This thesis compares the archaeobotanical remains from two Roman-era, Egyptian port sites: Berenike and Myos Hormos. A focus is put on the origin of the discovered materials, particularly in the...Show moreThis thesis compares the archaeobotanical remains from two Roman-era, Egyptian port sites: Berenike and Myos Hormos. A focus is put on the origin of the discovered materials, particularly in the context of the Silk Routes trade network of which these ports were a part. It concludes that Berenike seemingly had a larger focus on trade with Africa than Myos Hormos. Also, while both ports had Indian goods in their record, none seemed to have had a more pronounced focus on that subcontinent, although that was hypothesized beforehand. Furthermore, Berenike shows a decrease in the variety of goods traded after its period of inactivity in the 2nd and 3rd century, especially in regards to Indian goods. However, the variety and amount of local and African goods increased. The concurrent demise of Myos Hormos in this period did not seem to have an effect on the traded goods. Finally, this thesis served as a good example of how comparitive research beyond the level of the individual site could benefit the field of Silk Routes research, and which challenges this approach faces.Show less
This thesis assesses the suitability of the video game medium in archaeological public outreach. It does so by examining the blockbuster game Assassin’s Creed: Origins (Ubisoft 2017), gauging its...Show moreThis thesis assesses the suitability of the video game medium in archaeological public outreach. It does so by examining the blockbuster game Assassin’s Creed: Origins (Ubisoft 2017), gauging its accuracy through a comparative archaeological study between the Step Pyramid complex at Saqqara and its virtual reconstruction in the game. Further case studies display designer choices and their relation to the representation of archaeology in the game. Other than examining the accuracy of the virtual reconstruction of the complex, the information given about it in the Discovery Tour mode is also analysed. A survey conducted amongst gamers that have played Assassin’s Creed: Origins is meant to give insight in the level of interest in the archaeology of the game and the consumers’ perception of that archaeology. A different survey, conducted amongst academics of the Faculty of Archaeology of Leiden University, evaluates the opinion of the academic community on using the gaming medium in public outreach, along with their view on the accurate representation of archaeology in the game. Additionally, an assessment is made of the ability of an entertainment-based blockbuster game to transfer knowledge. The core aspects of the medium, such as immersion and interaction, are shown to promote effortless learning and absorption of information as a byproduct of having fun playing the game. This thesis therefore deems the medium suitable for the transfer of knowledge to the public. The gamers survey results do not prove that specific information is retained, but it shows that a general image of Ptolemaic Egypt has been gained along with increased interest in its archaeology. The academics survey results display general agreement that the game provides a rather accurate rendition of Ptolemaic Egypt and nearly all participants believe the medium should be used in public outreach. From the comparative study and the analysis of the Discovery Tour, it is deduced that the virtual reconstruction of the Step Pyramid complex is indeed very accurate. The other case studies show that designer choices could disturb historical and archaeological accuracy, but that this does not necessarily interfere with the representation of archaeology. Thus, this thesis advises the archaeological academic community to invest in the gaming medium and approach game developers about incorporating archaeologists in the design process from the very start of the developing process.Show less
Ramesses II, the third pharaoh of the 19th dynasty, fought a major battle near the ancient town Kadesh against the Hittite army. While he won the battle, he lost the war and had to surrender a...Show moreRamesses II, the third pharaoh of the 19th dynasty, fought a major battle near the ancient town Kadesh against the Hittite army. While he won the battle, he lost the war and had to surrender a large part to the Levant to the Hittites. Despite this long-term defeat, Ramesses decided to use the battle of Kadesh as an inspiration for inscriptions, including both texts and reliefs, on several temples in Egypt. The purpose of the inscriptions has not been very clear, since the texts are usually studied by Egyptologists, who focus on the content of the text rather than its function. Most explanations of these texts either describe the texts as a piece of propaganda or as apotropaic (i.e. warding off evil forces), but neither of these completely fit the inscriptions themselves. This thesis focuses on another possible way to understand the purpose of the Kadesh inscriptions. This will use two different theoretical concepts, the first being visibility studies and the second being linguistic landscapes. These concepts, often used in archaeology and linguistics respectively, can shed additional light on the purpose of the inscriptions, trying to find out for whom the texts were meant. With the data gathered with these theories will show that another interpretation can be given of these texts. Rather than being meant for people or evil forces outside the temple, they were meant for the god residing inside the temple. These were supposed to show the god that the pharaoh was attempting to reaffirm their relationship with the deities by keeping the order in Egypt.Show less
