Sebakh

30th Dynasty mudbricks excavated in Luxor

. Ancient mudbricks are a common source of sebakh.

Sebakh (

Composition

Most sebakh consists of ancient, deteriorated mudbrick, a primary building material in ancient Egypt. This material is composed of ancient mud mixed with the nitrous compost of the hay and stubble that the bricks were originally formulated with to give added strength before being baked in the sun.

Affecting archaeology

A common practice in Egypt, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, was for farmers to obtain government permits to remove this material from ancient mounds; such farmers were known as sebakhin. Mounds indicating the location of ancient cities are also known as a tell, or tel.

An

archaeological

site could provide an excellent source of sebakh because decomposed organic debris creates a soil very rich in nitrogen. Nitrogen is an essential component in fertilizers used for plant crops.

Numerous potentially valuable archaeological finds were destroyed by farmers in this way. Sebakh digging also led to the discovery of archaeological finds that might otherwise have gone undetected.

Amarna

Sebakh is most commonly associated with the finding of the site of

Amarna Letters, have provided much valuable historical and chronological data, as well as information bearing on Egyptian diplomatic relations

with her neighbors at that time.

References

External links

University of Southampton, 2002 - Sebakh Excavations and the Written Material (examples of sebakh diggings)