Transformation and Innovation on the Giza Plateau: The Central Field Quarry-Cemetery

Abstract

This study investigates how the Central Field at Giza transformed over the course of the Old Kingdom (Fourth–Sixth Dynasties; ca. 2543–2120 BCE) from a quarry primarily used for pyramid construction into a cemetery. Drawing on three seasons of fieldwork (2022–2025) and earlier excavation publications, it analyzes how anthropogenic, social, and natural forces intersected over four centuries to produce a dynamic “quarry-cemetery.” Through localized case studies, the study argues that this transformation was not linear or progressive, but resulted from the interaction of generational quarrying practices, changing patterns of access and patronage, and the adaptive reuse of the landscape. In doing so, it refines relative dating practices and demonstrates the importance of situating architectural and typological change within its specific environmental context.