Reconstructing lived experiences of domestic space at Amara West: Some preliminary interpretations of ancient floor deposits using ethnoarchaeological and micromorphological analyses

The household surfaces upon which the people of ancient Egypt and Kush lived much of their lives have thus far received far less attention than the houses containing them. This paper presents some preliminary results of the application of high-resolution geoarchaeological methodologies – particularly thin section micromorphology – to better understand the ancient use and creation of domestic space at Amara West, as materialised in the construction, formation and modification of floor surfaces within houses in the Ramesside settlement. This undertaking is complemented by ethnoarchaeological research into the role that comparable mud flooring and house building practices play in contemporary Sudanese Nubia. Evidence gained from the modern case study assists in the interpretation of these very well preserved ancient features, particularly in providing a basis for the identification of individual or shared technological signatures that may allow for the partial reconstruction of those involved in their creation.