Dr Agnieszka Mączyńska for a dozen or so years has been dealing with the history of northern Egypt.

- Egypt has raised the interest of archaeologists for a long time. However, they have focused mainly on the southern areas while the north still remains fathomless and hides many secrets – says the young Polish researcher. Dr Agnieszka Mączyńska went for the first excavations in Egypt as part of the Polish Expedition to the Eastern Nile Delta in which archaeologists from a few Polish institutions have been working since 1998.  They are conducting research on the settlement in Tell el-Farkha, where they have made extraordinary findings and gained valuable data concerning the country of the first pharaohs.

- During excavation works I have looked at a few million pieces of pre-dynasty ceramics. From this abundance of “shells” it is very difficult to select those which are really valuable for the research. Before I gave birth to may first child I had spent two or three months on excavations – says dr Mączyńska – It has changed since son Tymoteusz and later daughter Jowita appeared on the world. A trip to longer expeditions when one has two small children and a husband who is a scientist is a huge logistic challenge.  Apart from that there are the emotional issues – the longing of a mother for her children and vice versa. Giving birth to my children was connected with a longer break which influenced my scientific work – says dr Mączyńska – However, children grow and become more and more independent from me and I would like to return in full to the work I was engaged in before they appeared in my life – she adds.

The grant amounting to almost 400 thousand zlotys (about 100 thousand Euro) from the Foundation for Polish Science, received as part of the second edition of BRIDGE programme,  turned out to be a chance for development. Thanks to that grant dr Mączyńska will still be able to conduct her scientific work and broaden research topics which interested her when she was writing her PhD thesis.

- In my work I try to prove the thesis about the huge role played by the Nile Delta in the process of Egypt state formation. Until now the meaning of this area was greatly downplayed – says dr Mączyńska.

To find out if she is right dr Mączyńska, for the money received within the grant, will create a research team with which she will open a new excavation in Tell el-Farkha settlement, she will study ceramics and rocks. The team will consist of both doctoral students as well as students employed as a result of open recruitment. The young researcher from Poznań has got three years for research and confirmation of her theses.

BRIDGE programme implemented by Foundation for Polish Science since 2009 is a unique chance for young scientists with PhD degree returning to scientific work after a break connected with giving birth to or raising a child. On the basis of evaluation of the submitted applications conducted by experts, the Foundation chose 14 laureates who received financing for projects with the total amount of 7 million zlotys (about 1.7 million Euro).