Study and conservation of earthen archaeological heritage in ancient Egypt and Sudan
Nile’s Earth International Conference
Published on Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Abstract
The Nile’s Earth International Conference aims at stimulating an international debate towards better characterisation and long-term management of earthen architecture of the ancient Nile Valley, including potential lessons to be learnt to address some of the current concerns for a more sustainable development.
Announcement
Argument
Earth, as a building material, played an important role in making possible the development of the ancient kingdoms along the Nile Valley from its earliest periods. However, this outstanding earthen heritage remains poorly known, while its resulting archaeological assets are increasingly threatened due to neglect, human activities, as well as by climatic and ecological changes (e.g., heavy rains, dam construction, extension of cultivation areas, soil salinisation), etc.
The hypothesis of the ANR Nile’s Earth project is that specific solutions are needed to effectively preserve and protect this heritage. Its aim is to explore the potential of multidisciplinary approaches for a better identification and knowledge of these earthen archaeological remains, the assessment of their state of conservation, and the definition of adapted and sustainable conservation methods and techniques. The assumption is that, to be relevant, conservation protocols must rely on a thorough knowledge of ancient building techniques and materials, as well as the original building culture.
Within this framework, the Nile’s Earth International Conference aims at stimulating an international debate towards better characterisation and long-term management of earthen architecture of the ancient Nile Valley, including potential lessons to be learnt to address some of the current concerns for a more sustainable development.
Researchers from different backgrounds and disciplines are invited to share their own experiences, issues and results on the three main themes of the conference which will be the basis for discussions towards a better knowledge, recognition and valorisation of this outstanding heritage of Egypt and Sudan in accordance with international standards and recommendations.
About the ANR project
The ANR project Nile's Earth (2021-2024) is led by the École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Grenoble (ENSAG-UGA) in collaboration with the UMR 5189 Histoire et Sources des Mondes Antiques (CNRS), UMR 8167 Orient & Méditerranée (CNRS), the International Centre for Earthen Construction (CRAterre), the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology in Cairo (Ifao), the Centre Franco-Égyptien d’Étude des Temples de Karnak (CFEETK, CNRS), and the Section française de la direction des antiquités du Soudan (SFDAS).
Scientific themes
Theme 1 Archaeology, Architecture and Building cultures
- History of earthen architecture: origins, evolutions, technological breakthroughs and continuity
- Typologies, functions and uses
- Building techniques, practices and know-how in their historical, environmental and cultural context
- Building design, systems and metrology
- Construction site organisation: production chains, manufacturing processes, workforce, etc.
- Ethnoarchaeology and vernacular traditions
- Ancient maintenance and rehabilitation practices
Theme 2 Raw and Building materials
- Characterisation of building materials
- Material analysis (laboratory and field) and protocols
- Geoarchaeological and environmental analyses
- Physico-technical analysis
- Archaeobotanical analysis
Theme 3 Conservation, Valorisation and Management
- Threats, circumstances and processes of decay; impact of climatic change
- Condition survey protocols
- Preventive conservation.
- Green conservation practices
- Reconstruction: potential and limits with regard to international standards
- Planning, management and community engagement
Submission of abstracts
Submission only via this website
Until Nov 30th ‘22
Selection process
Abstracts can be submitted for a paper or a poster. Abstracts will be peer-reviewed by the Scientific Committee resulting in a selection of about 40 papers to be completed before their oral presentation during the conference. All papers and posters will be in English. All oral presentations will be held live and on-site and only after registration. The selected papers will be published in the conference proceedings.
Abstract format and contents
- Last and first name of the author(s)
- Academic title and scientific degree of the author(s)
- Affiliation of the author(s) (acronyms are to be avoided)
- Contact details: e-mail, telephone number, postal address
- Short Bio of author(s) (max. 50 words)
- Title of the paper/poster
- Keywords (maximum 5)
- Abstract of the paper/poster (300 to 500 words)
- Chosen theme/sub-theme(s) of the conference
- The abstract will be written in English
Abstract evaluation criteria
- Concordance of the subject with the theme/sub-themes
- Scientific relevance
- Originality of the subject or the approach (methodology, innovation, impact, etc.)
- Clarity of drafting
Key dates
- Sept 30th ‘22 1st call for abstracts
- Oct 31th ‘22 2nd call for abstracts (recall)
- Nov 30th ‘22 Deadline submission of abstracts
- Dec 16th ‘22 Announcement of selected abstracts and call for papers/posters
- Apr 28th ‘23 Deadline for submission of completed papers and posters / speaker registration
- Jun 27th ‘23 Recommendations and suggestions from the Scientific Committee
- Jul 4-6th ‘23 Nile’s Earth International Conference
- Aug 31st ‘23 Sending of final papers
- Sept - Oct ‘23 Final review by editorial committee
- Dec ‘23 Publication of the proceedings
Scientific committee
- Manal Abdelmoneim | Director of ACCRA, ACCRA/ MoTA
- Maria Maddalena Achenza | Professor, Cagliari University
- Julie Anderson | Curator for Sudan and Nubia, British Museum
- Ninon Blond | Lecturer, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon
- Charles Bonnet | Member of the Académie, Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
- Ann Bourges | Research engineer, C2RMF
- Maël Crepy | Scientific member of Ifao, Institut français d’archéologie orientale (Ifao)
- Tony Crosby | Architect, American mission of North Abydos
- Abdelhai El-Sawy | Director of excavations, NCAM, National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums
- Hassan Fekri | Professor and Director Cultural Heritage Management Program, Université Française d'Égypte
- David Gandreau | Expert in earthen architecture conservation, CRAterre/AE&CC/ENSAG/UGA
- Thierry Joffroy | Director of CRAterre research unit, CRAterre/AE&CC/ENSAG/UGA
- Nadia Licitra | Post-doc, CRAterre/AE&CC/ENSAG/UGA
- Marc Maillot | Director, Section française de la direction des antiquités du Soudan
- Séverine Marchi | Engineer in archaeology, CNRS, UMR 8167-Orient&Méditerranée
- Salaheldin Mohammed Ahmed | Coordinator, Qatar‑Sudan Archaeological Project (QSAP), Qatar Museums
- Anita Quiles | Responsible for the Ifao archaeometry department, Institut français d’archéologie orientale (Ifao)
- Bérangère Redon | Research fellow, CNRS, UMR 5189-HiSoMA
- Corinna Rossi | Associate Professor of Egyptology, Politecnico di Milano
- Intisar Soghayroun Elzein | Professor, University of Khartoum
- Jeffrey Spencer | Former Deputy Keeper of Egypt and Sudan, British Museum
- Ahmed Mahmoud Taher Mohamed | Codirector, Centre Franco-Égyptien d’Étude des Temples de Karnak - CFEETK, UAR 3172 du CNRS - MoTA
Members of the organising committee
- Thierry Joffroy | CRAterre/AE&CC/ENSAG/UGA
- Audrey Caronnelle | CRAterre/AE&CC/ENSAG/UGA
- David Gandreau | CRAterre/AE&CC/ENSAG/UGA
- Alix Hubert | CRAterre/AE&CC/ENSAG/UGA
- Nadia Licitra | CRAterre/AE&CC/ENSAG/UGA
- Anita Quiles | Institut français d’archéologie orientale (Ifao)
Subjects
Places
- Grenoble school of architecture - 60 avenue de Constantine
Grenoble, France (38)
Event attendance modalities
Hybrid event (on site and online)
Date(s)
- Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Attached files
Keywords
- Earthen heritage, Nile Valley, Building material, Conservation, Ancient building techniques, Archaeology, Architecture, Building cultures
Contact(s)
- Nile's Earth International Conference
courriel : nilesearth2023 [at] sciencesconf [dot] org
Reference Urls
Information source
- Audrey Carbonnelle
courriel : carbonnelle [dot] a [at] grenoble [dot] archi [dot] fr
License
This announcement is licensed under the terms of Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal.
To cite this announcement
« Study and conservation of earthen archaeological heritage in ancient Egypt and Sudan », Call for papers, Calenda, Published on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, https://doi.org/10.58079/19nq