Everyone is refreshed from the coffee break and we are with Dr Pascale Ballet to hear about her recent work at Tell el-Fara'in/Buto. Pascale is explaining Imperial Roman pottery firing processes, presenting comparisons with Roman practices in northern Europe. Recent excavations at Buto are looking back to an area excavated by the EES in the 1960s, where new field investigations have been carried out by Pascale and her team. The team has been working in a multi-period area, with Ptolemaic contexts, with dating via the presence of mid-late Ptolemaic coins, and remains of hypercaust and tholos, proving evidence for Roman bathhouse technology. Further tholos - Ptolemaic - were found during the work of the Ministry of Antiquities. The Graeco-Roman - Byzantine period is the key chronological focus, with early Islamic material also having been located. The methods include field survey transects, and have helped to model the evolution of Kom A at Buto - establishing the spatio-temporal relationship across the area, with results from the Late Period onwards. The results of recent excavations are leading to new interpretations as to the functional use of areas by the community. Incredible to see the new evidence for kilns at the site, and the former EES excavation results alongside the new. Upcoming work will involve an environmental assessment of the area - which involves collaboration with our speaker this morning - Andreas Ginau.

Pascale Ballet addressing the audience