Deir el-Ballas 2019-2020, Week 3: 12/14-12/19

This week we sadly said goodbye to Tony Crosby who returned to Texas after finishing the reconstruction of House D. Nick Brown and Vicky Jensen continued clearing House E finding several intact deposits of fallen roofing in the structure proper and evidence of chipped stone working to the immediate east of the house proper which was a yard that also contained traces of a pair of round, mud brick silos.

To the southwest of House E we began exploring a structure that had been cut by a modern roadway. On the western edge of the remaining architecture, designated ‘House F,’ we found a thick deposit of mud seals and mud ‘eggs’ which appear to have been made as blanks for seals. Piet Collet has undertaken the excavation of this interesting building which may have served some sort of administrative function for the North Palace. He also continued to survey the site.

We had a visit by a delegation from The University of California, Los Angeles and Were able to show them the site. We also began training of some inspectors. Their first course was on mud brick conservation with Tony Crosby and then Vicky Jensen continued their training in excavation and object processing.