The blog post for this week has been written by regular contributor Sam Powell. Sam is an Egypt Centre volunteer and the Director of Abaset Collections Ltd, which hosts the museum’s online catalogue.
As some of you may be aware, the Egypt Centre’s online
catalogue had a massive overhaul in 2020. The new online catalogue (usually
referred to as Abaset) was designed specifically with the Egypt Centre in mind.
As a volunteer at the Egypt Centre, I used my experience of working with the
collection to design a new bespoke platform that would allow it to be better
appreciated virtually. Through working closely with the Egypt Centre staff, the
catalogue has been honed to ensure that the user experience is as intuitive as
possible and meets the needs of a diverse collection.
One of the features that I felt was really important
to include was trails.
This feature can be used to group together related objects with
additional descriptions specific to the theme (fig. 1). Additionally, audio recordings can be
added to function as an audio tour.
Fig. 1: A selection of some of the fantastic trails available on Abaset!
Over the last few years, we have built up a diverse
range of trails, including highlights of each gallery, trails focusing on
specific collectors, a selection of objects researched by Swansea University
students, and thematic trails focusing on specific object types.
In addition to those aimed at the general
public, trails have been created for younger audiences in in mind (‘Junior
trails’). These have specific descriptions designed to be more
accessible and importantly have audios recorded by children to feel more
relatable. As well as the topics of animals, gods and goddesses, and others, there is a trail designed by my son Max (who was just 6 when he made the trail!),
focusing on materials that are found in the game Minecraft that can also be found
in the EC galleries! A big thank you to Matilda Barton, Noah Barton, Youssef
Amro Hassan (and his dog Cooper!), and Max Powell for providing audios for our
Junior Egyptologist trails.
Fig. 2: Max following his Minecraft trail in the galleries!
Many of the trails
have been translated into a wide range of additional languages. For example, the Harrogate trail Causing Their Names to Live, is now available in twelve languages (English, Welsh, Arabic, French, Spanish, Dutch, Mandarin Chinese, Hungarian, Polish, Czech, Italian, and Ukrainian). I would like to
thank everyone who has helped with the translations:
Nassim
Aarab (Dutch)
Bérénice
Bruckert (Mandarin Chinese)
Morgane
Delepeleere (Dutch)
Dulcie
Engel (French)
Fatima
Farkas (Hungarian)
Ihab
Samir Francis (Arabic)
Kexin
Fu (Mandarin Chinese)
Ingrid
Inkindi (Dutch)
Asmae
Maataoui (Dutch)
Carla
San Miguel (Spanish)
K.
Post (Dutch)
Julia
Rachfalik (Polish)
Noura
Seada (Arabic)
Abby
Richards-Williams (Welsh)
Daniel
Salava (Czech)
Marzia
Sartori (Italian)
Shreya
Shailesh Ranade (Mandarin Chinese)
Mengjia
Shi (Mandarin Chinese)
Sophie
Smith (Welsh)
I.
Vasse (Dutch)
Olga
Zapletniuk (Ukrainian)
Zihan
Zhang (Mandarin Chinese)
We are always
looking for more translations for our growing collection of trails, so if you’re able to help, do please get in touch.
Did you know that
the Abaset software has the capabilities to allow you to create your own
trails?
As well as the
publicly available trails, you can use the online collection to curate your own
selection of objects on any theme you like! Whether you want to make a list of
your favourite objects, group together some objects you are researching, or
just want to make a grouping of objects that are your favourite colour, the
option is there! Instructions on
creating your own trail can be found here.
Please check
out the existing trails and enjoy creating your own, we’d love to see them!
On Wednesday 31st July, the anthropoid coffin of a man
called Ankhpakhered was returned to the Egypt Centre after twenty-six years of
conservation work at Cardiff University (fig. 1). The coffin was gifted to the Egypt
Centre in 1997 from the Aberystwyth University. Details about its history are a
little sketchy, although it is known that it was present in Aberystwyth by at
least 1910. The museum acquisition record for 1900–1901 contains the following
record, which might be related to this coffin: “An Egyptian mummy. Presented by
Mr. James Wilson (Wilson Bey, Cairo), per Mr. Thomas Davies, J. P. Bootle.” The
coffin was used as a storage box at one time, with other Egyptian objects
placed in it for safekeeping.
Fig. 1: Lid of AB118
The coffin is made of planks of wood joined together with
dowels. It is covered with textile to create a smooth surface, which was then
painted with decoration. When the coffin arrived in Swansea, it was in a very
poor state of preservation. The face of the lid was hanging off, the sides of
the base had collapsed, and much of the textile decoration was already detached
(fig. 2). It was
also covered in layers of dirt and grime, including “Chambers” being written on
the lid in white chalk. The coffin had to be painstakingly cleaned,
reconstructed, and consolidated to prevent it from deteriorating further.
Fig. 2: The lid of the coffin c. 1998
The coffin is decorated on both the exterior and interior.
On the exterior of the lid, the goddess Nut kneels with her wings outstretched
across the chest of the deceased (fig. 3). Two wedjat eyes are located just
beneath her. Ten deities are depicted over four registers in the lower half of
the lid. In the upper register are the mummiform figures of the four sons of
Horus (Qebehsenuef, Duamutef, Imsety, Hapy), two on each side. They are
followed in the register below by two forms of the jackal-headed god Anubis. In
the third register, Geb and Hornedjitef are represented, while in the lower
Ptah-Sokar-Osiris and Thoth are shown. Beneath these gods are two further wedjat
eyes, each accompanied by a protective spell. The goddess Isis, flanked by
additional wedjat eyes, is depicted kneeling with her arm raised in
mourning on the foot of the lid.
Fig. 3: Decoration of the lid
On the interior of the lid (fig. 4), a large polychrome figure of Nut is
included. Four columns of hieroglyphs to the right of her identify the owner as
Ankhpakhered, son of Padiese and Tawer. Above the figure of the goddess is a
so-called “Nut Text”, emphasising the role of the goddess as a mother to the
deceased. On the foot of the interior is a large shen-rings with two
flails.
Fig. 4: Interior of the lid
The interior of the trough is decorated with a large djed
pillar with a crown consisting of a solar disk flanked by uraei atop the
horns of a ram (fig. 5).
The djed pillar represents the backbone of the god Osiris, so its
location on the base of the interior of the trough is rather fitting.
Hieroglyphic texts are located above and below. The one below is an excerpt from
Chapter 1 of the Book of the Dead, which begins “I am Djedi son of Djedi. I was
born in Djedu (Busiris)”.
Fig. 5: Interior of the trough
A further djed pillar is located on the exterior of
the trough (fig. 6).
It is flanked by texts (the sides of the trough) ensuring that the deceased
will receive nourishment in the afterlife.
Fig. 6: Exterior of the trough
The footboard of the coffin contains a depiction of the Apis
Bull carrying the mummified deceased on its back. A winged sun disk is located
above (fig. 7).
Such scenes are standard on coffins of the First Millennium BC.
Fig. 7: Footboard of the coffin
Nephthys is represented kneeling in an act of mourning on
the head end. Beneath her is a solar disk and scarab rising between the symbols
of the East and West (fig. 8).
Fig. 8: Head end of the coffin
The style of the coffin indicates that it was produced in
the late Twenty-fifth or early Twenty-sixth Dynasty (c. 700–660 BC). It can be
pinpointed further by looking at the number of divisions on Nut’s wings. On the
coffin lid she is depicted with her wings divided into three sections (fig. 9). As her wings were
generally shown with four divisions after 660 BC, this indicates a date just
before this change.
Fig. 9: Detail of Nut
The coffin has an interesting history with multiple
occupants. At an unknown date, perhaps the Ptolemaic Period (c. 305–30 BC), the
coffin was usurped for a man called Djedher, a Stolist at Akhmim, who was the
son of Harsiese (also a Stolist at Akhmim) and Ibii. The usurpations are
evident on the exterior of the lid only. The white patches indicate where the
name of Ankhpakhered was covered over in order for the new owner’s name to be
added (fig. 10).
The titles of Djedher might suggest that the coffin was transferred from Thebes
to Akhmim for reuse, although this is by no means certain.
Fig. 10: Detail showing the change of name
When the coffin arrived in Swansea in 1997, it contained
bits of cartonnage in a very poor state of preservation (fig. 11). These were also
conservated by students at Cardiff with two of the three pieces now on display
within the House of Death Gallery (fig. 12–14). Stylistically, the cartonnage dates to the
Ptolemaic Period, so perhaps they belonged to Djedher? If only things were so
straightforward! As mentioned previously, the archives in Aberystwyth mention a
mummy. This appears to have been kept in the coffin until 1963 when it was sent
to St. Thomas’ Hospital in London in order to be examined. Despite the coffin
belonging to two men, the body belonged to that of a woman! Could the
cartonnage thus have belonged to her? The mummy was later given by Dr Dick
Kittermaster, a pathologist at St. Thomas’ Hospital, to Uplands Academy (formerly Uplands Community College) in Wadhurst. While here, the body was re-examined by
Professor Rosalie David of the KNH Centre in Manchester. A video relating to the body can be viewed below. What is unclear
is whether the coffin and the mummy were donated to Aberystwyth at the same
time.
Fig. 11: Photo of the cartonnage in the coffin c. 1998
Fig. 12: Cartonnage head covering
Fig. 13: Cartonnage chest covering
Fig. 14: Cartonnage leg covering
During its time in Cardiff, over fifty students spent more
than 1,000 hours cleaning, conserving, and analysing the coffin. All of this
took place under the watchful eye of Phil Parkes (Reader in
Conservation), who guided the students every step of the way. Several
dissertations have been written on the coffin, including an analysis of the pigments (Jenny Gosling) and the varnish layer (Deborah Magnoler).
Video on the mummy
This is not the end of the story though. Since the coffin
returned to the Egypt Centre, it has been photographed and 3D scanned. While it is
now in storage, future plans are for the coffin to go on display in the House
of Death gallery at the Egypt Centre. Additionally, a full publication on the
assemblage (coffin, cartonnage, and human remains) is planned, bringing
together research on the history, construction, decoration, conservation,
scientific analysis, palaeography, and other disciplines.
The blog post for
this week has been written by Linda Anderson. Linda is a retired research
biochemist and science teacher. She first became interested in Ancient Egypt in
1992 following a trip from Cyprus to Cairo. After a further visit to Egypt in
1998, her sister Merlys became a volunteer at Swansea’s newly opened Egypt Centre,
which further fuelled their romance with all things ancient Egyptian and
subsequently several more excursions to Egypt as a family. One of the trips
involved a week on Lake Nasser visiting the various rescued temples. This trip
was so good that Merlys and Linda went back for another look in 2009. Linda now
holds a Certificate in Egyptology and is a regular attendee of courses and
lectures hosted by the Egypt Centre.
The construction
of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s resulted in the formation of Lake Nasser, which
would have submerged many of the temples near the banks of (or on islands in)
the course of the Nile. Fortunately, many of the threatened temples were
dismantled and relocated to higher elevations thanks to a coordinated
international effort by UNESCO. Not all were lucky, however, as there were many
Egyptian temples built in this area of Nubia and sadly many disappeared under
the waters of the lake, lost forever.
Whilst most of the
Nubian temples are of traditional Egyptian design, some incorporate the more
exotic features of the region and honour deities not usually seen in other
areas of Egypt. In this blog, we will travel 85 miles south of the Aswan Dam to
the site of New Sebua to visit three temples relocated there. These are the
temples of Wadi es-Sebua (fig. 1), the Temple of Dakka, and the Temple of Maharraqa.
Three temples from three different eras, not originally together, but now
within walking distance from each other in this lonely area of the Sahara
Desert.
Fig. 1: Wadi es-Sebua
The Temple of Wadi
es-Sebua
Wadi es-Sebua was
built in the reign of the Nineteenth Dynasty pharaoh Ramesses II and dedicated
to Amun-Re, Re Horakhty, and the deified Ramesses. The temple was originally
situated 4km further east. The pylons and courts are (or were) free-standing
whilst the twelve-pillared hypostyle hall and sanctuary are a form of speos and
are cut into the surrounding rock (fig. 2).
Fig. 2: Plan of Wadi es-Sebua
The temple
originally had three pylons, (only the third remains), plus three courts in
addition to a rock-cut hypostyle hall and inner sanctuary, which has four side
chapels. The trip to Wadi es-Sebua can only be done by boat. On approaching the
temple from the boat, we first encounter an avenue of leonine sphinxes. Hence
the name given by the locals, Wadi es-Sebua - The Valley of the Lions. These
consist of human-headed sphinxes of the pharaoh and formed the first court (fig. 3). The
second court features four falcon-headed sphinxes representing four different
forms of Horus; namely Horus of Maha, Miam, Baki, and Edfu.
Fig. 3: Sphinx of Ramesses II
Onto the third and
surviving pylon, which was originally fronted by four colossi of the pharaoh.
Only one remains in situ, which features the pharaoh with his daughter Bint-Anath. One other lies a short distance away alone in the desert (fig. 4).
Fig. 4: Fallen statue of Ramesses II
The surviving pylon
is decorated in the conventional way with Ramesses smiting his enemies and
making offerings to the gods. Passing through the pylon we reach an open colonnaded
court with ten Osirid pillars of the pharoah decorated with various processions
of princes and princesses and further offering scenes.
Ascending a ramp,
we enter the rock-cut part of the temple (fig. 5). This was used as a Christian church
at one point and had, until it was restored, a double doorway with arches. The twelve
pillars of the hypostyle hall were adorned with even more statues of the
pharoah but were chiselled off by the Christians. However, in some respects they
did us a favour, as by plastering over the decoration, the offering scenes remain
and have retained their colour both here and in a vestibule with two side
chapels. The vestibule then gives access to the richly decorated inner sanctuary
flanked by a further two chapels.
Fig. 5: The entrance to the temple
It seems the
nearer you get to the sanctuary we lose the smiting scenes and family
processions and gain more worshipping and offerings to the gods scenes (fig. 6). In addition,
we see depictions of the sacred barques of Amun-Re and Re-Horakhty (fig. 7).
Fig. 6: Ramesses offering to the gods
Fig. 7: The sacred barque
In the inner sanctuary is the traditional central niche
where the statues of the gods reside. These were hacked away and replaced with
an image of Saint Peter wearing a halo and holding the key to Heaven. A bizarre
sight indeed as here the pharaoh seems to be offering flowers to the saint (fig. 8)!
Fig. 8: Ramesses offering to St. Peter
This photo doesn’t
do it justice, but a colour reproduction painting exists, which was actually
once used as an image for a stamp issued by the Vatican (fig. 9)!
Only a short walk
(or camel ride) from the above temple, on a small hill, can be found an
unlikely neighbour, the Ptolemaic temple of Dakka (fig. 10). Originally situated 40km
further south at the ancient city of Pselkis, it was built in the third century
BC by the Kushite king Arkamani or Eurgamenes. Dedicated to Thoth of Pnubs (an
unidentified Nubian city translated as ‘Sycamore tree’), it was decorated by
the Ptolemies but enlarged in Roman times by the addition of a 12m pylon
separated from the rest of the buildings. Its innermost sanctuary was also
refurbished in the age of the emperor Augustus.
Fig. 10: Dakka Temple
Throughout the temple the Ptolemies are depicted worshipping many of the Egyptian
gods. Interestingly, when the temple was moved several reused blocks were found
from an earlier temple dedicated to Horus of Baki (Quban) by Hatshepsut and Thutmose
III.
Fig. 11: Offering to the gods
The Temple of Maharraqa
At a lower elevation to the temple of Dakka stands the
small temple of Maharraqa (fig. 12), usually visited on the way back to pick up the
tender to return to your boat. It was originally located 50km further north
near the Graeco-Roman city of Hierasykaminos, ‘the place of the sacred sycamore
tree’. The temple was built in the time of Augustus and dedicated to Serapis,
(a mixture of the gods Osiris, Apis, Isis, and the Greek god Zeus). However, it
was never finished. It contains a spiral staircase, the only example attested in ancient Egypt. Sadly, the temple is almost completely devoid of wall decoration. Importantly
the temple was located at the extreme southern frontier of Roman Egypt. It was
converted into a Christian church in the sixth century CE.
Fig. 12: Maharraqa Temples
Although not
originally located together, these three temples are well worth a visit on your
way to Abu Simbel, (go by boat, not plane!) and represent a combined span of
over 1200 years of ancient Egyptian temple design and decoration. Additionally,
from an aesthetic point of view, they form a lovely setting against the
backdrop of the lonely Sahara Desert (fig. 13).
Fig. 13: Camel ride at Wadi es-Sebua
Bibliography
Oakes, L. (2014) Pyramids,
temples and tombs of ancient Egypt. London: Hermes House, Anness Publishing
Ltd.
Shafer,
Byron E. (ed.) 1997. Temples of ancient Egypt. Ithaca NY; London:
Cornell University Press; I.B. Tauris.
Siliotti,
Alberto 2000. Abu Simbel and the Nubian temples. Egypt Pocket Guide.
Cairo: American University in Cairo Press.
Wilkinson,
Richard H. 2000. The complete temples of Ancient Egypt. London: Thames
& Hudson.
This blog post has been written by Syd Howells, the Volunteer Manager at the Egypt Centre. Syd visited Pompeii in April 2023 and reports here on some of the Egyptological highlights at the site.
A visit to Pompeii
makes clear the influence other civilisations had upon the city and its people.
As an example, there is evidence of Hellenistic architecture and decoration,
including the Alexander mosaic depicting Alexander the Great, which was
originally discovered at the House of the Faun, as well as the worship of Greek
gods such as Apollo and Dionysus. In30 BC, Egypt
was brought into the Roman Empire and as would be expected began to be frequently
featured in Roman art, with Pompeii being no exception. Perhaps the most
obvious connection to ancient Egypt within the city is the Temple of Isis (fig. 1).
Fig. 1: Temple of Isis
Originally
constructed during the late second century BC, the temple was destroyed during
the earthquake of AD 62. It was later rebuilt and following the volcanic
eruption of AD 79 was relatively well preserved underground. It was
rediscovered in 1764. The composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as a young man visited
in June 1770, a brief time after Pompeii had begun to be uncovered. It is
believed his visit to the city, and in particular, the Temple of Isis, had an influence upon his later work, the Magic Flute, an opera set in ancient Egypt
and infused with Freemasonry. It seems entirely likely the young Mozart would
have gained inspiration from his visit to the Temple, particularly as it was
one of the first complete buildings uncovered from the debris. Its excavation
and its exotic nature, in perhaps the same way as the opening up of Egypt,
inspired the imagination of others. For example, in 1818 the poet Percy Bysshe
Shelley also visited and mentioned the temple in glowing terms.
Why was there a
Temple of Isis at Pompeii? The Romans were enamoured with some ancient Egyptian
deities, in particular Isis and Bes. It is not surprising that conquerors adopt
aspects of those they rule. Initially viewed with suspicion by the likes of
Augustus, eventually, the cult of Isis was to rival the homegrown gods of Rome. Introduced
into Pompeii during the second century BC, this initiate cult based upon the
myth of Isis resurrecting her husband Osiris, following his death at the hands
of Seth, was very much an affirming and reassuring entity to those who wished
to continue to exist after death.Besides her
role in resurrection and the belief of a life beyond death, Isis was also
considered to be a patron of sailors and a goddess related to safety; aspects
particularly useful to a port city such as Pompeii.
All of the reliefs
and artefacts from the Temple of Isis can now be found at the Naples National
Archaeological Museum/Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (MANN). An
essential place to visit if you are in the area, it also contains an
exceptional Egyptological collection created from formerly private collections
including that of the Borgia family.
Fig. 2: Sistra from the site
The
Temple of Isis had two main parts. The sistra above (fig. 2) were discovered at the Ekklesiasterion
(ritual area). The faience statue (fig. 3) was found within the Sacrarium (the shrine).
Fig. 3: Faience figure from the shrine
This relief of a priest (or priestess, according to the museum label) wearing an Anubis mask (fig.
4) also originated at the Temple of Isis in Pompeii. It is an interesting
connection to our collection at the Egypt Centre as at present we have a
cartonnage (a mixture of bandages and plaster then decorated) mask of Anubis on
display in our House of Death gallery in our mummification case (fig. 5). It is on loan
from Harrogate Museums and is thought to be the only known surviving example of
a cartonnage Anubis mask.
It was not just
the appropriation of the odd Egyptian god that appeared in Pompeii. Domestic
decoration is a key element of this cultural synergy. There are examples of
gardens being modelled upon branches of the Nile, shrines to Egyptian gods in
houses, etc. Many of these surviving relics can now be seen at the Naples
Archaeological Museum. At the House of the Faun, a table stand in the form of a
sphinx was discovered. The House of Julia Felix meanwhile is believed, within
its garden water features, to have featured a branch of the Nile Delta.
Nilotic scenes
were particularly popular, for example, the previously mentioned House of the
Faun contained an exceptional mosaic of the Nile featuring exotic Egyptian
creatures such as a hippo, crocodile, snake, waterfowl, and ibises (fig. 6).
Fig. 6: Nilotic scene
The Casa dell’Efebo
(the House of the Ephebus) is another example that features images of the
Nile, for example, this painted fresco of fish (fig. 7).
Fig. 7: Fresco of fish
While these
Nilotic images were often of flora and fauna to be found on the Nile, other
examples were diverse. For example, the House of Menander featured an image of
pygmies boating on the Nile.
The Casa del
Frutteto (the House of the Orchard) features several Egyptian-influenced
frescos such as this image of the Apis Bull (fig. 8).
Fig. 8: The Apis Bull
As can be seen,
ancient Egyptian themes and motifs can be found throughout Pompeii (at least
those parts that have been excavated). Professional and proportional excavation
continues throughout the site. What unknown treasures may we one day see?
Fig. 9: Figure of Bes
Bibliography
Beard, Mary 2010. Pompeii:
the life of a Roman town. London: Profile Books.
Berry, Joanne 2013.
The complete Pompeii. London: Thames & Hudson.
Butterworth, Alex
& Ray Laurence 2006. Pompeii: The Living City. New York: St.
Martin's Press.
Ellis, Simon P.
1992. Graeco-Roman Egypt. Buckinghamshire: Shire.
Sadie, Stanley
2006. Mozart: the early years 1756–1781. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Witt, R. E. 1997. Isis
in the ancient world. Baltimore; London: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Wilkinson, Richard
H. 2003. The complete gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt. London:
Thames & Hudson.
In just under two weeks (Saturday 25 May), the Sudan Archaeological Research Society’s
annual colloquium will take place at Swansea University. The W.Y. Adams
Colloquium: Sudan Past & Present will see colleagues from across the
globe present on topics such as giraffe hairs and beer filters to Byzantium in
Nubia. For the first time, the event will take place both in-person and online
(via Zoom), thus allowing a wider audience to participate. Tickets for the
event are now available via the Society’s Eventbrite page:
10.00-10.25: Sudan in Swansea, Ken Griffin &
Christian Knoblauch (Swansea University)
10.25-10.50: God, King, and Church; the driving powers
behind Nubian society, Karel Innemée (University of Warsaw)
10.50-11.15: Dirt and deep histories of South Sudan,
Nicki Kindersley (University of Cardiff)
11.15-11.30: Coffee break and handling session.
11.30-11.55: Survey of the Meroitic site of el-Hassa:
Understanding the links of the Amun temple of Amanakhareqerama with the
settlement, Marie Millet and Tomasz Herbich (Musée du Louvre; Polish
Academy of Sciences)
11.55-12.20: A window into the Nubian diet: food crops
and agricultural production at Old Dongola (14th–17th centuries AD),
Mohammed Nasreldein Babiker (University of Tübingen)
12.20-12.45: Digitisation of Paul Wilson and Natalie
Tobert’s photographic collections from Darfur (1979–1985) at the British Museum,
Zoe Cormack (the British Museum)
12.45-1.45: Lunch (participants to make their own
arrangements) and handling session.
1.45- 2.10: Conflict or Climate? The decisive factor for
change in Sudan’s history, Zainab Osman Madjub Jafar, Michael Mallinson
& Helen Mallinson (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Mallinson
Architects)
2.10-2.35: Life and death at the town of Kawa:
Osteological analysis of the Kushite cemetery assemblage, Anna
Davies-Barrett & Rebecca Whiting (University of Leicester; the British
Museum)
2.35-3.00: Giraffe Hairs and Beer Filters. Investigating
a unique craft of the Kerma period, Theophile Burnat, Elsa Yvanez &
Matthieu Honegger (Université de Neuchâtel; University of Copenhagen;
Université de Neuchâtel)
3.00-3.25: Chains of supply and local practices in the
colony: kohl and gold in New Kingdom colonial Nubia, Rennan Lemos and
Caterina Zaggia (University of Cambridge)
3.25-4.00: Coffee break and handling session
4.00-5.00. Keynote Lecture. Footsteps of Byzantium in
Nubia. One more attempt. Dobrochna Zielińska (University of Warsaw)
5.00: Drinks reception (at the Egypt Centre)
EC2: Offering table from tomb 307 at Meroe
Dr. Christian
Knoblauch and I will also be presenting on the Nubian collection in the
Egypt Centre. This includes objects from the sites of Meroe
and Sanam,
which were excavated by John Garstang and Francis
Llewellyn Griffith. Those who are joining us in-person will also have an
opportunity to handle items from the collection, including pottery, archer’s
rings, tiles, and offering tables. Ahead of the colloquium, I have been
creating 3D models of these objects with our Artec scanner. This will allow
those who are not able to attend in-person to interact with the collection in
fun ways. A selection of some of the objects can be found in the links below.
Following on from the two successful courses Causing
Their Names to Live, the next Egypt Centre course will be starting in just
a few weeks. This course is called Decoding the Divine: Egyptian Temple
Decoration.
Egyptian temples stand as testaments to a civilisation
obsessed with the divine. Far from mere structures, their walls served as
canvases, intricately decorated with hieroglyphs, reliefs, and paintings. This
short course delves into the fascinating world of Egyptian temple decoration,
equipping you with the skills to decode their symbolic language.
We will embark on a journey through the “grammar of the
temples”, exploring the recurring themes, motifs, and compositional techniques
employed by the ancient Egyptians. You will learn to identify the deities
depicted, decipher the meanings behind ritual scenes, and understand the
significance of plant and animal symbolism.
The course will delve into the concept of the “zoned
temple”, where different areas were designated for specific purposes. We will
explore the symbolism of the imposing pylons, the sacred hypostyle halls, and
the inner sanctuaries, each adorned with decorations tailored to their
function.
By analysing these elements, you will gain insights into
Egyptian mythology, pharaonic ideology, and the daily rituals performed within
the temple walls. This course is designed for anyone with an interest in
ancient Egypt, unlocking the stories etched in stone and painted on the walls
of these magnificent structures.
Take, for example, the image shown above, which appears twelve
times on the intercolumner screenwalls at Dendera. This cryptographic scene may
look like just a decorated frieze to the untrained eye, but a close examination
of each of the elements reveals that it has a specific meaning. It can be read
as “the domain endures, containing the mistress of Dendera, like the sky will
endure containing Re, all the rekhyt-people making for her praise”. This
is just one of many scenes that will be analysed during this course.
In order to be as accessible as possible, this course will
be run twice a week: Sunday evenings 6–8pm (UK time); Wednesday mornings
10am–12noon (UK time). Additionally, one of the sessions will be recorded and
made available for a limited time to registered participants.
Fees for this course go directly to supporting the
redevelopment of Egypt Centre: Museum of Egyptian Antiquities (Swansea
University). If you would like to support the Egypt Centre with a donation, you
can do so here: https://www.egypt.swan.ac.uk/donate-to-the-egypt-centre/
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