Reconstructing the Ancient Nile and Human Interactions with the River: Zoom

While many efforts to reconstruct the ancient Nile drainage system have been conducted in previous years, they have been confined primarily to small study areas, producing maps of fragmented sections of the ancient river. The position and dynamic nature of the entire river channel system remains undiscovered.

Such a poor understanding of the Nile history not only inhibits our ability to map archaeological sites accurately, but also to understand their significance within the wider landscape. 

Using remote sensing, geophysical methodologies for ground truthing, and Egyptological research, our team has begun the process of mapping the ancient Nile south of Cairo.  

Speaker Bio

Dr. Suzanne Onstine is an associate professor in the Department of History at the University of Memphis. She received her B.A in anthropology at the University of Arizona and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Near and Middle Eastern civilizations at the University of Toronto.