Life and Death in Lower and Upper Egypt: A Brief Survey of Recent Monastic Archaeology at Yale

Abstract

The Yale Monastic Archaeology Project (YMAP) sponsors surveys and excavations at two Coptic monastic sites in Egypt: the Monastery of St. John the Little in Wadi al-Natrun and the White Monastery at Sohag. Excavation work at the Monastery of St. John the Little has yielded evidence related to everyday life in a monastic dwelling, including wall paintings, dipinti (painted inscriptions), and the remains of foodstuffs from several kitchens. Archaeological analysis at the White Monastery has focused on a recently discovered tomb and funerary chapel associated with the early monastic leader Shenoute of Atripe. This article introduces readers to these recent findings and discusses their implications for our understanding of life and death in late ancient and early medieval Egyptian monasteries.