Kom W and X Basin: Erosion, Deposition, and the Potential for Village Occupation

Abstract

The twentieth-century excavations of stratified deposits at Kom W, adjacent to Lake Qarun in Fayum north shore, Egypt, led to a variety of interpretations, including the argument for the presence of a Neolithic village. This has influenced the evaluation of early to mid-Holocene occupation in Egypt. Here, we report our recent study of the erosion and deposition processes at the site and its environs in order to reassess these interpretations. Changes in the level of Lake Qarun, evidence for wind erosion, deflation, and deposition, and analyses of artifact density provide a geomorphic context for Kom W and its immediate environs. Radiocarbon determinations from surface hearths that surround the Kom are reported. From the time of its initial formation, Kom W was subject to post-Afr Archaeol Rev

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“…Fracture also occurs through actions like trampling reflecting a different form of human activity than manufacture [8,[34][35][36]. The composition of [11,12]; b. western New South Wales Archaeological project areas with the town of Broken Hill shown for reference [13][14][15]; c. Te Mataku archaeological site Ahuahu, New Zealand [16]. Produced from ESA remote sensing data.…”

“…Locations of the three case studies. a. Fayum north shore showing the X1, L1, and K1 study areas[11,12]; b. western New South Wales Archaeological project areas with the town of Broken Hill shown for reference[13][14][15]; c. Te Mataku archaeological site Ahuahu, New Zealand[16]. Produced from ESA remote sensing data.…”