A case study of the use of logical data analysis in the Workmen’s Village in Tell el-Amarna, Egypt

Abstract The search for patterns in archaeological contexts is crucial to understanding ancient civilizations, including the organization of their societies and economies. This study focuses on the interdisciplinary application of mathematical logical data analysis to Egyptology, particularly examining food production in the Workmen’s Village of Amarna. The introduction provides historical context about Amarna, founded by Pharaoh Akhenaten, and outlines the settlement structure and excavations of the Workmen’s Village. The research utilizes archaeobotanical and archaeological data, along with digital humanities tools, to identify activity areas related to food production. The findings reveal spatial patterns in the distribution of tools such as mortars, pestles, and ovens, providing insights into the self-sufficiency and daily life of the villagers. Logical data analysis helps in finding rules and patterns in a dataset which are not visible otherwise, predicting the distribution of unexcavated areas and thus in this case enhancing our understanding of ancient Egyptian food production practices in state-planned settlements. ACM CCS Applied computing → Art and humanities.