Two more days of working in the museum. We have been able to finish checking the description of the ‘Tano’ chariot – our part of the work is nearly done but the conservation and consolidation will continue for some time to come.

The EMCP includes the study of other chariot leather; some objects from the tomb of Tuthmosis IV remains to be studied as well as the finds from Maiherpri. Thursday 22 March we started working on the leatherwork from the tomb of Amenhotep II, discovered in 1898 by Victor Loret. This material, including parts of (a)bow case(s), is important for various reasons, among which is the elaborate decoration (seemingly much more elaborate than the leatherwork from Amarna and the tombs of Amenhotep III and Tutmosis IV) as well as the extensive use of glue.

The work with texts mentioning chariots and related topics is progressing as planned. So far the focus has been placed on creating a complete overview of attestations of chariots in the written record of the New Kingdom. The information to be gained from the texts is twofold. Firstly, the ancient Egyptian language contained different words for different kinds of chariots as well as a technical terminology comprised by names for chariot parts and associated equipment. Secondly, the textual record allows us to glimpse into the many social contexts in which chariots are attested and can thus help us to place the chariot in a micro-historic framework within New Kingdom society.

Papyrus Harris 500 (P. BM 10060) includes love poems, which indicate the use of chariots as personal, everyday transportation). Courtesy of the British Museum (www.britishmuseum.org).

Recently, Salima and I have been interviewed for Ancient Egypt Online:

http://ancientegyptonline.org/egyptnews/p/aeo-interviews-and-veldmeijer-and-prof-dr-salima-ikram

Chariot iconography research is well underway. A collection of Eighteenth Dynasty depictions of chariots is basically complete. We are assembling a spreadsheet so that the sources can be easily reviewed and shared, and of course, checked for omissions. Sources included are: temple walls and blocks, private tombs, stelae, and ostraca. We have also been collecting any article or book chapter, which discusses any aspect of chariots in ancient Egypt, and also relevant articles about leather. When the spreadsheet is finished and checked, we will move on to the Ramesside evidence for chariots, a little more daunting task because of all the temple war scenes.

See http://www.leatherandshoes.nl/ancient-egyptian-leatherwork-project-aelp/ (scroll down to EMCP for earlier accounts and images).