Excavation commenced in 2006 and concluded in 2013. 381 graves were excavated across the four main areas - wadi mouth, lower, upper, and wadi end - with the aim of recovering 400 individuals. Extrapolations from this data estimate the cemetery contains 6000 individuals. The burials of men, women, children, and infants occur in the proportions expected for the time period, with high levels of infant and childhood mortality. The deceased were interred wrapped in fabric or matting, and placed in coffins made of
tamarisk stems, palm mid-rib, or more rarely a coffin made of wood, pottery, or mud. In one instance a wooden coffin was found inside a mud-brick vault. No evidence of artificial mummification was found, although the body could be wrapped in
linen strips. Grave goods as a whole are uncommon; when present they consist most frequently of pottery vessels, sometimes containing food offerings - in one instance
pomegranates were found interred with a baby. Other grave goods found include
kohl tubes and applicators, bronze tweezers, a model oar, and an
adze. Amulets or other items of jewelry are rare but when they do occur take the form of protective deities such as
Taweret, necklaces of
faience beads, scarabs, including ones inscribed for
Thutmose III or
Amenhotep III, copper toe rings, the more common type features a rectangular depression where a scene, of which no trace remains, would be painted or inserted.
Layout The layout of the cemetery appears organic, and reflects what is most likely family-level organisation of plots. Despite areas of crowding, the graves never encroach on each other. All are well cut, with vertical walls, and closely match the size and shape of the coffin, indicating that, while the grave was likely not pre-cut, it was the work of professionals and not of the family. However, even where they are well preserved, the inscriptions are not always legible. The text preserved on one coffin contains recognisable groups of hieroglyphs but they do not form coherent sentences, suggesting that although written with a practiced hand, the writer was not literate. Another coffin of the same godless type bears the names Hesy(t)en-Ra and Hesy(t)en-Aten. The name Tiy is preserved on a coffin with traditional decoration; Evidence of a
sidelock of youth of fine braids 8-10 centimetres long was found on at least three children but was most clear on two: on the left side of the head on one child, and on the back right side of other. Loose hair was found on the top of the heads. There were likely other incense cones present at the South Tombs Cemetery, as smaller fragments were found, or their presence may be indicated by the discolouration of hair or bone. In some instances, a fabric covering was present on the head, indicating the cone may have been wrapped separately. There is also evidence of braids being styled into a platform, possibly to support a cone.
Health Analysis of the skeletal remains revealed that those who lived and died at Amarna lived short, hard lives. 26.1% of examined individuals died before the age of seven. Mortality increased throughout childhood and early adulthood, peaking between the ages of 15–25, when it would normally be expected to be lowest. Nutritional deficiencies were common, with 36.4% of subadults and 12.7% of adults exhibiting
cribra orbitalia; there is also some evidence of
scurvy. Analysis of microwear on the teeth of these individuals indicates a diet that was made up primarily of
grain. The lack of butchered animal remains from the city suggests meat was not commonly eaten by the general populace. Almost half of the adults examined have evidence of
osteophytes and two-thirds of adults have some form of trauma, usually related to the spine, such as
compression fractures of the vertebrae,
Schmorl's nodes, and
spondylosis. Such injuries are thought to be the result of carrying heavy loads such as water from wells, or
talatat blocks for the construction of the city. Fractures of arms or legs are less common and probably represent accidents; only four individuals show evidence of wounds caused by weapons. As a result of chronic physical stresses and poor diets, Amarna adults are, on average, the shortest in all of ancient Egypt. while the Plague Prayers of
Mursili II mention plague breaking out among Egyptian prisoners of war captured in the aftermath of the
Zannanza affair, in the reign of his father
Suppiluliuma I. A high frequency of
fleas and
bed bugs were encountered in samples from the Workmen's Village on the edge of the city; this finding implies that ectoparasite levels were high in the population and the conditions were perfect for the spread of an epidemic. ==External links==