An archaeozoological, archaeological, and religious-historical examination of the Ptolemaic-Roman temple herd and burial ground at Syene

该项目的研究重点是位于今天阿斯旺城市空间的动物墓地，该墓地从公元前2世纪上半叶到公元1世纪末一直在使用。在这里，至少有315只动物，主要是羊，还有狗、猫和小牛，与坟墓一起被埋在浅洼地里。一座被几个庭院包围的梯田建筑显示出与墓葬和坟墓物品密切的时间和功能关系。该建筑的中心部分由一个凸起的两室平台组成，可以通过楼梯从北面进入。建筑的施工阶段可以与动物墓地的连续使用阶段相关联。对从这一仪式区找到的陶瓷、墓葬和动物墓葬进行详细分析，旨在记录墓葬习俗，并评估历时性的定量和定性变化，例如物种光谱或含量以及物种和墓葬的空间分布。该项目与考古学、考古动物学和埃及学密切合作，旨在揭示这个独特的动物墓地的类型和性质，以及它在托勒密和早期罗马城市Syene中的作用，同时更深入地了解当地的动物崇拜和相关的宗教观念。

Research in this project focuses on an animal necropolis situated in the urban space of present-day Aswan, which has been in use from the first half of the 2nd century BC till the end of the 1st century AD. Here at least 315 animals, mainly sheep but also dogs, cats and calves were deposited in shallow depressions together with grave goods. One terraced building surrounded by several courtyards shows a close chronological and functional relationship to the burials and grave goods. The centrepiece of this building consists of a raised, two-roomed podium that could be accessed from the north by a staircase. The construction phases of the building can be correlated with the consecutive phases of utilization of the animal cemetery. A detailed analysis of the ceramics, grave goods and the animal burials recovered from this ritual precinct is intended in order to document burial customs and evaluate diachronically quantitative and qualitative changes, e.g. in species spectrum or content and spatial distribution of species and grave goods. In close collaboration with Archaeology, Archaeozoology and Egyptology, this project intends to shed light on the type and nature of this unique animal cemetery and its role within the Ptolemaic and Early Roman city of Syene whilst providing deeper insight into local animal worship and associated religious conceptions.