Teaching Egyptian Archaeology with the Harrogate Loan

The blog post for this week has been written by Dr. Christian Knoblauch. Christian is an Egyptology lecturer in the Department of History, Heritage, and Classics at Swansea University. He is a specialist in the archaeology of ancient Egypt and Nubia and is particularly interested in using material culture to explore broader cultural aspects. His research draws on fieldwork projects in Egypt and the Sudan. He is an assistant director of the University of Michigan Abydos Middle Cemetery Project and co-directs with Laurel Bestock (Brown University) the Uronarti Regional Archaeological Project.

Object biographies, life cycles, or itineraries provide new perspectives on the histories and cultural significances of museum artefacts, revealing the journeys and contexts that shape their meanings over time. By emphasising the relationships between objects, people, and places, these approaches encourage viewers, in this case our students, to engage with artefacts not merely as static objects but as active participants in a broader narrative of human experience.

Dr Kasia Szpakowska, formerly of Swansea University, pioneered this approach in our teaching offer through her Second-Year module Introduction to Egyptian Archaeology. This module, which I was lucky enough to inherit and run since 2018, provides students with the unique opportunity to investigate anepigraphic objects (those without writing) in the Egypt Centre using an object life-cycle approach. The teaching approach is object-based and includes lectures and weekly hands-on sessions where students engage directly with the objects they are researching from different perspectives (fig. 1). We are extremely grateful to the Egypt Centre for facilitating extensive access to the collection and collaborating with the department so fruitfully.

Fig. 1: Students researching HARGM9872

 

During the past semester, students in the module wrote their projects on pottery objects from the Harrogate loan currently in the Egypt Centre. As most of these objects have never been studied before, this was an amazing chance to conduct original primary research that contributes to global research. The objects were from the prehistoric and proto-dynastic periods and included C-Ware, B-Ware, W-Ware, and D-Ware. One of the highlights was a black-topped vessel (HARGM9872) with a unique, incised fauna scene (fig. 2).

Fig. 2: HARGM9872

The students are drawn mostly from the Egyptology and Ancient History BA but it is worth remembering that these students are in just their third semester of university and only have two Egyptology module behind them. None of our students have previously worked directly with objects or with ancient pottery, so the learning curve is incredibly steep. Students have to acquire a wide range of skills during the semester.

 

They must learn how to handle objects, record and describe them, analyse their condition, materials, form, production traces and decoration (fig. 3). They must learn to decipher excavation marks, catalogue numbers, and auction catalogues. They learn how to conduct research in excavation reports, exhibition catalogues, ancient technologies, museology, archaeological theory, and local history. In short, they are acquiring first-hand the practical skills and academic knowledge necessary to deal with the types of objects that are found in hundreds of museums and public collections across the UK.

Fig. 3: Measuring HARGM10221

 

Their final assessment for the module is a 3000–4000 word project addressing all aspects of an object’s life-cycle, from the gathering of raw materials along the Nile Valley in prehistory to the object’s current role here in Swansea.

Below is a selection of some of the best life-cycle projects from this last semester on the Harrogate material. The papers shed light not only the production, date, and function of ancient artefacts and their place in society, but they also enhance our understanding of how UK regional collections were formed, and how such objects might fit into contemporary museum spaces and contribute to visitor experience and narratives linking the ancient past with the modern world. Each of these papers is accompanied by a short bio of the author. Note that prior to the module taking place, all the information on the online catalogue for each object was removed until the module had concluded. This way the students had to research the objects themselves rather than relying on information in the catalogue. As a result, some of the information on the objects, such as previous analysis of the contents, may not have been known to the students.

Fig. 4: HARGM10221

Fig. 5: HARGM9833

Life-cycle of HARGM10221 (fig. 4), Jess Bailey, 2024

Bio: I am in my second year of studying Egyptology and Ancient History at Swansea University, having chosen to study the ancient world due to my longstanding fascination with the past. I am specifically interested in the operation of ancient societies, and how they varied across different regions and periods under different powers. In working with an object firsthand, this project allowed me to discover a passion for working with archaeological material and helped me realise how much can be learned about the structures of ancient societies from a single, often mundane, object.

 

Life-cycle of HARGM10221 (fig. 4), Douglas Burke, 2024

Bio: Hello, I am Douglas Burke, a second-year Egyptology and Ancient History student from Massachusetts, USA. My passion for Egyptology began in childhood, fuelled by online college courses and countless visits to museums and exhibits with my parents. While researching universities with strong Egyptology programs, Swansea University stood out with its comprehensive and well-regarded curriculum. The added attraction of the Egypt Centre, where I can handle artefacts, solidified my decision to join Swansea and pursue my academic dreams.

 

Life-cycle of HARGM9833 (fig. 5), Hannah Wilkins, 2024

Bio: I am studying a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient History and Egyptology, a passion I have had since primary school. The ancient world is such an important field of study to me, considering its parallels with our modern world, these are the people who have influenced who we are today, it is fascinating to be able to study and understand them. Taking this module furthered this idea, providing insight into the Egyptian Predynastic culture, their customs, practices, and values. I was also introduced to the archaeological world, learning and applying the steps taken to understand the objects discovered, now being able to share this with those interested.