Past environments, future challenges: Fossil insects and the preservation of environmental evidence from Egyptian archaeological sites

该项目利用埃及沙漠干燥保存有机物质，特别是昆虫遗骸的优势，将通过研究法老和罗马埃及的农村和城市环境，并将其置于地中海东部现有的环境和考古研究的背景下，通过研究昆虫，产生关于环境和气候变化的新信息。选择进行分析的地点是阿斯旺正在进行的大象挖掘，以及英国Qasr Ibrim的许可材料。将根据定居点内外的证据重建环境和气候，特别是来自自然昆虫动物群的物种，以及那些与人作为不速之客和意外旅行者生活在一起的物种，包括害虫、苍蝇和体外寄生虫。此外，分析技术将应用于目前在埃及境外的材料，无论是许可的还是博物馆收藏的。昆虫甲壳素的AMS测年和DNA都将完善解释并产生新的结果。

This project, taking advantage of the optimal preservation by desiccation in the Egyptian desert of organic materials, in particular insect remains, will produce new information on environmental and climate change through the study of insects by researching rural and urban environments from pharaonic and Roman Egypt and placing them in the context of existing environmental and archaeological research in the eastern Mediterranean. The sites selected for analysis are the ongoing excavation of Elephantine, in Aswan and material on permit in the UK from Qasr Ibrim. Environments and climate will be reconstructed, based on evidence from within and around settlement areas, in particular species from the natural insect fauna as well as those which live with man as uninvited guests and accidental travelers including insect pests, flies and ectoparasites. In addition, analytical techniques will be applied to material currently outside of Egypt either on permit or in museum collections. Both AMS dating and DNA of insect chitin will refine interpretation and produce new results.