Prehistory of the Nile Valley

Studies in Archeology: Prehistory of the Nile Valley provides information pertinent to the prehistoric settlements along the Nile Valley. This book presents brief descriptions and the characteristics of the primary archeological taxonomic entities defined in the post-Nubia work.

Organized into two parts encompassing 13 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the physiography of the Nile Valley and the Nile River, which gives fertility to the desert and attracts people to live beside its banks. This text then describes the geology of the El-Kilh area that lies on the west bank of the Nile about 15 km north of Idfu. Other chapters consider the series of lake aggradations and recessions during the Holocene in the Fayum Depression. This book discusses as well the development of the landscape at Dishna. The final chapter deals with the abundant geological and archeological data in Nubia.

This book is a valuable resource for anthropologists.

List of Contributors

Introduction

Preface

Acknowledgments

Part I Description

1 An Introduction to the Physiography of the Nile Valley

Physiographic Divisions

2 General Geology of the El-Kilh Area

Variegated Shale

The Duwi Formation

The Dakhla Formation

Quaternary Deposits

Structures

3 Quaternary Stratigraphy and Archaeology of the EI-Kilh Area

Introduction

The El-Kilh Sites

Discussion of the Stratigraphy at El-Kilh

4 Geology of the Isna Area (West of the Nile)

Stratigraphy

Structures

5 Quaternary Geology and Archaeology of the Isna Area

Introduction

Sites at Deir El-Fakhuri

Sites in the Vicinity of Wadi No. 6

Sites Near Thomas Afia Village

Sites Near No. 4 Village

Miscellaneous Sites in the Reclamation Area

General Reconstruction of the Fossil Landscape in the Isna Area

6 Geology of the Dandara Area

7 Survey of the West Bank from the Valley of the Kings to Gebel El-Duqm

Summary of Events in the Dandara Area

8 Geology of the Dishna-Makhadma Area

9 Quaternary Geology and Archaeology of the Makhadma Area

10 Pleistocene Stratigraphy and Archaeology of the Dishna Area

Introduction

Older Units

Later Stratigraphy

The Dishna Sites

General Reconstruction of the Fossil Landscape at Dishna

11 Geology of the Fayum Depression

12 Archaeology and Pleistocene Stratigraphy of the Northern Fayum Depression

Introduction

Recent Work in the Northern Fayum

The Oldest or Paleomoeris Lake

The Premoeris (Terminal Paleolithic) Lake

Summary of the Holocene Lacustine Events in the Fayum Depression

Part II Synthesis

13 The Older Nilotic Deposits

Rethinking the Dibeira-Jer and Ballana Formations of Nubia

The Deir El-Fakhuri Recession

Rethinking the Sahaba Aggradation

The Post-Sahaba-Darau Recession

Later Nile Sediments

Appendix A Diatoms from the Site E71K14, Area A, Trench 1, Upper Diatomaceous Silt (Unit 4, Figure 31)

Appendix B Mineral Analysis of Samples from Sites E71K14, Areas A and D

Appendix c Analysis of Grain from Sites E71K14 and E71K15

Appendix D Heavy Mineral Analysis of Some Pleistocene Sediments in the Nile Valley

Introduction

Samples

Results and Discussion

References

Appendix E X-Ray Mineralogy of Some Quaternary Nile Sediments

Appendix F Granulometric Analysis of the Sand Fraction of Some Quaternary Nile Sediments

Appendix G Freshwater Mollusks and Mammals from Upper Palaeolithic Sites Near Idfu and Isna

Mollusks

Mammals

Discussion

References

Appendix H Animal Remains from Localities Near Dishna

Appendix I Animal Remains from Archeological Sites of Terminal Paleolithic to Old Kingdom Age in the Fayum

Introduction

Description of the Material

Discussion and Conclusions

References

Appendix J Fish Remains from Upper Paleolithic Sites Near Idfu and Isna

Introduction

Site Reports

Discussion

References

Appendix K Wear Patterns on Some Lithic Artifacts from Isnan Sites

References

Subject Index