Willem van Haarlem

Temple Deposits in Early Dynastic Egypt Willem van Haarlem

This book offers an extensive discussion of the several types of deposits (mainly consisting of votive objects like human and animal figures, model boats and shrines, mace heads and jewellery) found in the Early Dynastic temple of Tell Ibrahim Awad, in the Eastern Nile Delta of Egypt. The introduction presents a general description of the site, its geographical and historical context and a specific description of the successive temple layers (between 3300 and 1950 BC). This is followed by a detailed discussion of the votives themselves (material, production, meaning, ritual presentation) and other objects (ceramics, animal bones, lithic tools and temple decorations) found in the deposits, the rituals with which they were associated and comparisons with finds from other sites in Egypt and abroad (Syria/Palestine and Mesopotamia). Images and a detailed catalogue of the objects are also included in the volume.