Pages: 219 - 237

The studies of textile finds from Graeco-Roman cemeteries in Egypt are of great importance due to many reasons. Specific climate conditions together with dry sand soils provide the unique state of preservation for organic materials. Therefore, archaeological textile could be considered as a main source for social, economic, ethnic and religious studies of the Egyptian society in the Graeco-Roman period. Technological studies of textiles could shed light on different questions concerning importance of textiles of different qualities among the grave goods, or the Egyptian textiles can be studied as a marker of social and religious status of the deceased. Archaeological textiles could help trace changes in the funerary rite, which happened due to Christianization of the Egyptian province in 3rd—4th centuries. The results of the study confirmed our preliminary hypothesis about the identity of the people buried on the necropolis. Most of Deir al-Banat population could belong to the mixed Greek-Egyptian middle class who practiced Egyptian pagan religion and funerary rites. Egyptian traditions were preserved also in the economic sphere, specially, in textile production.

Keywords: Ptolemaic Egypt, Roman Egypt, archaeological textiles, textile production, vertical loom, funerary rite, mummification, Fayoum, Deir al-Banat, Christianity in Egypt, social structures

Information about authors:

Olga Orfinskaya (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Center for Egyptological Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.  Lenin Ave., 29/8, Moscow, 119071, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]
Elena Tolmacheva (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Center for Egyptological Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Lenin Ave., 29/8, Moscow, 119071, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]