Kellis
A Roman-Period Village in Egypt's Dakhleh Oasis

Rich account of life over four centuries in a village of Roman Egypt incorporating recent archaeological and textual discoveries.

Colin A. Hope (Edited by), Gillian E. Bowen (Edited by)

9780521190329, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 13 January 2022

400 pages
25.1 x 17.6 x 3.4 cm, 1.05 kg

Kellis was a village in the Dakhleh Oasis in the Egyptian Western Desert inhabited continuously from the first to the late fourth century AD. Previously unexcavated, it has in recent decades yielded a wealth of data unsurpassed by most sites of the period due to the excellent state of preservation. We know the layout of the village with its temples, churches, residential sectors and cemeteries, and the excavators have retrieved vast quantities of artefacts, including a wealth of documents. The study of this material yields an integrated picture of life in the village, including the transition from ancient religious beliefs to various branches of Christianity. This volume provides accounts of the lived-in environment and its material culture, social structure and economy, religious beliefs and practices, and burial traditions. The topics are covered by an international team of specialists, culminating in an inter-disciplinary approach that will illuminate life in Roman Egypt.

Part I. Introduction: 1. Kellis in Context Colin A. Hope
Part II. The Domestic Environment: 2. Houses, Households, Household Activities Colin A. Hope and Gillian E. Bowen
3. Paintings from Domestic Contexts Helen Whitehouse
4. Crafts Colin A. Hope
4.1. Basketry, Leatherwork and Cordage Gillian E. Bowen
4.2. Ceramics Colin A. Hope
4.3. Glass Marie-Dominique Nenna
4.4. Textiles Rosanne Livingstone
Part III. Aspects of Life at Kellis: 5. Society and Social Structure Roger S. Bagnall
6. The Economy
6.1. Local Economy Roger S. Bagnall
6.2. Plant Husbandry and Local Subsistence Ursula Thanheiser
6.3. Coinage Gillian E. Bowen
7. The Administration of Kellis and Dakhleh Oasis Andrew Connor
8. Literacy Andrew Connor
8.1. Greek Andrew Connor
8.2. Coptic Iain Gardner
8.3. Demotic Günter Vittmann
8.4. Hieroglyphic Egyptian Olaf E. Kaper
8.5. Latin Andrew Connor
8.6. Writing Materials Colin A. Hope
Part IV. The Religious Context: 9. The Pharaonic and Classical Religious Complexes and the Cult of Tutu Colin A. Hope, Gillian E. Bowen and Olaf E. Kaper
10. Painted Decoration in the Main Temple Complex Helen Whitehouse
11. The Churches Gillian E. Bowen
12. Types of Christianity: History and Spread, Organisation, Practices and Literature Iain Gardner
Part V. Burial Practices and Population: 13. The Traditional Cemeteries of Kellis Colin A. Hope, Judith Mckenzie and Carlo Rindi Nuzzolo
14. Christian Burial Practices Gillian E. Bowen
15. Revealing Life through Death: A Review of the Bioarcheological Studies of Human Remains Tosha L. Dupras, Sandra M. Wheeler, Lana J. Williams and Peter G. Sheldrick
Part VI. Concluding Remarks: 16. The Abandonment of Kellis Colin A. Hope and Gillian E. Bowen.

Subject Areas: Christian worship, rites & ceremonies [HRCR], Egyptian archaeology / Egyptology [HDDG], Archaeology by period / region [HDD], Archaeology [HD], Humanities [H]