The John and Penelope Biggs Department of Classics is pleased to highlight the newly released open-access digital edition of Ain el-Gedida: 2006–2008 Excavations of a Late Antique Site in Egypt’s Western Desert (Amheida IV)—a major contribution to the study of Late Antique Egypt and early Christianity.
Originally published in print in 2019, this volume represents years of archaeological research led by Nicola Aravecchia (Associate Professor of Classics and Art History and Archaeology), Field Director of the Amheida excavations, with contributions from an international team of specialists. The new digital edition, published by the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW) and NYU Press, makes this landmark scholarship freely accessible to students, researchers, and the wider public.
A Window into a Rural Community of Late Antique Egypt
The site of ʿAin el-Gedida, located in the Dakhla Oasis, preserves a rare example of a fourth‑century rural settlement—previously known only from written sources—offering a vivid picture of daily life in a small community during Late Antiquity. The excavations document:
- A church complex and associated buildings
- Domestic structures and workshops
- Ceramics, coins, ostraka, graffiti, small finds, and animal remains
- Architectural and topographical surveys of multiple mounds on the site
The findings deepen our understanding of settlement patterns, religious life, and material culture in the Western Desert. The volume’s systematic presentation of archaeological evidence also sheds new light on the spread and practice of early Egyptian Christianity.
Innovations of the Digital Edition
The newly released digital version is not merely a reproduction of the print book. It is an enhanced scholarly resource designed to maximize accessibility and usability. Built with the open-source Quarto scientific publishing system, the edition incorporates:
- Full-text search for rapid navigation through chapters and catalogues
- Dynamic tables generated directly from datasets
- High-resolution plates that readers can zoom into using an interactive Lightbox feature
- Linked open data resources and connections to supplementary materials
- A consolidated errata page documenting updates and corrections to the print edition
These digital affordances make Ain el-Gedida not only an important monograph but also a model for how archaeological publications can be reimagined for the twenty-first century.
Scholarly Collaboration and Contribution
The volume brings together experts across several disciplines:
- Roger S. Bagnall – Ostraka and graffiti
- Delphine Dixneuf – Ceramics
- David M. Ratzan – Numismatics
- Dorota Dzierzbicka – Small finds
- Pamela J. Crabtree & Douglas V. Campana – Zooarchaeological analysis
This collaborative approach provides a holistic view of the site’s archaeological record, making the digital edition an invaluable reference for scholars of the ancient Mediterranean, North Africa, and Late Antiquity.
A Milestone for Accessible Scholarship
ISAW’s open-access initiative ensures that groundbreaking research reaches global audiences, including students and scholars without access to major research libraries. This edition continues ISAW’s longstanding commitment to producing technically lightweight, user-friendly digital monographs that can be consulted anywhere in the world.
Explore the Open-Access Edition
The full digital edition is now freely available through ISAW’s online platform:
Read the digital edition:
https://isaw.nyu.edu/library/blog/amheida04-ain-el-gedida-openaccess
For those interested in Late Antique Egypt, early Christianity, archaeological method, or digital humanities, this publication offers a rich and rigorously curated resource.
