Ritual Patterns and Material Practice: Identifying Blemmyan Mortuary Rites at Berenike (Eastern Desert of Egypt)

Archaeological studies of funerary practices in the post-Roman (late 4th–early 6th century a.d.) Eastern Desert of Egypt have traditionally focused on the typology and provenance of grave goods. However, the structuring principles governing their deposition have received comparatively little attention. This article provides a detailed contextual analysis of funerary assemblages from cemeteries N1–N2, which are associated with Blemmyan communities, at Berenike. Studying the position of artifacts within the graves indicated a consistent convention according to which they were arranged. In addition, a clear differentiation was observed in the orientation of the various vessels. This structured variability suggests a coherent set of ritual principles operating within funerary contexts. Thus, the article reveals a more contextualized, practice-oriented understanding of mortuary rituals and demonstrates how the contextual analysis of objects in graves illuminates ritual practices among indigenous populations of northeastern Africa.