Where does the stone at Nidaros Cathedral come from?

Posted on May 14, 2011 by Per Storemyr
The south side of Nidaros Cathedral - the northernmost medieval cathedral in Europe. It is mainly built from soft metamorphic stone like soapstone and greenschist.

The south side of Nidaros Cathedral (Trondheim, Norway) - the northernmost medieval cathedral in Europe. It is mainly built from soft metamorphic stone like soapstone and greenschist.

Stone to the northernmost of Europe’s great cathedrals was provided from no less than 50 different quarries across Norway and to some extent from elsewhere in Europe. But there are great differences between the medieval building period (11th to 14th century) and the time of large-scale restoration and reconstruction from the late 19th century onwards These differences reflect cultural change – in traditions, technology, fashion – and is a main theme in a new project I’m working on. Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, New projects, Norway, Old quarries | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Cooperation with Norwegian conservation company

Posted on April 16, 2011 by Per Storemyr
Tautra (top) and Munkeby monastery ruins in the Trondheim region

Tautra (top) and Munkeby monastery ruins in the Trondheim region

An agreement of cooperation has been signed with the Norwegian conservation company “Bakken & Magnussen AS” in Trondheim, Norway. The idea is to expand the competence of the conservation company with services related to conservation science and geoarchaeology.

Bakken & Magnussen, headed by Geir Magnussen and Runhild Bakken, is a key provider of conservation services in Norway, specialising in conservation and restoration of old stone buildings and ruins. It is particularly active within the so-called “ruin conservation programme” of the Norwegian heritage authorities (Directorate for Cultural Heritage). Continue reading →

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The Late Palaeolithic rock art at Qurta, Egypt: Field season 2011

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Per Storemyr
One of the Late Palaeolithic rock art panels at Qurta (in the middle). At both sides of the panel modern quarrying took place in the 1960s, but according to old photos it did not touch the panel

One of the Late Palaeolithic rock art panels at Qurta (in the middle). At both sides of the panel modern quarrying took place in the 1960s, but according to old photos it did not touch the panel

It is a miracle that Egypt’s Late Palaeolithic rock art has survived for at least 15.000 years – and especially for the last 50 years of intensive modern development in the country.

At Qurta by Kom Ombo, for example, the most well-known site of such rock art, widespread quarrying from the 1960s amazingly did not destroy the most important locations. Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient Egypt, Archaeology, New projects, Rock art | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Ny artikkel om gamle steinbrudd i Egypt

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Per Storemyr
(For Norwegian readers)
Baksiden av medaljen: Moderne steinbrytning i Aswan foregår i de faraoniske granittbruddene.

Baksiden av medaljen: Moderne steinbrytning i Aswan foregår i de faraoniske granittbruddene.

Norsk Egyptologisk Selskap startet i 2010 sin egen bulletin med artikler og nyhetsstoff om Egypt. For det andre nummeret (vår 2011) har jeg sammen med Tom Heldal skrevet en liten artikkel om bevaring av landets gamle steinbrudd.

Utgangspunktet for artikkelen er prosjektet “QuarryScapes” Les videre

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Online papers on rock art at Gharb Aswan (West Aswan)

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Per Storemyr
Mickey Mouse at Gharb Aswan

Mickey Mouse at Gharb Aswan

Over the last few years Gharb Aswan, at the west bank of the Nile just opposite Aswan city, has emerged as an important rock art location. This is due to new surveys by the QuarryScapes project and the Aswan-Kom Ombo archaeological project. Dozens of sites with thousands of images ranging in time from the Epipalaeolithic (5-7.000 BC) to the Roman period (and later) have been discovered. Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient Egypt, Archaeology, Rock art | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Late Palaeolithic rock art in Wadi Abu Subeira (Egypt)

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Per Storemyr
Late Palaeolithic bovid in Wadi Abu Subeira

Late Palaeolithic bovid in Wadi Abu Subeira

A few years ago Egypt’s third Late Palaeolithic rock art site was discovered by SCA in Wadi Abu Subeira, 12 km north of Aswan on the east bank of the Nile. Since then SCA has continued survey and found several additional, fantastic Late Palaeolithic rock art locations in the large wadi.

New publications are forthcoming by Adel Kelany and his team, but for those interested, here is the so far only published paper (with kind permission by the Sahara journal). It is describing the site known as CAS 6, which is threatened by modern mining, but now supervised and guarded by SCA:

  • Storemyr, P., Kelany, A., Ahmed Negm, M., Tohami, A., 2008. More “Lascaux along the Nile”? Possible Late Palaeolithic rock art in Wadi Abu Subeira, Upper Egypt. Sahara 19, 155-158. PDF (0,5 MB)
Posted in Ancient Egypt, Archaeology, Rock art | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Turmoil in Egypt – the cultural heritage situation

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Per Storemyr
Seen from Saqqara to the pyramids at Dashur

Seen from Saqqara towards the pyramids at Dashur

As mass protests continue in Egypt, the situation for the cultural heritage of the country is getting somewhat clearer. This short post is just intended to inform that the heritage situation is monitored at several websites.

Continue reading →

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Ancient Egyptian quarries: A literature update 2007-2010

Posted on January 23, 2011 by Per Storemyr

Old Kingdom workplace for small vessels at Chephren's QuarryOver the last couple of years a wealth of new studies on Ancient Egyptian quarries has been published. There are overviews, investigations about technology and social organisation, case studies with a view to landscape archaeology and papers highlighting the acute conservation problems at many quarry sites. Here’s a very long update from 2007-2008 till today! Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient Egypt, Archaeology, New publications, Old quarries | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Cleopatra’s Needle: Egyptian concern about the NYC obelisk

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Per Storemyr
The current south face of the NY obelisk in Alexandria in the 1870s and in Central Park in 2008. Very little weathering has taken place over these c. 140 years. Note that the current west face is more weathered. Images are enhanced. Sources: Flickr (Brooklyn Museum) and Wikipedia

The current south face of the NY obelisk in Alexandria in the 1870s and in Central Park in 2008. Very little weathering has taken place over these c. 140 years. Note that the current west face is more weathered. Images are enhanced. Sources: Flickr (Brooklyn Museum) and Wikipedia

A few days ago Secretary General Zahi Hawass of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities expressed grave concern about the condition of Cleopatra’s Needle of NYC and even threatened to take the obelisk back to Egypt if care is not taken to conserve it. This has triggered much discussion. Here’s an update after my recent post on the obelisk’s weathering.

In a blog entry on DrHawass.com, Zahi Hawass states his dismay “at the lack of care” and implies that damage to the obelisk has happened since it arrived in Central Park more than a hundred years ago. Famous for his efforts to repatriate Egyptian monuments that went abroad in the colonial era, Dr. Hawass challenges the US authorities to restore the obelisk or he “will take the necessary steps to bring this precious artifact home and save it from ruin”. Continue reading →

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A Mauerzahn at Grünenfels castle ruin (CH): Surviving 2011?

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Per Storemyr
Grünenfels 30 December 2010

Grünenfels 30 December 2010

Switzerland has a wealth of medieval castle ruins. In the Canton of Graübunden they are particularly numerous with, for example, the valley of Vorderrheintal (Surselva) displaying no less than about 50 ruins. Some are almost gone, others are kept in good repair and a few impressive structures are left to the elements.

Since ten years I have monitored some ruins and as 2010 is drawing to an end, the question is whether a “pinnacle” or Mauerzahn at Grünenfels by Waltensburg will survive 2011? Continue reading →

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