LAUSR

“Paleoradiology,” a term proposed by the American radiologist Derek Notman in 1987 to define “the study of bioarcheological materials using modern imaging methods” (Notman et al. 1987), has been developed in parallel with the progress of both radiology andmedical imaging technology (Chhem 2008). It was only 3 months after X-rays were discovered in 1895 when a radiographic image of the mummified remains from Ancient Egypt was obtained (Cosmacini and Piacentini 2008). Due to their proven value in offering information on diet, stress, or habits (Greeff 2013), teeth and jaws have also been a successful focus of radiological research on Egyptian mummies (Gerloni et al. 2009; Melcher et al. 1997; Pausch et al. 2015; Thekkaniyil et al. 2000). However, much of the success of these evaluations has been carried out in relatively controlled contexts, a situation very different from that experienced under field conditions. The methods to record images of teeth or jaws depend not only on the integrity of these specimens but also on the workspaces and logistics for taking those shots (Saab et al. 2008). In 1968, a team led by RG Harrison had to adapt an old portable X-ray machine and perform many pre-calibrations in order to obtain a set of acceptable test films, because the permission to carry Tutankhamun’s mummy from the tomb to Luxor Hospital was not granted (Chhem 2008). On the island of Elephantine was settled the capital of the southernmost province of Upper Egypt since the later fourth millennium to the Byzantine period. The highest officials who controlled the border with Lower Nubia as well as the trade and people from the Central Nile were buried from the 6th Dynasty until the end of 12th Dynasty (2250–1800 BC) in a hill known today as Qubbet el-Hawa. In addition, non-elite burials reoccupied the noble funerary complexes during the New Kingdom (especially during the 18th Dynasty) and the Late Period (26th–27th Dynasties). Although this site has been excavated since 1880s, it has been just from 2008 when a systematic multidisciplinary project began to study the archeological remains (Al-Khafif and El-Banna 2015; Universidad de Jaén 2020). Unfortunately, the current particular conditions imposed by the Egyptian authorities for heritage protection make it very difficult to evaluate samples outside the site (Medina and Prado 2016). Similarly, it is unknown whether or not an analysis of dental structures has been carried out with specialized techniques in these specimens. The goal of this communication is to present the technical approach of making radiographic records using a portable X-ray device, intraoral digital receptors, and biosecurity equipment, all adapted for field use in Qubbet el-Hawa (Egypt).