Sudan in Swansea

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:

In-person or online.

 

Programme:

9.30-10.00: Introductions

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 (14^th–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.

Archer’s thumb ring (W933)

Architectural fragment (EC1295)

Meroitic bow (W742)

Offering table (EC2)

Pottery tile inlay (EC403)

Other objects are available on our Sketchfab page.

 

We look forward to welcoming all those who are joining us!

Decoding the Divine: Egyptian Temple Decoration

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.

 

Week 1 (Sunday 26 and Wednesday 29 May)

Week 2 (Sunday 02 and Wednesday 05 June)

Week 3 (Sunday 09 and Wednesday 12 June)

Week 4 (Sunday 16 and Wednesday 19 June)

Week 5 (Sunday 23 and Wednesday 26 June)

 

Tickets for the course are now available via our Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/decoding-the-divine-egyptian-temple-decoration-tickets-886722479807?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

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/