Egyptian Expeditionary Inscriptions of the Fourth Dynasty and Ancient Natural Landscapes of the Western (Libyan) Desert

The Middle Holocene epoch in northeastern Africa was marked by a steady trend towards aridization. However, the transformation of ecosystems and natural landscapes was gradual and had a complex nature. This change directly affected the development of the first ancient Egyptian centralized state as well as the development of its resource base beyond the Nile Valley. This study addresses the problem of using ancient Egyptian epigraphic sources (expeditionary inscriptions) for the study of both paleolandscapes and ecosystems of the Western (Libyan) Desert and the possible socio-economic impact of their change. The author studies several graffiti, which are believed to have preserved information on natural conditions near the Dakhla oasis and in the region of Wadi Toshka during the time of construction of the great pyramids (Fourth Dynasty). The author concludes that it is quite easy to make misleading assumptions when interpreting expeditionary artefacts. At the same time, as an example with an unusual toponym from the quarries near Wadi Toshka demonstrates, even the shortest graffiti can provide researchers with important additional information on possible changes in the ancient climate and landscape.

Identification of some Pathogenic Organisms Involved in Rotting of the Libyan Tirmania Truffles

Truffles are ectomycorrhizal fungi that grow symbiotically with several trees. Truffles are highly valued edible mycorrhizae fungi in economic and gastronomic terms. Desert truffles have been traditionally used as food in Libya. The rotting of truffle due to environmental factors is very common in Libya. The mechanism of truffle rot is complex and attributed mainly due to the infection with fungi, followed by bacteria. In order to document and highlight the rotting of Libyan Desert truffle phenomenon, the existence of microorganisms in the infected fruit body of Tirmania truffles has been investigated. The investigations showed changes in physical characteristics such as color, hardness, and humidity of the studied truffle samples. Also, the results showed a diversity of pathogens involved in the deterioration of truffle includes bacteria (Bacillus pumilus, Citrobacteryoungea), saprophytic fungi (Fusarium solani, Alternariachlamydosporia, and Rhizopusstolonifer). This study concluded the importance of studying microbial flora living in truffle and their environment. Keywords: Libyan Desert truffle; Tirmania; Rotting; Pathogens

From Hunters to Herders

The Nubian past cannot be fully understood without knowledge of occupation in the Libyan Desert west of the Nile. Hunter-gatherers occupied Nubia’s western hinterland during the Pleistocene and Early Holocene. Pottery and different pastoral adaptations featuring cattle, sheep, and goats appeared during the Middle Holocene. Cattle-centered behavior is evident: cattle largely dominates the economic and social life. Changing networks of contact and interaction are apparent over time. Depopulation of the region due to increasing aridity started earlier in the north, the southern Western Desert of Egypt, than in the south Libyan Desert of today’s Sudan where conditions for human settlement remained favorable in some areas up to the 1st millennium bce.

Scanning Electron Microscopy Analysis of High Purity Libyan Desert Sandstone Silica Sand

ABSTRACTHigh purity silica sand is an important commodity used for the processing of photovoltaic silicon for solar cells. The sand must meet very closely defined specifications related to its impurity content and particle size distribution. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is one of essential techniques used to characterize trace amounts of impurities and their distribution within individual sand particles. The objective of this work is to characterize the impurities present in high purity sandstone silica sand withdrawn from a deposit site located in southern part of Libyan Desert called Al-Shibat using imaging and analytical capabilities of SEM.