PROGRAMME 2016/2017
Saturday 10th September 2016
Subject: "The Glorious Jewellery of Middle Kingdom Princesses"
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Speaker: Lucia Gahlin
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Jewelry worn by royal women during Egypt’s Middle Kingdom was not simply for adornment or an indication of status but was also symbolic of concepts and myths surrounding Egyptian royalty. The king benefited from the magical powers inherent in the jewelry worn by the female members of his family. In this lecture, Lucia explored the jewellery – the materials used, techniques of craftsmanship and symbolism in the design – and also the archaeological context of these wonderful examples of ancient Egyptian jewellery.
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Preceded by the AGM
Saturday 8th October 2016
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Subject: "The Age of the Pyramids – the Steps to Giza"
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Speaker: Janet Diamond
EST member
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When we think of Egypt, we think of the pyramids, when we think of the pyramids, we think of the three fabulous pyramids at Giza!
Yet there is so much more to the story of pyramid building:
- Built around 2545 - 2525 BC (approx 4500 years ago) The Great Pyramid at Giza was,
and is, one of the most perfect-ever man-made structures
- It is the only remaining wonder of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World".
- It remained the highest building in the world until the completion of the Eiffel Tower.
- There are over 200 pyramids remaining
- There are many more pyramids outside of Egypt than inside.
With this talk Janet gave us an insight to the story of the pyramids, and the long-lasting Egyptian obsession with monumental building.
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Saturday 12th November 2016
Subject: "Introduction to Egyptian Art"
Speaker: Charlotte Booth
Egyptian art was as important as the hieroglyphs for relaying information. This talk will provide a basic introduction to reading Egyptian art and identifying certain artistic characteristics such as age, sex, status nationality and location.
Saturday 10th December 2016
Subject: "1817 : a year in Egypt"
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Speaker: Dr. Robert Morkot University of Exeter
The year 1817 saw many travellers in Egypt. As a result there are first-hand accounts of what went on in one of the most interesting years of early significant discoveries. Notable was the first modern entry into the temple of Abu Simbel and the opening of the tomb of Sety I. This talk introduced some of the characters and the discoveries of the year.
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Followed by the Christmas Party
Saturday 11th February 2017
Subject: "Deir el-Medina - Louts Behaving Badly at Deir el-Medina"
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Speaker: Rosalind Janssen
University College London
The playboy Merysekhmet has been dubbed Deir el-Medina’s "wild young man about town". Certainly he caused his father Menna a great deal of grief. What can we learn about hooligans and loutish behaviour in Ancient Egypt, and how does this tie in with "moral panic" today?
Saturday 11th March 2017
Subject: "Senenmut"
Speaker: Dr. Campbell Price
University of Manchester
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Senenmut is one of the best-known non-royal individuals from ancient Egypt. He was a high courtier under Queen Hatshepsut and was instrumental in monumentalising her innovative reign. This lecture considers the man and his monuments, including a recent discovery in the stores of the Manchester Museum.
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Please note - the lecture took place at The Devon Archaeological Society, Berkeley House, Dix's Field, Exeter
Saturday 8th April 2017
Subject: "Senenmut's ceiling"
Speaker: Dr. Bernadette Brady
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
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The astronomical ceiling of Senenmut at Deir el Bahari (TT 353) of the eighteenth dynasty was constructed within the reign of Queen Hatshepsut who reigned for fifteen to twenty years in the first half of 15 th century BCE. It is the earliest known Egyptian astronomical ceiling and has attracted a great deal of scholarly comment, as well as popular speculation, concerning whether the ceiling is just decoration or an actual sky map. This lecture will explore the ceiling in detail and discuss the different ideas on the meaning of the ceiling.
Saturday 13th May 2017
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Subject: "The Mysteries of Nefertiti"
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Speaker: Dr. Aidan Dodson
University of Bristol.
Dr Aidan Dodson is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Archaeology & Anthropology at the University of Bristol, UK, and a former Simpson Professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo. He studied at Durham, Liverpool and Cambridge Universities and is a specialist in funerary archaeology and the histories of the late 18th Dynasty and the Third Intermediate Period. He is the author of twenty books, his most recent Egyptological works being Amarna Sunrise (Cairo, 2014) and The Royal Tombs of Ancient Egypt (Barnsley, 2016).
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Nefertiti is one of the most recognizable and recognized ancient Egyptian queens, but few of the "facts" quoted about her are based on hard evidence, with popular views frequently coloured by long-obsolete theories. In this lecture, we will explore what we really know about her, and take a close look at the latest research, which leads inexorably to the conclusion that she ended her career as none other than the shadowy female pharaoh, Neferneferuaten.
Saturday 10th June 2017
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Subject: "Writings from Ancient Egypt"
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Speaker: Dr. Toby Wilkinson
University of Cambridge
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"Man perishes; his corpse turns to dust; all his relatives pass away. But writings make him remembered": Carved in stone or written on papyrus, hieroglyphic writings provide unique insights into pharaonic civilisation, allowing us to enter into the minds of the ancient Egyptians. For his latest book, Toby Wilkinson has translated a rich selection of pieces, ranging from accounts of battles to hymns, from legal texts and letters to tales and teachings. In this talk, he will share his favourite writings from ancient Egypt and the light that they shed on its extraordinary culture.
