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The Cory site (FaNq-75) is a multicomponent Middle Period site located in Saskatoon in south-central Saskatchewan, Canada. The site was excavated in 2001 by Stantec Consulting Ltd. as part of a remediation program for a SaskWater pipeline project. Four occupation levels were identified with one complete and two fragmentary projectile points identified. Level II of the Cory site contained a complete projectile point, which was an atypical Gowen point, and was radiocarbon dated to 5910 ± 60 rcybp. The collection from the site was obtained from the Royal Saskatchewan Museum for a more thorough analysis as part of this thesis. Three new radiocarbon dates were obtained for previously undated levels of the site. In addition to the description of the Cory site, this thesis also reviews the published material from a number of Middle Period sites on the Northern Plains. This review led to a reconsideration of the traditional classification of Middle Period archaeological cultures. Previously, the Gowen complex and the Oxbow complex had been considered separate, but related entities. In this thesis, a new classification is proposed with the Gowen complex and the Oxbow complex combined into a single archaeological culture.

This is a collection of short stories that often take place in the southeastern United States.

The Dog Child site is a multi-component archaeological site located within Wanuskewin Heritage Park, approximately three kilometres from the City of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The site was excavated from 2004 to 2009 during the summer field season with help from the University of Saskatchewan Department of Archaeology and Anthropology field school and the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society field school. A Master of Arts thesis dealing with the first three years of excavation entitled The Dog Child Site (FbNp-24): A 5500 Year Multicomponent Site on the Northern Plains was completed by Cyr (2006).<p> A focus on the 2007 to 2009 field seasons has been undertaken in this thesis. Artifacts including projectile points and pottery recovered from the site as well as radiocarbon dates confirm the presence of six occupation levels. Five different projectile point series or complexes are associated with the six occupation levels including: Plains Side-Notched, Prairie Side-Notched, McKean series, Oxbow complex, and Mummy Cave series (Gowen). The Mummy Cave series at the site encompasses two of the occupation levels identified. Due to the rich Gowen cultural level at the site the opportunity to study this cultural occupation in more detail became the focus of the second research program.<p> The Hypsithermal is a period of increased complexity and debate on the Plains. This thesis focuses on the 7500 to 4500 years B.P. time frame during which Mummy Cave series cultural occupations are present. The archaeological remains recovered from the Gowen occupation at the Dog Child site suggest the utilization of a broader subsistence base rather than a sole focus on utilizing and consuming bison. Comparison of other sites from this time period indicates that the Dog Child site may be unique in the number of specimens and taxa represented by the excavated faunal assemblage. From this analysis a wealth of new archaeological data including insight into Hypsithermal subsistence patterns and paleoenvironmental studies can be observed.

The Dog Child site is a multi-component archaeological site located within Wanuskewin Heritage Park, approximately three kilometres from the City of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The site was excavated from 2004 to 2009 during the summer field season with help from the University of Saskatchewan Department of Archaeology and Anthropology field school and the Saskatchewan Archaeological Society field school. A Master of Arts thesis dealing with the first three years of excavation entitled The Dog Child Site (FbNp-24): A 5500 Year Multicomponent Site on the Northern Plains was completed by Cyr (2006).<p> A focus on the 2007 to 2009 field seasons has been undertaken in this thesis. Artifacts including projectile points and pottery recovered from the site as well as radiocarbon dates confirm the presence of six occupation levels. Five different projectile point series or complexes are associated with the six occupation levels including: Plains Side-Notched, Prairie Side-Notched, McKean series, Oxbow complex, and Mummy Cave series (Gowen). The Mummy Cave series at the site encompasses two of the occupation levels identified. Due to the rich Gowen cultural level at the site the opportunity to study this cultural occupation in more detail became the focus of the second research program.<p> The Hypsithermal is a period of increased complexity and debate on the Plains. This thesis focuses on the 7500 to 4500 years B.P. time frame during which Mummy Cave series cultural occupations are present. The archaeological remains recovered from the Gowen occupation at the Dog Child site suggest the utilization of a broader subsistence base rather than a sole focus on utilizing and consuming bison. Comparison of other sites from this time period indicates that the Dog Child site may be unique in the number of specimens and taxa represented by the excavated faunal assemblage. From this analysis a wealth of new archaeological data including insight into Hypsithermal subsistence patterns and paleoenvironmental studies can be observed.

Mummies have been considered as 'biologic museums' as they display vital evidence and clues about the life and death of the ancient Egyptian population who lived thousands of years ago. They also hold the secrets of the evolution of disease. The Third Intermediate Period mummies represent the mummification technique at its best. The main aim of this research is to produce a scientific study of the Third Intermediate Period mummies in the British Museum. It attempts to answer some important questions and considers to what extent a detailed radiographic investigation of a group of mummies can provide evidence about disease processes, diet, mummification techniques, funerary and medical practices within that period. Non-invasive techniques were used during this study to investigate a group of seven mummies from the collection of the British Museum. The mummies are encased in cartonnage cases except one mummy which is inside a wooden coffin. The radiological methods (i.e. X-ray radiography and CT scanning) provided new information regarding the manufacturing of cartonnage cases during that period. The detailed radiographs showed aspects of the mummification techniques that were not reported during pervious investigations. A historical account of the Third Intermediate Period was given in chapter one while chapter two provides information regarding the mummification techniques used during this historical period. Chapter three gives information on previous radiological studies and chapter four gives detailed description and photographs of the selected mummies, the subjects of this investigation. Chapter five contains a full description of the methods used during this study and the results and discussions were presented in chapter six. A catalogue with detailed information is attached as an appendix to the thesis to present the physical anthropological data and radiological finds with regards to each mummy from this selected group.

The present thesis aims to expand and acquire new knowledge on the emergence of portrait mummies during the Roman period in Egypt and their socio-religious status. The emergence and decorative program of these mummies are commonly understood as an artistic expression of Hellenistic Greek and Roman settlers in Egypt. This attestation is often based upon uncontextualized isolated portraits. The study of uncontextualized isolated portraits has also caused an unsatisfactory approach to dating criteria. In response, the present thesis aims to study contextualized portrait mummies – with the image of the deceased still forming part of the mummy and ideally with an attested find spot – in light of a multicultural society consisting of Egyptian, Hellenistic and Roman cultural and religious traditions.  A total of 85 portrait mummies have been collected to provide context for the expressed cultural traditions. Seven group burials have been reconstructed based upon excavation reports for further contextualization. The results of the collected portrait mummies and reconstructed group burials are subsequently studied against a background of Egyptian, Hellenistic and Roman cultural and religious traditions to highlight dominant cultural features. The results of the present thesis illustrate portrait mummies were an expression of a culturally complex society. The treatment of the body and decorative program suggests cultural and religious notions were rooted within Egyptian traditions that were appropriated, re-defined and adapted by a society comprised of Egyptians, Hellenes and Romans. Portrait mummies consequently express multiple cultural layers. Previously established dating criteria were found to remain to be the most valid and reliable. Contextualized portrait mummies, however, have put forward a new dating criterion that ought to be taken into consideration: octagonal framing.

Use of paleohistology to identify histological structures in mummified tissues can allow insight into pathological conditions such as parasites, cirrhosis and lung scarring. However, increasing concerns in archaeological sciences include restrictions on removal of human remains from their site of origin for scientific study. In the case of mummified remains, the use of a field paleohistology kit may be deemed useful for ‘point-of-care’ pathological assessment of preserved tissues. This study evaluates field paleohistology protocols for mummified soft tissue based on techniques used modern medical field missions. The application of this technique alleviates the need for export or removal of remains from the site for analysis. Samples from the Kellis 1 Cemetery (c. 60BC – AD100) and Deir abu Metta Christian church (c. 4th century AD) in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt were processed using field paleohistology techniques in both a laboratory and field setting. Two processes of soft tissue preservation were identified in this sample; anthropogenic or ‘artificial’, and spontaneous or ‘natural’ mummification. In cases of artificial mummification, the use of resin, both on internal and external surfaces of the body, caused difficulty in the rehydration process and visualization of the cellular structures. In cases of natural mummification, the technique was more successful in rehydration, slide mounting, imaging, and detection of cellular structures. Results also showed some tissue samples to be unsuitable for this method due to variable preservation and loss of tissue integrity during processing (e.g., liver). However, consistent quality microscope slides and digital images were obtained from samples of skin, muscle, lung, and liver indicating this point-of-care field method is a viable option for paleohistological field analyses and identification of pathological conditions in mummified human remains.

L’étude de la nécropole ouest du site d’El-Deir dans l’oasis égyptienne de Kharga participe à mieux appréhender la connaissance des pratiques funéraires de l’Antiquité tardive en Égypte, dans les premiers temps du christianisme. Les résultats de cette recherche constituent un prisme intéressant pour découvrir la communauté chrétienne qui vivait à El-Deir, dans le nord de l’oasis, là où précisément la présence d’une importante population chrétienne est attestée dès le IVe siècle ap. J.-C.par les nombreux vestiges archéologiques et les sources textuelles. La morphologie des 150 tombes, leur orientation, l’étude des corps - souvent momifiés –et du mobilier funéraire, ont été comparées avec celles d’autres nécropoles égyptiennes datées de la fin de la période romaine et du début de l’époque byzantine, soit du IVe à la fin du VIe siècle ap. J.-C. Cette confrontation des données a permis de dégager plusieurs critères qui semblent permettre l’identification d’une nécropole chrétienne. Les pratiques funéraires mises en place par les premiers chrétiens associent ainsi des éléments hérités de leurs ancêtres, qui existaient déjà dans les nécropoles traditionnelles et des éléments liés à la croyance nouvelle en la religion chrétienne.Parallèlement, les études pluridisciplinaires menées à El-Deir amènent à découvrir la vie quotidienne des chrétiens vivant sur le site à la fin de l’Antiquité. L’environnement dans lequel cette population évoluait, les cultures qu’elle développait, ses activités professionnelles et artisanales, les maux dont les individus souffraient et les liens de cette communauté avec l’extérieur commencent ainsi à nous être révélés. / Study of the west necropolis at the El-Deir site in the Egyptian oasis of Khargeh helps to acquire a better understanding of the knowledge of Egyptian funerary practicesin the Late Antiquity / Late Antique period, in the first ages of Christianity. The results of this research constitute an interesting prism through which to discover the Christian community that lived at El-Deir, in the north of the oasis, in the precise location where the presence of an important Christian population is attested from the 4th centuryvia numerous archaeological remains and textual sources. The morphology of the 150 tombs, their orientation, studies of the bodies – often mummified – and the grave goods have all been compared with those of some other Egyptian necropolises dating from the late Roman period to the early Byzantine period, namely from the 4th to the late 6thcentury. This confrontation of data has brought forth several criteriathat seem to allow identification of a Christian necropolis. The funerary practices established by the first Christians thus combine elements inherited from their ancestors that already existed in the traditional necropolises and elements related to the new belief in the Christian religion. In parallel, multidisciplinary studies conducted at El-Deir lead us to discover the daily life of Christians who lived on the site in the Late Antiquity. The environment in which this population progressed, the cultures it developed, its professional and hand-crafted activities, the pains endured by its members and the links between this community and the exterior thus start to be revealed.

Les cheveux constituent un matériau de choix en archéométrie pour l’étude des civilisations anciennes. L’étude moléculaire de cheveux de momies et de leur protéome peut apporter de précieuses informations sur la composition, la préservation et l’environnement de la fibre. Une approche protéomique bottom-up dédiée à l’analyse en MS des protéines de cheveux de momies a été donc implémentée. Celle-ci a permis l’identification des protéines capillaires de cheveux anciens à partir de quantités minimales, ainsi que la caractérisation de leur état de conservation. Cette approche a été associée à une stratégie interdisciplinaire, intégrant également des analyses structurelles par FTIR, et élémentaires par SEM-EDS, XRF et PIXE. Enfin, le couplage direct TLC-MALDI-MS a été mis en place pour la caractérisation de systèmes biologiques et archéologiques, complexes et précieux. / Hair is an ideal material for the archaeometric study of past civilizations. Although it is rarely described, molecular study of hair and its proteome can provide precious clues on the ancient hair composition, its preservation state, as well as its environment. Here, we describe the implementation of a bottom-up proteomic approach for the mass spectrometry analysis of proteins from mummy hair. Through this approach, it was possible to identify the ancient hair proteins from a minimal initial amount of sample, and to characterize their molecular conservation state. This study was associated to an interdisciplinary project that also integrates structural analyses by FTIR and elemental analyses by SEM-EDS, XRF and PIXE. Finally, TLC-MALDI-MS hyphenation was implemented for the characterization of biological and archaeological systems, which are also complex and precious.