs in their archaeological context. 2D drawings can be tricky for some people to read, but 3D model views are a universal language that anyone can understand. By using SketchUp Pro to get owners, researchers heads in the same direction.