Ostraka and Stratigraphy at Amheida (Dakhla Oasis, Egypt): a methodological issue

Abstract

The ruins of Trimithis, modern Amheida, extend over an area of about 1.5 square kilometers, part of which is covered by sand dunes. Trimithis is an important example of an urban community on the edge of the Roman Empire, in the western part of the Dakhla Oasis. The archaeological excavation has brought us several times, and in different contexts, to consider how important recycling and reuse of discarded material was for the economy of this community, not only in everyday life, but in public and private activities of larger scale, too. Although the excavation is still limited to a few areas, our experience with refuse is quite extensive and varied, and goes beyond the usual finding of a dump.