tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13596316859134067632024-03-13T15:05:27.958-07:00EgyptologyMulti-Disciplinary Egyptology onlineAakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.comBlogger190125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-58043927522874812512020-07-01T21:37:00.003-07:002020-07-27T18:47:29.566-07:00Learning Online: Tips for getting started<div><font size="5"><b><br /></b></font></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ScfrAG8mggY/Xv1hu5M_5JI/AAAAAAAAY-Q/h8SiA_nOTi48MaXCn8CU24-wXbWTjAtGACK4BGAsYHg/s685/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-07-02%2Bat%2B1.47.48%2Bpm.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="685" height="251" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ScfrAG8mggY/Xv1hu5M_5JI/AAAAAAAAY-Q/h8SiA_nOTi48MaXCn8CU24-wXbWTjAtGACK4BGAsYHg/w625-h251/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-07-02%2Bat%2B1.47.48%2Bpm.png" width="625" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><font size="5">Egyptology - Tips for online learners: Getting started</font></div><div><br /></div><div>For the purpose of this guide, I will base my tips on my learning experience with the University of Manchester's online Egyptology courses which have been delivered exclusively online for many years. I began learning online in 2011 and will (hopefully) complete my Masters in Egyptology in 2021.</div><div><br /></div><div>These are just examples of one way to approach your studies, pick and choose what you think might work for you and enjoy your adventure!</div><div><br /></div><div>Once you've chosen and enrolled in your online course, what next?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Logging in</b></div><div><i>Tip: Record your course login details and keep them safe!</i></div><div><br /></div><div>You will be using your credentials often. Consider adding them to autofill on your device as long as you feel confident it is secure. If you are starting at an institution like Manchester at an entry level course, your login details will be used throughout your study with the University. They will also provide you with access to your student email, internal/external library services and access to journals and other scholarly websites and repositories eg JSTOR. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Download all the course handbooks and administrative information and file them</b></div><div>It's also a good idea to check back from time to time to make sure that you have the most recent copy, as sometimes circumstances change and tweaks need to be made to the documentation. </div><div><br /></div><div>Needless to say you should read this documentation carefully, it will tell you exactly what tasks you have to do, when they are due, their weightings and so on. Spend some time looking at the <b>marking criteria</b> so you have a sense of what is expected of you.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Watch and read introductory presentations</b></div><div>Whether you are an experienced learner or just starting out, these are really handy in highlighting how things like the learning platform BlackBoard work and what tools are available to help you on your way.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Turbo charge your browser</b></div><div>If you use Chrome, the UoM has a "Library Access" extension to notify you if they have access to library resources on the topic you are searching for, so consider adding it. Basically it compares what you are looking at to a database and offers you a popup if a related text is available. There is also an extension for Google Scholar so that you can look at other available texts online (use your discretion here as some are unsuitable).<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a2cgV-BkfmE/Xv1ir6qqW7I/AAAAAAAAY-k/C6Ug2arX46Y59Gie8LPzOHYBHqNZUm0rgCK4BGAsYHg/s460/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-07-02%2Bat%2B1.28.16%2Bpm.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="340" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a2cgV-BkfmE/Xv1ir6qqW7I/AAAAAAAAY-k/C6Ug2arX46Y59Gie8LPzOHYBHqNZUm0rgCK4BGAsYHg/w237-h320/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-07-02%2Bat%2B1.28.16%2Bpm.png" width="237" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Tip: Make bookmark folders for Egyptology in your browser so you can find great museum collections and other resources easily</i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Set up your filing system - in the Clouds</b></div><div>I'm not a fan of filing, but setting up your system before you start really saves you time in the long run.</div><div>Decide where you are going to put your work and how it will be labelled, this doesn't have to be fancy so long as you know where it is and what it means.</div><div>I strongly advise using a cloud server to save your work and resources. </div><div><br /></div><div>I use Dropbox - the benefit of this is I can access my work on my devices and in the case of something going very wrong with hardware, the information is all there and accessible at all times, and, speaking as someone who knows the shock of an unexpected complete hard drive failure, I'd also recommend a regular back up of your entire hard drive to an external of your choice (thankfully I didn't lose much because of the strategies I've described here).</div><div><br /></div><div>Example file hierarchy:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNulFZZGjuc/Xv1jFJrPX7I/AAAAAAAAY-8/krKnhdG7_8U0AZD4fUNnGE2Yp_RVGcFrACK4BGAsYHg/s539/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-07-02%2Bat%2B10.57.35%2Bam.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="126" data-original-width="539" height="75" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNulFZZGjuc/Xv1jFJrPX7I/AAAAAAAAY-8/krKnhdG7_8U0AZD4fUNnGE2Yp_RVGcFrACK4BGAsYHg/w320-h75/Screen%2BShot%2B2020-07-02%2Bat%2B10.57.35%2Bam.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I set up folders for each course I have done, which is then broken down into:</div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Course documentation - Administration documents: Course handbooks, referencing guides, misadventure forms, major task descriptions</li><li>Year - Weekly tasks/activities, essays. In this folder it's a good idea to have separate folders for Semester 1 and 2, weekly and other tasks, you can also save pdfs of lecture slides here.</li><li>Special course documents - in the example below I've set up a Masters Dissertation folder because I had to start this task process in Year 1.</li><li>Resources/Journals - this is where I put all my pdfs of everything I think might be useful to me. The benefit is it's all in one place and you can search to see if you have already got a book or article you need without having to locate it again. Also handy for those "I know I read somewhere that... but I can't remember where..." moments!</li><li>I also have a Submitted written task folder where I put the pdfs for my formal tasks - this helps ensure you have actually exported your work correctly and puts your finished tasks in one place for future reference.</li></ol></div><div>You might want to add your own folders for things like maps and photos, do what makes sense to you.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Tip: Labelling - be consistent</i></div><div>Labels need not be long, but label your content consistently, it makes it so much easier to find! Calling something 'Activity' might seem like a good idea but you once you've done weekly activities for 3 subjects for a semester you will have no idea what your files are.</div><div><br /></div><div>Remember you can duplicate and rename your documents to save time for example you could use the course code, Week number and document type:</div><div>CAHE66122 Week 9 Activity Read and Review</div><div><br /></div><div><b>It's not all digital</b></div><div>It's really important to take notes of lectures, podcasts and vlogs on paper. </div><div>Numerous studies have shown that we learn better by writing things down, so if you can write, then do it. You don't need to write every word, use keywords, museum object numbers, labels, dot points and diagrams, print out maps and paste them in your book. You might want to have separate books to take notes for your assignments in order to keep them together according to relevance.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Tip: Have a scribble book to write down notes of things that occur to you as you are working.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Decide how you will lay out your information - for example, you might want to write dates in the margins. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you are like me and make a lot of mistakes, consider using a good quality mechanical pencil (2B) and a soft eraser or an erasable pen.</div><div><br /></div><div>For my work I have always used A4 note books with moveable subject dividers if I can get them. Spiral bound books are great because you can fold them over completely to save space and they are easy to manage. Try to get ones with sturdy covers and thicker paper. Document pouches are also helpful. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Tip: use postit notes on your desk and in books so you don't forget important dates, things to do and information (like course titles)</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Consider printing out important documents including your finished work and putting it in plastic sleeves in a ring binder. You can record your marks here too.</div><div><br /></div><div>Colour coding your notes with highlighters works really well to help you locate specific information quickly, especially if you are a visual learner. Remember to use a key so your highlighting is consistent.</div><div><br /></div><div>Example criteria for colour coding and the colours I use:</div><div>Date/time period <span style="background-color: #f4a900;">[orange]</span></div><div>Person - historical figures, authors, Egyptologists, scholars <span style="background-color: #fce8b2;">[yellow]</span></div><div>Places <span style="background-color: #b7e1cd;">[green]</span></div><div>Texts - eg Plutarch's Life of Alexander, Amherst Papyrus, Biography of Harkuf <span style="background-color: #c6dafc;">[blue]</span></div><div>Important point <span style="background-color: #f4c7c3;">[pink]</span></div><div>Admin or course related <span style="background-color: #e1bee7;">[purple]</span></div><div><span style="background-color: #e1bee7;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Tip: If colour isn't your thing use your own symbols and underlining to organise your work. Your notes are for YOU.</i></span></div><div><br /></div><div>For weekly tasks, I printed the task description out then took notes on it and then typed those notes up for submission.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Tip: Print out the learning outcomes and paste them in my book at the start of each Week/Unit, highlighting the key words and save the screenshot to the Year/week folder for future reference.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Routine</b></div><div>Spend some time thinking about how you will fit your studies into your everyday life, responsibilities, activities, entertainment and so on. Learning online offers you great flexibility, but making some guidelines for yourself can be helpful such as setting days/times to:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>View lectures, listen to podcasts - accessing taught content</li><li>Researching for board postings</li><li>Posting to the boards</li><li>Reading and responding to others</li><li>Working on major tasks</li></ul></div><div>Don't be afraid to shuffle your routine around. Thinking about what you have done, reflecting on your learning and planning all counts as 'work'. </div><div><br /></div><div>Take frequent breaks - you can use timers to remind you to get up and move about, and be sure to take care of yourself while studying. If you've hit a wall with your writing or researching, I cannot stress this enough: <b>Stop. </b>Take a break, go outside or do some housework, do something completely different, sleep on it. If you are pressed for time, work on a different task. One of the most important things I heard said by one of our fabulous teachers was how important it is to give yourself time to <b>think. </b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Create your space</b></div><div>It's important to have a space to work and study. It might be ok to browse a museum website while sitting on the couch watching TV but it's probably not a great environment for writing an essay.</div><div><br /></div><div>Different people learn in different ways. Some can learn while listening to music, others require silence. Some people can read and assimilate information easily, others benefit from having their computer or someone read to them, or may need to listen to an auditory text several times, others might need to magnify text in order to read it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Some people require a lot of structural guidance, others work best in a free form environment where they can be more creative. There is no right or wrong way to study, it's more a case of studying in a way that you will be able to produce your best results.</div><div><br /></div><div>Understanding how you learn best will make things easier for you, so do spend some time thinking about this and working out how to create an environment that works best for you. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses can help you get the best out of yourself and your studies.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Use the Boards</b></div><div>Once you are settled in you will be allocated tutorial groups just like face to face classes. You can interact with your tutorial/course and faculty/school groups by using the discussion boards. This means, for example, that a person starting out doing a Certificate in Egyptology can ask students in the Masters course for their impressions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Discussion boards are there for a variety of reasons - to discuss formal tasks to give and receive feedback, and some are for general discussion and are more social.</div><div><br /></div><div>Choose the correct board and post appropriately, be polite and consider people in different timezones who speak other languages. Boards aren't social media so keep discussions on topic and relevant - by all means chat and socialise with your peers but consider if the discussion might be better conducted in another forum such as via email or elsewhere.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Tip: If you are studying at Manchester you will be expected to use British spelling</i></div><div><br /></div><div>You may or may not be able to Edit your posts so do take care to proof them carefully. It's ok to make mistakes on your posts, you can reply to yourself, and threads can be read by all concerned.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Tip: Post pdfs to the boards which can be read in a new tab rather than Word documents which must be downloaded and may cause problems. Not everyone uses Word, and not everyone wants a copy of your work on their computer (think about the implications of that for a moment!).</i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Ask!</b></div><div>If you aren't sure about things, ask! There are no 'stupid' questions, everyone is learning together and chances are someone has the same question as you, or didn't realise they did until you asked it. People do appreciate it to see the answers, and by asking you are helping your fellow students.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you don't feel confident to publicly post your question, email your tutors who will be happy to help, they want you to succeed and have your best interests at heart.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Tip: Follow the accounts of Egyptologists and your University on social media for interesting discussions and news</i></div><div><br /></div><div><b>I hope these tips are useful in getting your started in your big adventure!</b></div></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>See also: <a href="https://egyptologymd.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-worlds-first-ma-egyptology-online.html">https://egyptologymd.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-worlds-first-ma-egyptology-online.html</a></b></div><div>Learn more about the online Egyptology courses at Manchester: <a href="https://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/egyptology/" target="_blank">alc.manchester.ac.uk/egyptology/</a></div><div><b>Edit 28/07/20:</b> Minor corrections to formatting and grammar, a few more tips added.</div>Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-43276520110550683312019-10-06T01:09:00.000-07:002019-10-06T17:36:41.856-07:00The World's first MA Egyptology Online course begins!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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So. What's it like to study Egyptology online, and at Master level? Well, it's pretty cool actually. I've already spent 5 years studying at Manchester online, so although I have a fair amount of experience with the process, studying at this level is quite challenging.<br />
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When people find out I'm studying Egyptology at Manchester, the next question is usually something along the lines of: "So, do you have to go over there?" (I live more or less on the opposite side of the planet to my University).<br />
The answer is: "No. The course is delivered entirely online."<br />
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That's right, entirely online. You can study from anywhere in the world at whatever time suits you. So long as you do your homework, meet your deadlines and requirements, of course.<br />
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I'm currently studying 2 modules for this semester:<br />
☥ Academic Skills and Research Design in Egyptian Archaeology Part 1 (30 credits)<br />
☥ Historical Studies in Ancient Egypt (15 credits)<br />
If you want to know more about the actual topics studied as this level they are (at the time of posting) available here: <a href="https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/masters/courses/list/12560/ma-egyptology/course-details/#course-profile" target="_blank">Master in Egyptology Course details</a><br />
I have to come up with 8,000 academic words by January 14, 2020 in 3 tasks and post seminar work weekly in order to pass. Later I will study more subjects and write a 15,000 word dissertation. To some this might sound daunting, but I've been well prepared by previous studies to handle this kind of expectation, and I'm looking forward to it.<br />
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<b>So how does this all work?</b><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OyGyc4Wx8vc/XZqIiq8H6QI/AAAAAAAAVw8/A1FUtHznY_I3HFhV2IXUM38A2NI2qB5AwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-10-07%2Bat%2B10.26.35%2Bam.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OyGyc4Wx8vc/XZqIiq8H6QI/AAAAAAAAVw8/A1FUtHznY_I3HFhV2IXUM38A2NI2qB5AwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-10-07%2Bat%2B10.26.35%2Bam.png" width="320" /></a>Once you have applied and been accepted via forms on the University website (see below) you have to accept your offer and then register for the course. The University sends you emails and instructions about how to do this. You can also apply for Disability Support should you need it at that time.<br />
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The University allocates you a unique ID (not your student number) to access their online services. From there you log in to access a range of different things, like timetables, student services, webmail and so on, but the most important component for online students is BlackBoard which is the platform used to deliver the coursework. BlackBoard comes as an app as well so at a pinch you can use it on a smartphone or tablet, but it's usually easiest to use a desktop or laptop because its easier to see and navigate (for most people).<br />
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BlackBoard has different sections where you find your subject coursework, which is basically your lessons: Lectures by supervising tutors or guest experts recorded in lecture theatres, podcasts, reading materials and activity questions.<br />
You also have access to discussion boards for the course and tutorial groups - imagine these like traditional seminars where you post responses weekly, and comment on and discuss each other's work with tutor input.<br />
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You also have access to books online provided by the University through a Library service and also journals such as JSTOR and specific journals which publish peer reviewed papers and research. These are invaluable for study. Many of these sites are available for public use but if you want to download certain things sometimes there is a fee. The University also has a browser extension which will look at your searches and let you know if the library has a book on the topic you are looking at.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SU4lZhzwEYE/XZmdGhUB--I/AAAAAAAAVwc/KfZLANOgLuwqVUhT0AupOP8j_lhFPk36wCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SU4lZhzwEYE/XZmdGhUB--I/AAAAAAAAVwc/KfZLANOgLuwqVUhT0AupOP8j_lhFPk36wCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_2748.JPG" width="320" /></a>When you study, you also have to complete formal academic writing tasks, essays and dissertations, but also demonstrate that you can communicate using different styles and for different audiences. For example you might have to write a review, pamphlet or make an educational poster.<br />
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Formal academic work is submitted using a special system called Turnitin. You simply log in to your account, and upload your work as a pdf. After the hard yards of many hours of research, writing and referencing this part is usually fairly painless. Turnitin also scans student submissions to identify plagiarism, so it saves tutors some time as well!<br />
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Your tutor will then assess your work and provide feedback and a grade where appropriate (some courses are "pass/fail" so numerical marks are provided only for guidance)<br />
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<b>How do you pay?</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AFAHH81KtZY/XZhRB_RJRvI/AAAAAAAAVwE/CmyCGGSyCKAVjl7QXTZyLrLFX-qlG6G9QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-10-05%2Bat%2B6.14.26%2Bpm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="804" height="232" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AFAHH81KtZY/XZhRB_RJRvI/AAAAAAAAVwE/CmyCGGSyCKAVjl7QXTZyLrLFX-qlG6G9QCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-10-05%2Bat%2B6.14.26%2Bpm.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading Petrie's excavation journals for the 1888 season</td></tr>
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Well, you pay by the academic year, so September prior to starting the course. This can be a bit tricky as many students studying will not be from the UK. I found I had budgeted for the cost of the course but not the extra 6% my bank was going to hit me for, so I had to use a transfer service which had more reasonable fees. Thankfully that aspect is getting easier. Always check out what your bank charges you to conduct international transactions, any card fees and exchange of currency. With a bit of homework you can save a lot of money - money that is better spent on buying textbooks right?<br />
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<b>How I study:</b><br />
Everything I come across that I'm legally allowed to access I save. It's best to save to a cloud service like iCloud or Dropbox because you can then work remotely on other devices and by spreading things around, you are less likely to lose them. I also do weekly backups of my entire computer and print important documents and assignments off. Saving everything also has the advantage of making it a bit easier to find that article you read about the thing you can now use as a search term on your computer!<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2kJg2MDMXL8/XZmWX2a3f6I/AAAAAAAAVwQ/YdhnKf2SLFIVzKbQ48EXanV4ke5vCWLlACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-10-06%2Bat%2B6.22.33%2Bpm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="1400" height="127" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2kJg2MDMXL8/XZmWX2a3f6I/AAAAAAAAVwQ/YdhnKf2SLFIVzKbQ48EXanV4ke5vCWLlACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-10-06%2Bat%2B6.22.33%2Bpm.png" width="400" /></a>I also take handwritten notes and colour code them. Hand written notes are excellent to consolidate your learning and help you absorb content.<br />
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So, if you've always wanted to study Egyptology - regardless of your level, the University of Manchester can offer you some great courses online to get you started.<br />
What are you waiting for?<br />
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<a href="https://www.alc.manchester.ac.uk/egyptology/study/">Study</a></h4>
We offer a range of distance learning courses in Egyptology, from award-bearing courses to shorter non-credit-bearing courses and MOOCs. Led by internationally recognised scholars, all of our courses are delivered entirely online, so they are accessible to students worldwide and can be studied at a time that is convenient for you.</blockquote>
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Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-33143096828804991032019-07-14T22:16:00.001-07:002019-07-14T22:23:18.977-07:00Resources for learning: King Lists and more by Peter Lundström<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PADfOWYcqHs/XHHy27k6dZI/AAAAAAAATXc/I5XpdTzzF0cVr3-e_THAg9kAZB9uPlcfwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Abydos%2BKing%2Blist%2Bby%2BAakheperure%2B2016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1532" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PADfOWYcqHs/XHHy27k6dZI/AAAAAAAATXc/I5XpdTzzF0cVr3-e_THAg9kAZB9uPlcfwCPcBGAYYCw/s400/Abydos%2BKing%2Blist%2Bby%2BAakheperure%2B2016.JPG" width="382" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Section of King List in the British Museum 2016</td></tr>
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Here is an example of another great online learning resource for fans of Egyptology.<br />
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Check out this great collection of information compiled by Peter Lundström complete with bibliographies of both online resources and traditional media that would be of value to people with a passion for ancient Egypt, students and scholars alike.<br />
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<blockquote class="embedly-card"><h4><a href="https://pharaoh.se/">Names of the Pharaohs</a></h4>The names of the pharaohs still live on, despite that the first pharaohs ruled some 5000 years ago. Their names were inscribed with hieroglyphs on the massive monuments they created, yet their commonly used names today has an origin in the ancient Greek transcription.</blockquote><script async="" charset="UTF-8" src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js"></script><br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">The site contains a wealth of fascinating information including timelines, introductory hieroglyphs and more. <br />
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A good place to start exploring the site is at the sections on the King Lists. There are various versions of the King Lists, created at different times in Egypt's History. These lists often reflect different agendas and different contexts which can lead you into fascinating aspects of research.<br />
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For beginners wanting to get a start on learning hieroglyphs there are lots of great resources which I won't discuss here, but Lundström's site can definitely help further your understanding of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs via the thoroughly researched King Lists he has published on his website.<br />
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Learning the names of kings is a great way to start gaining a familiarity with hieroglyphs. King's names appear often in scenes on temples, statues and other objects that belong directly to the ruler, but were also used by their subjects to anchor them to the reign of the ruler, and enhance status by 'proving' a relationship with that semi-divine individual.<br />
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As a result, these hieroglyphic names appear frequently, and you will see them often when browsing images online or looking at books on the subject. Once you start to gain a familiarity with the names that appear in two cartouches: a ruler's birth name and throne name of some of the most well known rulers you will start to see these names for yourself. Once you get a handle on that, you can even start to understand the chronology of objects via the names that appear on them, that's how I started out with Egyptology as a young person. As an artist I was most taken by the wonderful artwork of Egypt, which led of course to a fascination with pictorial script. A further fascination with languages and history, and I was well and truly 'hooked'!<br />
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There's lots to explore on this beautifully designed site beyond King Lists, I know I will be using it for my studies, with citations of course!<br />
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</div>Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-72225148181700032412019-05-04T18:38:00.001-07:002019-05-04T18:38:17.864-07:00Armchair Archaeology: 3D tours with describingegypt.com<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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3D and Virtual reality are possibly my most favourite things to write about when it comes to Egyptology, other than actual artefacts. Virtual reality allows us to explore sites in new ways, increases accessibility and helps preserve sites by preventing physical damage by visitors.</div>
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The Describing Egypt site is a collaboration between Salma El Dardiry and Karim Mansour.</div>
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"We are working with a great set of advisors and collaborators who includes Dr. Thierry Benderitter of www.osirisnet.net, the good poeple [sic] of The Theban Mapping Project , Hani D. Elmasri of Disney imagineering and Prof. Dr. Abdel Ghaffar Shedid Founder and head of the Art History Department, Faculty of Fine Arts."</div>
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This site has done an amazing job of creating some virtual reality tours of some fascinating sites.</div>
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Digging deeper into the site (pun intended) I was pleased to find some names I recognised from past studies as collaborators/contributors to the site. I particularly liked the optional information panel that accompanies the tours which is complete with maps.</div>
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To showcase the site and illustrate how it can be used as a teaching tool, I've selected some interesting aspects you don't usually see or are of interest to write about in this blog post from the tomb of Horemhab (KV57) in the Valley of the Kings, which lies in the mountains west of Thebes.</div>
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Horemhab is a fascinating individual for many reasons. Titulary suggests he was originally slated to ascend to the throne after Tutankhamun, but his reign was delayed by the accession of Ay. He has two tombs, one commissioned in Saqqara when he was a high ranking official, the other, in the Valley of the Kings - a Royal tomb where he was interred as a pharaoh. I've always been intrigued by the wall colour in this tomb. In most images I've seen it appears to be a silver-green but in these images it seems more blue, and there is more than one type of blue being used.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E8n9ZFI5dKg/XMzypLI-n8I/AAAAAAAAUE4/TOQ9KTQunP832JhfHiVkgXat3TrqdIU4gCLcBGAs/s1600/Horemhab%2Bwell%2Bchamber%2Bdescribingegypt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="929" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E8n9ZFI5dKg/XMzypLI-n8I/AAAAAAAAUE4/TOQ9KTQunP832JhfHiVkgXat3TrqdIU4gCLcBGAs/s1600/Horemhab%2Bwell%2Bchamber%2Bdescribingegypt.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horemhab meets the gods</td></tr>
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In this image we see Horemhab meeting and offering to the gods. Royal tombs have no biographical information. Their function is that of a machine to resurrect the owner and send them on their way to a successful Afterlife in which they become part of the cycle of life, death and rebirth. From right to left: Horemhab is presented to Isis by Horus, then he offers to Hathor (although usually better known as a goddess of love, music and drunkenness, she also has funerary associations), and finally he meets Osiris who most people would recognise in his mummiform pose and in this case green skin (a nod to his role as an agrarian god and the role of resurrection).<br />
This picture is from the "well chamber" - while some might imaginatively think this rather deep pit is a movie style trap, it function is actually essential and utilitarian. It is flood mitigation: the Valley of the Kings is prone to flash flooding from infrequent but nonetheless intense desert storms when water rushes down into the valley via the many wadis that feed into it. The well serves to catch any water that might enter the tomb and flood it: the deep pit acts as a sump.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cA95MAcfNdY/XMz0ZHhqYRI/AAAAAAAAUFE/avI7nKcTqJQlkhhU3Gy3r1oIYwYa-i8FgCLcBGAs/s1600/Horemhab%2Bwell%2Bchamber%2BII%2Bdescribingegypt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1041" height="276" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cA95MAcfNdY/XMz0ZHhqYRI/AAAAAAAAUFE/avI7nKcTqJQlkhhU3Gy3r1oIYwYa-i8FgCLcBGAs/s320/Horemhab%2Bwell%2Bchamber%2BII%2Bdescribingegypt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't look down!</td></tr>
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You might think this is unimportant in the grand scheme of things but alteration such flood mitigation features at the tomb of Seti I (KV17) by early explorer Belzoni caused considerable damage in 1818. Many other tombs in the valley such as KV7 (Ramesses II), 8 (Merenptah) and 11 (Ramesses III) have also suffered flood damage. In modern times there have been numerous significant flooding events in the Valley of the Kings.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only those who have lived according to Maat may enter (and leave!)</td></tr>
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In the next chamber we see more images of Horemhab meeting the gods including gods of the Memphite cosmology from the environs of Saqqara in the north: Ptah and Nefertem.</div>
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A nice little highlight often overlooked is the figure of the goddess Maat on either side of the door to the entrance to the burial chamber.</div>
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As ruler, Horemhab was obliged to uphold Maat as part of his royal duties.</div>
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And now to the pillared hall where we see the incomplete tomb decorations of magical texts illustrating the journey of Ra which show us how the ancient Egyptians planned and completed their artistic endeavours in the tomb.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uvzlj-Gq1l4/XMz6Qu10nsI/AAAAAAAAUFo/uDSMvcJnKMQ-aQ4HlsKYucKIjfOGDFkOQCLcBGAs/s1600/Horemhab%2BPillared%2BHall%2Bwest%2BRa%2Bdescribingegypt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1008" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uvzlj-Gq1l4/XMz6Qu10nsI/AAAAAAAAUFo/uDSMvcJnKMQ-aQ4HlsKYucKIjfOGDFkOQCLcBGAs/s1600/Horemhab%2BPillared%2BHall%2Bwest%2BRa%2Bdescribingegypt.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ra reborn travels on his celestial barque</td></tr>
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<br />After a grid pattern was laid out on the walls by snapping a cord soaked in red ochre against the walls, a draftsman would inscribe the text in red to lay out the blocks of text and decoration. A scribe would then refine the details and correct any errors in black. In the image above you can see this clearly where the hieroglyphs, figures and boat have been corrected on the left hand side.<br />
Finally artisans with chisels would strip the background away to that the figures and hieroglyphs were raised (low relief). Lastly, the scenes would have been painted like those we saw earlier in the tomb.<br />
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The fact that the tomb is unfinished gives us valuable insights into the process of how it was planned and decorated. Usually only the borders and star field of the ceiling were painted prior to the funeral, the magical texts being part of the magical rituals associated with the internment.</div>
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While ordinary people aspired to enter the kingdom of Osiris, and notions of the Afterlife changed over time, the fate of the king in the Afterlife was always slightly different.<br />
He would merge with Osiris and Ra - becoming reborn and joining the solar deity in his daily journey across the sky and nightly passage through the perilous underworld.</div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-edSrxXL__vI/XM0G8tNN4tI/AAAAAAAAUGQ/2F3sF91E7jA_Wt8Ezth7cir0xwUH2f2bQCLcBGAs/s1600/Horemhab%2Bburial%2Bchamber%2BiAbtt%2Bdescribingegypt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="874" height="228" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-edSrxXL__vI/XM0G8tNN4tI/AAAAAAAAUGQ/2F3sF91E7jA_Wt8Ezth7cir0xwUH2f2bQCLcBGAs/s320/Horemhab%2Bburial%2Bchamber%2BiAbtt%2Bdescribingegypt.jpg" width="320" /></a>One of my favourite little details to be seen in this tomb and this wonderful digital version of it, is the hieroglyphs in the burial chamber that have been left as guides. These hieroglyphs record the cardinal directions according to the ancient Egyptian understanding of the world, and these directions dictated the location and placement of both text and ritual objects within the tomb and burial chamber. Here's the hieroglyph for "East" (iꜣbt)<br />
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See how many of these features you can spot while exploring this nifty site. If you like what you see, consider making a donation to the creative folk behind the project.</div>
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All images from http://describingegypt.com</div>
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Visit the site by clicking the link below.</div>
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<a href="https://describingegypt.com/">Describing Egypt</a></h4>
360° Virtual Reality tours in all of Egypt historical locations. We take you to places so remote and make you feel as if you are there.</blockquote>
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Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-14112201236549655662019-03-30T18:35:00.000-07:002019-03-30T18:35:21.457-07:00Understanding the News: Foundation Stone of Ramesses II found at Abydos<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JDSpEsP1MMo/XKAXl0pOXnI/AAAAAAAATxM/1BFQWGfQEIgBkIaeSPEnWsjDg4MvJg9gQCLcBGAs/s1600/Foundation%2Bstone%2Bof%2BRamesses%2BLuxor%2BTimes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="531" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JDSpEsP1MMo/XKAXl0pOXnI/AAAAAAAATxM/1BFQWGfQEIgBkIaeSPEnWsjDg4MvJg9gQCLcBGAs/s1600/Foundation%2Bstone%2Bof%2BRamesses%2BLuxor%2BTimes.jpg" /></a></div>
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The construction of ancient Egyptian temples was steeped in ritual. After selecting a suitable sacred space, a series of rites was performed, beginning with orienting the temple and "Stretching the Cord" or <i>pedj-shes</i> - a ritual associated with the goddess Seshat whose areas of responsibility were architecture, astronomy and mathematics and ending with sacrifices and Offerings.<br />
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These activities were intended to be performed by the king as the intermediary between the gods and the mortal realm.<br />
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During the middle of the rituals, foundation deposits were made in the corners of the temple.<br />
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Foundation deposits of miniature items/offerings were also interred at the start of laying out the foundation guides.<br />
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It's rare to find a foundation deposit intact, as they lie underneath the superstructure of the building. These ritual objects included miniature vessels, model tools and even jewellery. These objects rarely have any inscriptions beyond the name of the officiating king.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://collectionapi.metmuseum.org/api/collection/v1/iiif/547563/1228602/main-image" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="800" height="205" src="https://collectionapi.metmuseum.org/api/collection/v1/iiif/547563/1228602/main-image" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Model Stone Rocker of Hatshepsut in the Metropolitan Museum of Art</td></tr>
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Evidence about the nature of temple foundation rituals also appears on temple walls such as those belonging to Thutmose III at Medinet Habu and shows the king performing his duties, often in the presence of a deity such as Seshat or Amun. Whether the king performed these tasks in person, or did so symbolically - as he does in every temple in Egypt via his imagery - is not yet known.<br />
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The discovery of this beautifully carved foundation stone at Abydos adds to our understanding of the cultic landscape of the site. The foundation stone shows 2 decorated cartouches of Ramesses II embellished by a sun disc and double plumes. Underneath each cartouche is the hieroglyph for 'gold' or the city of Nubt in southern Egypt.<br />
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The cartouche on the left, records the king's birth name: Ramesses - beloved of Amun<br />
The cartouche on the right records the king's throne name: Usermaatre<br />
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The foundation stone was found while excavators were investigating a hall in the temple precinct. This helps us to understand the chronology of building at the complex more clearly as the main temple at Abydos was dedicated by Ramesses father Seti I, and was later finished and embellished by Ramesses II. Basically this stone tells Egyptologists who built what at the site.<br />
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Due to successive use of sites over a long period of time and the necessity to destroy infrastructure to access the information (something which is not done), being able to access the foundation stone is an important piece of the puzzle that adds to our understanding of a complicated and beautiful temple precinct.<br />
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References/Further reading:<br />
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Wilkinson, R. (2000). The complete temples of ancient Egypt. London: Thames & Hudson, pp.38-39.<br />
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Cover image: The Luxor Times <a href="http://luxortimes.com/2019/03/abydos-temple-foundation-stone-discovered/">http://luxortimes.com/2019/03/abydos-temple-foundation-stone-discovered/</a><br />
Model Stone Rocker: <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/547563">https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/547563</a><br />
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<a href="http://luxortimes.com/2019/03/abydos-temple-foundation-stone-discovered/">Abydos Temple Foundation Stone Discovered - Luxor Times</a></h4>
An archaeological team of the University of New York working at Ramses II Temple in Abydos has discovered a royal hall annexed to the Pharaoh's temple. While carrying out the excavation, the team also came across the foundation stone of the temple, said Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Dr Moustafa Waziri.</blockquote>
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Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-87123490871415742362019-03-22T21:23:00.000-07:002019-03-22T21:25:59.873-07:00Online resources: Fitzwilliam Egyptian Coffins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://egyptiancoffins.org/images/nespawershefyt/nespawershefytnestedlarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="342" height="640" src="https://egyptiancoffins.org/images/nespawershefyt/nespawershefytnestedlarge.jpg" width="475" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://egyptiancoffins.org/coffins/nespawershefyt" target="_blank">Nested coffins of Nespawershefyt</a></td></tr>
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In March 2019, the Fitzwilliam Museum (Cambridge UK) announced the launch of a new website dedicated to Egyptian Coffins.<br />
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This great new online resource features:<br />
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"high-resolution images, films, virtual models and technical reports of the construction and decoration of coffins" ~ <a href="https://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/pressrelease/The%20Egyptian%20Coffins%20Project_PR.pdf" target="_blank">Press Release from the Fitzwilliam</a></blockquote>
The website should prove a fascinating introduction to Egyptology novices and a valuable scholarly resource for students and academics alike.<br />
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"The Fitzwilliam Egyptian coffins research is unique because it has brought together Egyptologists, conservators and scientists in a collaborative project and uses advanced scientific imaging techniques to produce a new holistic understanding of not just the coffins but also the people who were buried in them and the artisans and craftsmen who made them." ~ <a href="https://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/pressrelease/The%20Egyptian%20Coffins%20Project_PR.pdf" target="_blank">Press Release from the Fitzwilliam</a></blockquote>
According to the site's <a href="https://egyptiancoffins.org/about" target="_blank">launch About page</a>:<br />
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"This online resource presents the complete results of this research as it unfolds, commencing with the coffins of the 25th Dynasty ‘water pourer on the west of Thebes’, Pakepu, and the 21st Dynasty coffin set of Nespawershefyt. This includes full transliterations and translations of the hieroglyphic text, descriptions of the iconography, raw and interpreted results of the scientific analysis, including pigment analysis and wood identification, results of advanced imaging techniques such as CT scans, X-radiography and scanning electron microscopy, and some historical and social commentary on the significance of our findings in the context of ancient Egyptian attitudes to funerary beliefs, the economy and death and the afterlife. The website also contains some special behind-the-scenes footage and insight into what it is like working both internationally and collaboratively."</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://egyptiancoffins.org/images/nespawershefyt/declayers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" src="https://egyptiancoffins.org/images/nespawershefyt/declayers.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://egyptiancoffins.org/coffins/nespawershefyt/decoration" target="_blank">Detail from inner coffin box showing the preparation of surface layers.</a></td></tr>
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It's always such a pleasure to see more and more of these fantastic resources being made publicly available online as institutions and scholars embrace digital media to promote sound scientific study in conjunction with high quality imagery, information and multimedia content.<br />
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Digging a little deeper into the site, highlights from my perspective include transliterations and translations of the hieroglyphic text, which are available as pdfs, some with accompanying links to 3D models hosted on sketchfab. This is a tremendously useful resource for distance education students and those who might have accessibility issues.<br />
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Check out the site for yourself by clicking the link below:<br />
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<a href="https://egyptiancoffins.org/coffins">Our research on Egyptian coffins</a></h4>
The yellow anthropoid coffin set of Nespawershefyt is one of the best-known surviving examples of its kind from the 21st Dynasty. Comprising a mummy board, inner coffin and outer coffin, it was one of the first objects to be acquired into the fledgling Fitzwilliam Museum's ancient Egyptian collection in 1822.</blockquote>
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Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-82492951193216727252019-03-16T21:13:00.000-07:002019-03-17T16:04:11.923-07:00Online Resources: Egyptology for Kids at the EES<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Here's an example of a great way to get children involved with Egyptology. The Egypt Exploration Society's Young Explorer's Club is aimed at children, but the young at heart and novices wanting to get started learning more about ancient Egypt would also enjoy the new magazine that accompanies the Club subscription.</div>
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"Here at the Egypt Exploration Society, our mission is to document, preserve and protect the archaeology and heritage of Egypt and Sudan, but also to inspire the next generation to explore and investigate the wonderful history of these countries. That is why we have started the Young Explorers' Club."</blockquote>
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As we all know, people from all over the world have a passion for ancient Egypt, so after reviewing the new section of the EES website dedicated to the Club, I contacted the Society to find out more about the availability of the Club's resources outside the UK.</div>
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Although the physical subscription membership is currently UK based, the Society informs me that they are looking to expand this in the future. Don't forget that the Society offers <a href="https://www.ees.ac.uk/membership">membership</a> for adults and full time students as well both in the UK and internationally.</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jPNIKRDZYOw/XI29DrYWcVI/AAAAAAAATlI/0-PoHNgUxYowAC1dc_gtxJpVOBMCs19pQCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-03-17%2Bat%2B2.19.06%2Bpm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="543" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jPNIKRDZYOw/XI29DrYWcVI/AAAAAAAATlI/0-PoHNgUxYowAC1dc_gtxJpVOBMCs19pQCLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-03-17%2Bat%2B2.19.06%2Bpm.png" /></a></div>
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Members of the Club receive 4 magazines a year, but the website also hosts some great online resources aimed at younger readers on their <a href="https://www.ees.ac.uk/Pages/Site/young-explorers-club/Category/digital-resources">Digital Resources</a> page.</div>
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Current topics available include the Gods of Egypt, Exploration and Crowns.</div>
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The first issue of the Young Explorer's Club magazine which includes:</div>
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"An article all about Dr. Lidija Mcknight's work using technology to 'virtually' unwrap animal mummies</div>
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An exclusive interview with Professor Salima Ikram who excavates at the Valley of the Kings (where King Tut was buried!) and is an expert on animal bones and mummies</div>
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A look at the new Egyptology galleries at New Walk Museum in Leicester where a very special little kitten is on display!</div>
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A postcard from our dear friend Fatma Keshk in Cairo</div>
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Fun activities with a chance to win prizes!"</div>
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is currently free to download it. (Short survey regarding how you learned about it - takes seconds, I learned about it from the EES Social media account on Twitter)</div>
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One of the main advantages of exploring Egypt with the EES (pun intended) is that the material presented is contributed by experts in the field, including Professor Salima Ikram, and includes the latest discoveries and use of technology that might not be present in older publications. </div>
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The shorter, colourful magazine format may also suit younger would-be Egyptologists starting out on their journey of discovery.</div>
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The Egypt Exploration Society is a registered charity:</div>
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<blockquote>
"Our mission is to explore Egyptian sites and monuments and share a lasting record of the remains."<br />
<br />
"Today the Society supports archaeological research projects throughout Egypt and Sudan. We rely almost entirely on donations from members and the wider public to fund our work and run an extensive educational programme of publications and training, as well as events to convey the results to interested audiences."</blockquote>
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If you know of other high quality free educational resources for Egyptology please note them in the comments.</div>
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<br />
<blockquote class="embedly-card">
<h4>
<a href="https://www.ees.ac.uk/young-explorers-about">The Young Explorers' Club</a></h4>
Here at the Egypt Exploration Society, our mission is to document, preserve and protect the archaeology and heritage of Egypt and Sudan, but also to inspire the next generation to explore and investigate the wonderful history of these countries. That is why we have started the Young Explorers' Club.</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="UTF-8" src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js"></script><br /></div>
Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-52547710548738743192019-03-09T17:35:00.000-08:002019-03-09T17:35:54.532-08:00Armchair Archaeology: Kom Ombo Nilometer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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An important duty of priests and record keepers throughout ancient Egypt was to monitor and measure the height of the Nile. Priests knew from their regular astronomical observations that the heliacal rising of the star Sopdet (Sirius) meant that the annual Inundation (flooding) which was vital for Egypt's agriculture was imminent. The Egyptians called this Peret-Sopdet or the <i>Coming forth of Sopdet</i>.<br />
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Without the Nile's unique features and behaviour it can be argued that ancient Egyptian civilisation as we now understand it would either not have existed or been in a very different form to that we recognise today.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-doRcTQXH0ag/XH8jwKpNHVI/AAAAAAAATYw/iMA2QW5f6dAbeq_Df5FzrSlAT4dFEUY5wCEwYBhgL/s1600/Hapy%2Bby%2BAakheperure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-doRcTQXH0ag/XH8jwKpNHVI/AAAAAAAATYw/iMA2QW5f6dAbeq_Df5FzrSlAT4dFEUY5wCEwYBhgL/s640/Hapy%2Bby%2BAakheperure.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fragment of a statue of Hapy bearing a tray of agricultural<br />
produce. British Museum. Photo: Aakheperure 2016</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The complex and numerous sources of the Nile which lie far to the south, and the reason for the Inundation were not known by the ancient Egyptians, who ascribed the annual rising of the life giving waters and their rich volcanic silt deposits to the actions of gods such as ram-headed fertility god Khnum who opened mystical gates at Aswan or the return of the goddess Hathor from her desert sojourn.<br />
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The Nile itself was personified as the deity Hapy - a hermaphroditic god that symbolised the bounty that the water of the Nile brought Egypt each year at the conclusion of a successful harvest.</div>
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The extent to which the Nile rose was of critical importance to the ancient Egyptians.<br />
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Too little water and the crops would fail, but likewise, too much would be equally disastrous. Information regarding the extent of the Inundation was used to calculate taxation and plan for the release of vital supplies from the country's vast magazines of grain stores.</div>
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To measure the extent of the Nile level, the Egyptians built Nilometers. Nilometers could be constructed in a variety of ways and were located in close proximity to the river so that its level could be directly measured in set increments (cubits). A Nilometer could be:<br />
A column<br />
A stairway<br />
A well<br />
Or a combination of those architectural features. People living near bodies of water or in flood prone areas (for example near bridges) have probably seen the first two methods to measure water level in their everyday life today in the form of traffic signs, marks on bridge pylons or on dock walls.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zLp49p8YUGY/XH8sfy_N82I/AAAAAAAATY4/TWfImeDOtMs0PMs89mmoZRtwhy_NLFBlwCLcBGAs/s1600/map%2BKom%2BOmbo%2BTemple%2BNilometer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="905" height="283" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zLp49p8YUGY/XH8sfy_N82I/AAAAAAAATY4/TWfImeDOtMs0PMs89mmoZRtwhy_NLFBlwCLcBGAs/s400/map%2BKom%2BOmbo%2BTemple%2BNilometer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Now you can do your priestly duties without even getting your feet wet by exploring this terrific 3D model of the Nilometer at the Temple of Kom Ombo in southern Egypt made by Mohammed.<br />
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This Nilometer was constructed in the Roman period and lies to the north-west of the main temple complex (circled on map). The course of the Nile may have been closer to the temple in ancient times. (The course of the river has moved continuously and this is not unusual).<br />
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This model was made using Photogrammetry and software, a technique that is gaining popularity in creating models in Egyptology both in the field and to record artefacts in museums. Instead of using laser scanning devices in a survey, the models are assembled from photographs which are then processed by software to create 3D models. The results are impressive.<br />
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Click on the link below to explore this interesting measuring device at the temple for yourself.</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Note: These models can be quite large and may take some time to load but are well worth a look.</span><br />
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<blockquote class="embedly-card">
<h4>
<a href="https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/nilometer-komombo-temple-upperegypt-b822327c966b48cda2750de8a732d20f">Nilometer_KomOmbo Temple_UpperEgypt - 3D model by Mohammed (@tornado2011)</a></h4>
Kom Ombo Temple_In the North Western section of the complex of kom ombo temple is a circular well that was used as a Nilometer, a tool that the ancient Egyptians used to measure the level of the water of the Nile, similar to the one located in the Rhoda Island in Cairo.</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="UTF-8" src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js"></script><br /></div>
Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-21318146124044225632019-03-01T19:46:00.000-08:002019-03-01T19:50:43.437-08:00Online resources: Naukratis Project<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/images/respro_nauk_624x352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="624" src="https://www.britishmuseum.org/images/respro_nauk_624x352.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iekane found in the Sanctuary of Aphrodite, Naukratis 1888,0601.456 British Museum</td></tr>
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Naukratis Ναύκρατις</h4>
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While most people have heard of the famous Greek Egyptian city of Alexandria founded around 332BC, named after the Macedonian general who conquered Egypt, the Greeks had been in Egypt in large numbers prior to this.<br />
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When the rulers of the northern Saite Dynasty employed Greek mercenaries for their armies during the power struggles of the period, many Greeks lived and settled in Egypt. Naukratis lay on the Coptic Branch of the Nile some 70km south east of what would later become Alexandria in the Nile Delta.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BBz2RUul_QQ/XHin4D7hQfI/AAAAAAAATX8/hOK9cM17mf0exFiPuRQ_RRRxgTrwAvMgwCLcBGAs/s1600/map%2BNaukratis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="1194" height="306" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BBz2RUul_QQ/XHin4D7hQfI/AAAAAAAATX8/hOK9cM17mf0exFiPuRQ_RRRxgTrwAvMgwCLcBGAs/s400/map%2BNaukratis.jpg" width="400" /></a>Naukratis was most likely founded around 600BC as the first Greek enclave in Egypt. It was not affiliated with any of the Greek city states, but functioned more as a trading outpost. In this role it was an important locus for trade and cultural exchange between Egypt and the wider Mediterranean world.<br />
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The formation of the city was perhaps also a means by which the Egyptian administration could keep an eye on the mercenaries who were already in the country. The extent to which the two cultures intermixed (or not) is a fascinating aspect of studying and understanding Naukratis and its place in Egyptian history.<br />
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<a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/online_research_catalogues/ng/naukratis_greeks_in_egypt/introduction/naukratis_a_city_and_port.aspx">"Naukratis was not just a Greek but also an Egyptian town, with the Egyptian presence at the site contemporary with the Greek – though not necessarily any earlier."</a> - Alexandra Villing<br />
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Naukratis was rediscovered and excavated by Petrie in 1880s, and excavations continued by Gardner and Hogarth leading into the 20th Century. (see original EEF excavation report linked below).</div>
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Like many sites in Egypt, Naukratis had been extensively damaged by the time it was excavated by Petrie and Hogarth.<br />
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Further excavations were made in the 1970s and 1980s (American Research Center in Egypt). Modern excavations at parts of the site have been complicated by a rising water table.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/images/fig-7-naukratis-view_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="750" src="https://www.britishmuseum.org/images/fig-7-naukratis-view_l.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The site of Naukratis in 2011, looking south over the partly dried-up lake now covering much of the central part of the ancient town. Photograph Ross Thomas</td></tr>
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Thonis (Heracleion), the now submerged sister port city of Naukratis that lay at the mouth of the Coptic branch of the Nile was rediscovered after a five year search in 1999 by French marine archaeologist Franck Goddio after being spotted in the water by an RAF pilot in 1933. Thonis, its excavation and artefacts along with the Mysteries of Osiris, were the focus of the <a href="https://egyptologymd.blogspot.com/search/label/Sunken%20Cities" target="_blank">Sunken Cities</a> travelling exhibition.</div>
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The link below is to the main page of the Naukratis Project via the British Museum. It's a great resource for the history of the site, current Fieldwork at Naukratis and for students/scholars there is a Publications list.</div>
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<b>Further resources: </b></div>
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Oxford Handbooks online <a href="http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199935390.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199935390-e-114" target="_blank">Naucratis by Myrto Malouta</a> </div>
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<a href="https://archive.org/details/naukratis00petr" target="_blank">Naukratis II 1885-6</a> (EEF) Petrie, Gardiner et al<br />
<b>Photos:</b><br />
<a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details/collection_image_gallery.aspx?assetId=357028001&objectId=462545&partId=1" target="_blank">Pottery bowl decorated with female heads in relief and friezes of boars, lions, sphinxes and goats. An inscription round the rim may be translated "Asostratos dedicated me to Aphrodite".</a><br />
Map of Naukratis by the author using Google maps 2019<br />
<a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/online_research_catalogues/ng/naukratis_greeks_in_egypt/introduction/naukratis_a_city_and_port.aspx" target="_blank">Site image from 2011</a><br />
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<b>Explore Naukratis in more detail by clicking the link below</b></div>
<blockquote class="embedly-card">
<h4>
<a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/research_projects/all_current_projects/naukratis_the_greeks_in_egypt.aspx">Naukratis: the Greeks in Egypt</a></h4>
Details of a British Museum research project entitled Naukratis: the Greeks in Egypt</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="UTF-8" src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js"></script></div>
Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-18062558728478159502019-02-23T18:45:00.001-08:002019-02-26T16:51:53.555-08:00Online resources: the North Abydos Expedition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PADfOWYcqHs/XHHy27k6dZI/AAAAAAAATXY/1dbvdnDOdYgcHZh51bYGGenHQHVPdkiMgCLcBGAs/s1600/Abydos%2BKing%2Blist%2Bby%2BAakheperure%2B2016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1532" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PADfOWYcqHs/XHHy27k6dZI/AAAAAAAATXY/1dbvdnDOdYgcHZh51bYGGenHQHVPdkiMgCLcBGAs/s1600/Abydos%2BKing%2Blist%2Bby%2BAakheperure%2B2016.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Section of a King list from the Temple of Ramesses II from Abydos. British Museum EA117 photo: Aakheperure 2016</td></tr>
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Joining an increasing number of missions and institutions blogging and providing digital access to information online is the <b>North Abydos Expedition</b>, an archaeological project sponsored jointly by the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University and Princeton University.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qgic0T_7B3k/XHID5yc6d7I/AAAAAAAATXk/RCoUkyKOLr0OfUkiWxp2AcuqqFxj4HshwCLcBGAs/s1600/map%2BAbydos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="504" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qgic0T_7B3k/XHID5yc6d7I/AAAAAAAATXk/RCoUkyKOLr0OfUkiWxp2AcuqqFxj4HshwCLcBGAs/s640/map%2BAbydos.jpg" width="399" /></a></div>
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The Expedition also has a terrific <a href="https://www.instagram.com/digabydos/" target="_blank">Instagram account</a>, publishing photos and information about the hard working people involved in the Expedition and the work being carried out. You can also access the Instagram feed via the website linked below which is a neat solution for getting around some of the accessibility issues on that platform.<br />
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The blog posts images and information regarding their fieldwork, plus objects from the site that are now held elsewhere. There is also a list of other Expeditions and Projects in the vicinity, which would be useful for students of Egyptology and those wanting to learn more about the current research and activities being carried out at the site.<br />
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Originally the cult centre of Khenti-Amentiu "Foremost of the Westerners" Abydos (<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">ꜣbḏw)</i> is an ancient and important site in Upper Egypt. Over time the form and role of the local deity became more widely known as Osiris. It was thought that Abydos was the burial place of Osiris (the tomb of king Djer) and as such, became a desirable internment site and was a place of pilgrimage.<br />
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It's also the site of a unique and impressive temple built by 19th Dynasty ruler Seti I which was completed by his son Ramesses II.<br />
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To explore this awesome online resource click the link below.<br />
<blockquote class="embedly-card">
<h4>
<a href="https://abydos.org/about">About - Abydos Archaeology</a></h4>
The purpose of archaeology is to increase and share knowledge about the human story. As a research-driven archaeological project, an important part of the Expedition's mission is the dissemination of the results of our fieldwork through our website, popular and social media, educational outreach, lectures, conferences, and academic publications.</blockquote>
<script async="" charset="UTF-8" src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js"></script></div>
Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-74034257056950829702019-02-19T20:15:00.000-08:002019-02-19T20:15:43.140-08:00Understanding the news: The Grand Egyptian Museum's "Great King's Staircase"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.egypttoday.com/siteimages/Larg/57947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.egypttoday.com/siteimages/Larg/57947.jpg" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="628" /></a></div>
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If you haven't heard of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Egyptian_Museum" target="_blank">Grand Egyptian Museum</a> | <a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%AD%D9%81_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1%D9%8A_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B1" target="_blank">المتحف المصري الكبير</a> or GEM (what an appropriate acronym in English!) then here's a short story about one of the museum's features; a "Great King's Staircase" which will feature various aspects of kingship, divinity, sculpture and funerary rituals. </div>
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Hopefully this will have some sort of access for disabled visitors who may be unable to climb the stairs, because it sounds very impressive!</div>
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General Supervisor of the Grand Egyptian Museum Tarek Tawfik announced that the staircase will be divided into four parts which will feature different aspects of ancient Egypt from a royal perspective with accompanying artefacts which will be displayed on the staircase. Some 24 of a planned 87 statues have been moved to the museum so far.</div>
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<i>from the linked article:</i></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">The “Great Staircase” located in the Grand Egyptian Museum will focus on portraying the kings and gods of the Ancient Egyptian era. This part of the museum will be divided into four sections; the first section will focus on portraying how the King/God was sculptured during the ancient Egyptian Era. The sizes of the statues will be of various sizes, but all will be sculptured using the three dimensions effect. </span></div>
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The second section will focus on the role of the king's priestly duties, the third with the king's role as intermediary with the gods, and the fourth concerns the funerary rituals associated with a royal burial.</div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;">The royal pyramids in Giza will be visible outside a panoramic window in the upper part of the “Great Staircase” to reflect the image of eternal royalty. </span></div>
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Work on the museum began in 2012 after being delayed by the Revolution of the Arab Spring in 2011, which saw the collection in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo damaged and some items stolen (some of which have been recovered). The project has hit several snags and obstacles on the way, but many objects have now been painstakingly packed and moved from the Cairo Museum to the GEM in a process which has taken years of planning and many months to complete.</div>
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In the image from the article you can see the now installed colossal statue of Ramesses II which greets visitors. The museum will be home to thousands of artefacts, including the treasures from Tutankhamun's tomb. (KV62) Objects from the tomb of Psusennes are (at time of writing) to remain in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.[1]</div>
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Tip: You can search for other posts about the Grand Egyptian Museum by using the label search in the sidebar of the blog.</div>
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For more info see: <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/egypt-open-museum-hopes-boosting-tourism/story?id=56257771" target="_blank">Egypt to open new museum in hopes of boosting tourism</a> By Randa Ali CAIRO — Jun 30, 2018<br />
[1] <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_Museum" target="_blank">The Egyptian Museum Cairo</a> | <a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%AD%D9%81_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1%D9%8A" target="_blank">المتحف المصري</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.egypttoday.com/Article/4/64834/GEM-s-Great-Staircase-to-illustrate-life-of-Ancient-Egyptian">GEM's Great Staircase to illustrate life of Ancient Egyptian gods/kings</a></h4>
CAIRO - 17 February 2019: General Supervisor of the Grand Egyptian Museum Tarek Tawfik affirmed that the artifacts set to be displayed on the "Kings' Great Staircase" will be transferred to the museum after completion of the construction works.</blockquote>
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Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-13730440001338962372019-02-09T17:13:00.000-08:002019-02-09T17:13:26.053-08:00Feature object: Statue of Metjetji, Old Kingdom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue of Metjetji via Google Cultural Institute</td></tr>
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Let's look in detail at the exquisite wooden statue from the Old Kingdom held in the Brooklyn Museum. </div>
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The statue is one of a number of <i>ka</i> statues meant to represent the deceased. It shows Metjetji in a typically modified striding pose with the left foot forward which is typical of ancient Egyptian art. As is common with these quasi-contraposto compositions, the left foot had been detached, possibly due to structural weakness.</div>
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Although the piece is an idealised portrayal, it also includes personalised details which inform us about the owner and their life.</div>
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Metjetji was a high official who lived during the reign of 5th Dynasty king Wenis (Unas).</div>
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In this portrayal, he wears a short wig, and is clean-shaven, although moustaches (eg prince Nefermaat) and small beards were also worn during this period. Elsewhere in his tomb he was portrayed with a longer wig and a small beard (see links to other collections below).<br />
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Like most people, Metjetji most likely wore a number of different hairstyles and attire during his life. An example of different attire can be seen in the smallest of the three statues in the Brooklyn Museum which shows Metjetji with a shaved head and a long white linen kilt suggestive of priestly or ceremonial duties.</div>
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As evidence of his status, he wears two broad collars one of which is unfastened - its ends hang down either side of his chest. He is also wearing a short kilt which is decorated by a beaded apron.</div>
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This statue would have been interred in the owner's tomb and its functions could include receiving offerings of sustenance on behalf of the deceased or serve as an abode for the soul should the owner's mummy be damaged or destroyed.</div>
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A number of <i>ka</i> statues for this man have been found, which suggests he was an individual of importance - having the means to have multiple images of good quality commissioned or gifted to him for his burial. In some instances tomb owners record the gifting of tomb architecture by the king himself as evidence of their importance in Egyptian society, thereby proving they were worthy to receive cultic offerings.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://d1lfxha3ugu3d4.cloudfront.net/images/opencollection/objects/size2/50.77_51.1_53.222_SL4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://d1lfxha3ugu3d4.cloudfront.net/images/opencollection/objects/size2/50.77_51.1_53.222_SL4.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue of Metjetji, ca. 2371-2288 B.C.E. Wood, pigment, 27 9/16 in. <br />
Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 53.222.</td></tr>
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The style of Metjetji's wig and facial sculpt is indicative of the Old Kingdom. Both men and women wore wigs in ancient Egypt. This short wig style was common in the Old Kingdom, although it was worn during other periods and became popular among some royal women in the Middle (eg the wives of Montuhotep II) and New Kingdom (eg Kiya). </div>
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Wood was a valuable resource in ancient Egypt, native timbers were unsuitable for most furniture because of their size and shape, so timber was one of the most important imports from Egypt's neighbours to the north east. Native timbers <i>could</i> be used for objects but often required filling and joining. Note the rough base made of lesser quality timber.<br />
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The statue is made in various pieces held together with a variety of different joints some of which, due to damage, can now be seen, such as those securing the arms. (Probably via a pinned or pegged tenon). X-rays (see Brooklyn Museum site linked below) show the statue was fixed to its base using a mortise and tenon joint.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uuhmiOI0i-Q/XFzZzXueh4I/AAAAAAAAS-4/yHMGXBmqd78z-qXguw3d5zkpJXwMabzqACLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-02-08%2Bat%2B12.13.07%2Bpm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="1193" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uuhmiOI0i-Q/XFzZzXueh4I/AAAAAAAAS-4/yHMGXBmqd78z-qXguw3d5zkpJXwMabzqACLcBGAs/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2019-02-08%2Bat%2B12.13.07%2Bpm.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of chest showing pinned tenon joints on either side of the chest to secure the arms</td></tr>
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After the statue was assembled, it was coated with gesso - a mixture of chalky powder or gypsum and binder. This covered blemishes and provided a surface for painting. The details have been painted using powdered mineral pigments which were often bound with agents like gum arabic - made from powdered resin. The gesso and paintwork have been damaged on this artefact but much of the original detail survives.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of beaded apron and short kilt</td></tr>
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One of the most beautiful details of this piece, and certainly the one that most caught my eye to select this piece for the post, is the beaded apron Metjetji wears at the side of his short kilt which is secured with a knot. He may also have a short baton tucked in his waistband. It's a reminder of colourful decorative garb such as beaded netting and ornamental aprons that was probably more prevalent in ancient Egyptian life than funerary art might lead us to assume. </div>
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The hands appear to be holding what might be kerchiefs, an artistic device which appears in sculpture from the Old Kingdom onwards in which the hands appear to be holding a small object. This may be symbolic of linen, or a solution to the difficulty of internal spaces in early sculpture. For a discussion of the possible meaning of this artistic convention, see link below[1].</div>
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<a href="https://d1lfxha3ugu3d4.cloudfront.net/images/opencollection/objects/size2/CUR.53.222_back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="384" height="240" src="https://d1lfxha3ugu3d4.cloudfront.net/images/opencollection/objects/size2/CUR.53.222_back.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brooklyn Museum, CUR.53.222_back.jpg</td></tr>
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We rarely get to see more than one view of objects, so let's take advantage of one of the different views available for this piece and check out the back. If you get the opportunity in a museum to look at the sides and backs of the artefacts, take it, surprising details await you there!</div>
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Here we can see the painted beaded counterpoise for Metjetji's broadcollar - it is designed to balance the weight of the collar and helps it to sit without sagging on the wearer and is of a standard shape.</div>
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If you would like to research this individual further, <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/543907" target="_blank">Metjetji's false door was gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, </a>while <a href="https://www.louvre.fr/en/mediaimages/paintings-tomb-metjetji-0" target="_blank">paintings from his tomb are in the Louvre.</a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bQji7QcWJdc/XEVPmT2kV7I/AAAAAAAAS3M/AQgxf4oB_BU7WHUlW25DFyMp7uUnCnmvwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/divider.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="91" data-original-width="1600" height="36" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bQji7QcWJdc/XEVPmT2kV7I/AAAAAAAAS3M/AQgxf4oB_BU7WHUlW25DFyMp7uUnCnmvwCPcBGAYYCw/s640/divider.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<b>References and further reading</b><br />
[1] Free pdf download of the article (1975)<br />
<a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications/elusive_shape_within_fisted_hands_of_egyptian_statues_the_metropolitan_museum_journal_v_10_1975">https://www.metmuseum.org/art/metpublications/elusive_shape_within_fisted_hands_of_egyptian_statues_the_metropolitan_museum_journal_v_10_1975</a><br />
<i>Detail images screencapped from:</i> <a href="https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/statue-of-metjetji/WwFlDmvuE5I_qw">https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/statue-of-metjetji/WwFlDmvuE5I_qw</a><br />
Explore the Statue of Metjetji more at the Brooklyn Museum:<br />
<a href="https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/3593">https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/3593</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/3593">Brooklyn Museum</a></h4>
These two wooden statues, like another example nearby, come from the tomb of an official named Metjetji. They depict him at different stages of his career, signified by different details of his costume. On these statues, the unusually well-preserved paint shows beaded jewelry around his neck and strands of beads hanging from his belt.</blockquote>
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Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-76026385076274920922019-02-01T19:41:00.000-08:002019-02-01T19:41:09.790-08:00Understanding the news: Tutankhamun's Tomb Finally restored<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sarcophagus of the boy pharaoh on display in his newly renovated tomb. Reuters: Mohamed Abd El Ghany (via abc.net.au)</td></tr>
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Tutankhamun's Tomb Finally restored<br />
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The survival of tombs and their artefacts is largely dependant on their location away from the Nile - in the less humid western desert and cliffs, protection from insects and light. These preservation factors are all compromised once a tomb is opened and exposed to visitors, well meaning or not.</div>
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This story highlights some of the difficulties faced in finding the balance between making sites of importance accessible while preserving them not only from deliberate damage and vandalism but from day to day wear and tear along with other sometimes unforeseen impacts such as the change in humidity. You'd be surprised at how much damage just breathing can do to an ancient site.</div>
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Salt efflorescence, a process where mineral salts leech out of the rock into which a tomb is cut can form crystals which literally push paintings off the wall. (KV22 Amenhotep III is an example of this). This process is caused by moisture interacting with the naturally occurring salts and can be exacerbated by the increase in humidity caused by frequent visitors.</div>
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Recently 3D scans have been conducted on a number of tombs and reconstructions made, including KV17 the tomb of Seti I[1], which is a personal favorite of mine because of its many unique features.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.factum-arte.com/resources/images/ff/heritage_conservation/facsimiles/tnpi/tutankhamun/recording/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.factum-arte.com/resources/images/ff/heritage_conservation/facsimiles/tnpi/tutankhamun/recording/12.jpg" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="560" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nub 3D structured light scanner recording the west side of the sarcophagus. Factum Foundation, 2009</td></tr>
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While some people are reluctant to accept these models as substitutes to the 'real thing' - if visiting the original site destroys it, one has to question the legitimacy of such an action. Certainly nothing quite beats seeing an original site, but it should be remembered these sites are tombs. They were never designed to be the theatre for oggling tourists or souvenir hunters, they are designed as resurrection machines to ensure the continued existence of the owner's <i>ka</i>. I don't advocate shutting tombs to the public entirely, I am a supporter of education and opportunity to visit ancient sites, but I would offer the caveat: "not if it destroys them" and it should also be noted that facsimiles can actually be more accessible to differently abled people - which is always a good thing, and not only that, they can be dismantled and travel to different locations, thereby increasing accessibility even further.</div>
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This restoration work has taken a great deal of time and expense, hopefully the more sustainable tourism it generates can bring in much needed funds for further restoration work to be undertaken elsewhere in Egypt.</div>
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[1] For more information on scanning the tomb of Seti I (Tutankhamun and Stoppelaere House), see this <a href="http://www.factum-arte.com/resources/files/ff/publications_PDF/17p0006_w_pamphlet_all_withcover.pdf" target="_blank">free pdf pamphlet</a> </div>
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Image: <a href="http://www.factumfoundation.org/pag/207/Recording-the-Tomb-of-Tutankamun" target="_blank">Scanning Tutankhamun's tomb by Factum Arte 2009</a></div>
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Read more about the restoration below:</div>
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<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-01/tutankhamans-tomb-to-restored-after-years-of-damage/10770272">Tutankhamun's tomb restored after years of damage by tourists</a></h4>
Posted February 01, 2019 14:14:29 A century after the tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered, revealing the mummified boy-king buried more than 3,000 years ago, it has re-opened, brighter and safer thanks to painstaking work to repair damage caused by dust, damp and visitors.</blockquote>
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Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-39000234784410063602019-01-25T15:08:00.000-08:002019-04-13T18:59:20.762-07:00News: Upper Egypt's Dendera Temple to be converted into open-air museum<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dendera Temple - Ahram Online 2019</td></tr>
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مجمع معابد دندرة</div>
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Over the last 18 months, the Ministry of Antiquities has announced the development of various open air museums at significant sites around Egypt. Kicking off 2019 is the announcement that the area around the Temple of Dendera is under development.</div>
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The Ministry of Antiquities is working with a French Archaeological Mission to create various displays at the site including the installation of large platforms on which to showcase original architectural features and finds such as "engraved blocks, stelae and statues uncovered in the area and left in situ since their initial discovery."</div>
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The blocks have been arranged in the open courtyard at the front of the temple and are joined by statues of various Egyptian deities, including the goddess Hathor, a deity of both state and household importance whose cult was important at this site, and the household deity Bes who was associated with the home and protection.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dendera Temple Complex مجمع معابد دندرة</td></tr>
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<u>More about the Temple</u></div>
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This significant Temple lies in Upper Egypt to the north of Thebes at a bend in the Nile river at Dendera or ancient Iunet - a provincial capital of importance during several periods of Egypt's history.</div>
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Early texts refer to the temple being rebuilt in the Old Kingdom, with importance placed upon the site during the New Kingdom, while the temple of Hathor which remains at the site today, dates to the Greco-Roman Period.</div>
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The temple has many interesting and unique features, for example, like other Egyptian temples, it is orientated towards the Nile, but because of the bend in the river, it faces north rather than the usual east/west. The structure of the temple also points to New Year festivals celebrated at the site being performed on the roof of the temple when Hathor's <i>ba</i> statue would be moved from the shrine for ritual purposes.</div>
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Originally, temples to Hathor's consort Horus and offspring Ihy stood nearby, but these have not survived.</div>
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UPDATE: The Ministry of Antiquities announced that work on the upgrade was completed on the 12th of March 2019. [<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; text-align: start; white-space: pre-wrap;">https://twitter.com/AntiquitiesOf/status/1105225710443159559?s=20]</span></div>
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<i>References:</i></div>
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Wilkinson, R. (2000). <i>The complete temples of ancient Egypt.</i> London: Thames & Hudson. (pp149-51)</div>
<a href="http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/321784.aspx">http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/321784.aspx</a><br />
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<blockquote class="embedly-card">
<h4>
<a href="http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/321784.aspx">Upper Egypt's Dendera Temple to be converted into open-air museum - Ancient Egypt - Heritage - Ahram Online</a></h4>
Upper Egypt's Dendera Temple to be converted into open-air museum</blockquote>
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Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-84428761810518361172018-12-28T15:39:00.000-08:002019-01-21T00:37:08.863-08:00Understanding the news: Domestic shrine for ancestor worship, New Kingdom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://telledfu.uchicago.edu/sites/telledfu.uchicago.edu/files/styles/galleryimage/public/uploads/images/Figure%202.jpg?itok=9Q0F1xXY" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="425" src="https://telledfu.uchicago.edu/sites/telledfu.uchicago.edu/files/styles/galleryimage/public/uploads/images/Figure%202.jpg?itok=9Q0F1xXY" width="640" /></a></div>
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<strong>Understanding the news: Domestic shrine for ancestor worship, New Kingdom</strong><br />
Most people know about the grand temples of Egypt but the temples were just one aspect of religious life in ancient Egypt. These discoveries at Tell Edfu, made in December 2018 will hopefully inform our understanding of the less grand but none the less important worship that took place in households throughout Egypt.<br />
<br />
The team lead by Prof. Nadine Moeller and Dr. Gregory Marouad discovered a "well-preserved domestic sanctuary dedicated to the cult of the family ancestors. Numerous elements attesting to the cult activity have been found near a small fire place and offering table, including a very rare example of an ancestor bust and a statuette of a seated scribe" while excavating a large villa.<br />
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Click the image to read the press release and view the image slideshow.<br />
<a class="embedly-card" data-card-recommend="0" data-card-width="100%" href="http://bit.ly/2EQywJj">http://bit.ly/2EQywJj</a><script async="" charset="UTF-8" src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js"></script></div>
Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-84223729690017324912018-12-26T20:26:00.000-08:002019-01-20T04:15:09.684-08:00The world's first MA Egyptology course taught ONLINE will start in 2019at the University of Manchester.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.egyptologyonline.manchester.ac.uk/study/studybanner_1400x500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="800" src="http://www.egyptologyonline.manchester.ac.uk/study/studybanner_1400x500.jpg" /></a></div><strong>The world's first MA Egyptology course taught ONLINE will start in 2019 at the University of Manchester.</strong><br />
Please pass this link on to anyone you think would be interested in studying Egyptology formally at an excellent British institution.<br />
For information on the Taster and Short courses, plus the Certificate and Diploma see: <a href="http://bit.ly/2EN7fr6">http://bit.ly/2EN7fr6</a><br />
(The Certificate and Diploma courses are credit bearing).<br />
<a class="embedly-card" data-card-recommend="0" data-card-width="100%" href="http://bit.ly/2EELrxH" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/2EELrxH</a><script async="" charset="UTF-8" src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js"></script></div>Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-13312581719571987842018-12-22T19:08:00.000-08:002019-01-19T19:22:45.969-08:00Understanding the news: More fascinating finds from Saqqara (OldKingdom) and Gebel el Silsila (New Kingdom)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong>Understanding the news: More fascinating finds from Saqqara (Old Kingdom) and Gebel el Silsila (New Kingdom)</strong><br />
The big flashy news for December 2018 was the discovery of the (probably) intact tomb of a nobleman from Saqqara (if you missed that see it here: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-46580264">https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-46580264</a>) <br />
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But another story has emerged from the area of Gebel el Silsila (Aswan Region) where a Swedish-Egyptian mission led by Dr. Maria Nilsson and John Ward (Lund University), discovered what appears to be a mass grave from the New Kingdom (18th Dynasty). I've decided to write about this one, because it's received much less love (or should that be hype?) than the discovery at Saqqara (which, is admittedly much prettier but both these discoveries are very important).<br />
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Working at the site is difficult due to the presence of a lot of water, but the team has managed to identify approximately 60 individuals in the "human soup" that has flooded the shafts. It is likely that the burials are representative of a community of families from ancient Kheny for several generations who lived during the reign of Thutmose II - Amunhotep II. This discovery should inform us about the burial of more ordinary people outside the administrative capital of ancient Egypt and other urban areas.<br />
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"The burial goods contain several artefacts of importance, including dozens of scarabs, amulets, beads, seals, bracelets, large amphorae, beer jugs, bowls, pilgrim flasks, and various storage jars, etc."<br />
<i>Mission blog:</i><br />
<a href="http://gebelelsilsilaepigraphicsurveyproject.blogspot.com/2018/12/new-discovery-intact-mass-grave.html">http://gebelelsilsilaepigraphicsurveyproject.blogspot.com/2018/12/new-discovery-intact-mass-grave.html</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AKBaVvDJTyw/XBJKlVaQctI/AAAAAAAAGCs/HzwJjXxnIqkTqC6u7fZkgmmJFj-Tz8p0QCEwYBhgL/s1600/Preparing%2BSarc%2B3%2Bto%2Bbe%2Blifted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AKBaVvDJTyw/XBJKlVaQctI/AAAAAAAAGCs/HzwJjXxnIqkTqC6u7fZkgmmJFj-Tz8p0QCEwYBhgL/s320/Preparing%2BSarc%2B3%2Bto%2Bbe%2Blifted.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The team (l-r: Ibrahim, John, Ali, Ahmed) prepare one of the child sarcophagi to be lifted © Gebel el Silsila Project 2018</td></tr>
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Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-80995013129364341842018-12-14T19:49:00.000-08:002019-01-27T16:02:51.317-08:00A nice little review of some of the amazing discoveries made in Egypt in 2018<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
A nice little review of some of the amazing discoveries made in Egypt in 2018<br />
From Egypt Today By: Angy Essam Tue, Dec. 11, 2018<br />
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Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-24273112619318019742018-12-08T16:22:00.000-08:002019-01-19T19:22:47.163-08:00Understanding the news: More from the Middle Kingdom found near the Fayoum<strong>Understanding the news: More from the Middle Kingdom found near the Fayoum</strong><br />
An Egyptian mission directed by Dr. Aiman Ashmawi this week announced the discovery of a Middle Kingdom tomb shaft at the Kom El Khelua necropolis near Fayoum. This fascinating area around a blind branch of the Nile may have been the location of the first settlers in Egypt - initially still hunter-gatherers, prior to movement into the Nile Valley and has a long history.<br />
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The find spot dates to the reign of Middle Kingdom king King Amenemhat III (1842-1799 B.C) but because it was reused as a Christian settlement and the archaeological finds in the tomb shaft have suffered damage.<br />
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The burial shaft appears to have originally served 3 burial chambers, with some wreckage of funerary items such as canopic jars and pottery being found. This tomb is near the tomb of a prince which was excavated in the 1980s by an Italian mission.<br />
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<i>Story link - Luxor Times: <a href="http://luxortimesmagazine.blogspot.com/2018/12/middle-kingdom-burial-shaft-discovered.html">http://luxortimesmagazine.blogspot.com/2018/12/middle-kingdom-burial-shaft-discovered.html</a></i><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vPdJYNYfrq8/XAk52xcapCI/AAAAAAAAFVo/_44zmxwhMl4Wq_se3hrPQvw2rCK51eT6wCEwYBhgL/s640/Fayoum%2BDiscovery%2Bby%2BLuxor%2BTimes%2B04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="640" height="201" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vPdJYNYfrq8/XAk52xcapCI/AAAAAAAAFVo/_44zmxwhMl4Wq_se3hrPQvw2rCK51eT6wCEwYBhgL/s320/Fayoum%2BDiscovery%2Bby%2BLuxor%2BTimes%2B04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-5823483738575020382018-12-01T18:07:00.000-08:002019-01-19T19:22:50.550-08:00Understanding the news: Late Period Mummies, Middle Kingdom Pyramid<strong>Understanding the news: Late Period Mummies, Middle Kingdom Pyramid</strong><br />
"It's not unusual -" as Tom Jones might have sung, but a lot of people might be a bit confused by this. However, it's quite common to find objects of different periods in the same locations in Egypt. <br />
This is because the sites retained significance or were otherwise continually used over long periods of time.<br />
These Late Period mummies (from around 664-332 BCE) were found at Dahshur, the site of 12th Dynasty Middle Kingdom ruler Amenemhat II's 'White Pyramid' which is now largely rubble. It's modern name comes from the white limestone remains of the pyramid. The area was excavated in 1894 and 1895 by Jacques de Morgan, with these discoveries being made by modern Egyptologists exploring the site more fully.<br />
<a class="embedly-card" data-card-recommend="0" data-card-width="100%" href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2018/11/ancient-egypt-mummies-discovery-pyramid/">https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2018/11/ancient-egypt-mummies-discovery-pyramid/</a><script async="" charset="UTF-8" src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js"></script>Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-77878030848099999262018-11-23T19:32:00.000-08:002019-01-27T16:08:29.592-08:00Understanding the news: Inscriptions from the Temple of Ra, New Kingdom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://see.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/PHOTO-2018-11-20-22-07-41-1-300x168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://see.news/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/PHOTO-2018-11-20-22-07-41-1-300x168.jpg" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" /></a></div>
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<strong>Understanding the news: Inscriptions from the Temple of Ra, New Kingdom</strong><br />
This one might go 'under the radar' for a lot of people but it's actually quite exciting news. Never heard of the Temple of Ra? That's why it's quite exciting.<br />
The temple of Ra is at Heliopolis and its archaeology is somewhat problematic because the site has been in constant use for thousands of years - the earliest features have been long since destroyed, buried or obscured by that usage. This find gives us a little glimpse into the additions made to the temple by Ramesses II in the New Kingdom, many centuries after the site was established for cult.<br />
"When it comes to ancient Egyptian worship, Heliopolis is one of the most significant archaeological sites throughout Egypt. The site is located on the north-eastern periphery of present-day Cairo, where large parts of the ancient stratigraphy are overbuilt by modern urban structures.<br />
In ancient times, however, the temple of Heliopolis served as the centre for the worship of the sun for more than 2500 years. Therefore, the Greeks gave the site the name Heliopolis: City of the Sun. The site originally bore the ancient Egyptian name Iwnw, which was later transformed into On in the Old Testament." [1]<br />
"Egyptian archaeologists digging in Cairo have found two blocks of limestone with inscriptions belonging to an engineer who worked for Ramses II, one of the most celebrated and longest ruling pharoahs [sic] in ancient Egypt.<br />
The Antiquities Ministry said on Wednesday that the artefacts were found in the Temple of Ra, the ancient Egyptian god of the sun, in Cairo's Matariya neighbourhood.<br />
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Egyptologist Mamdouh el-Damaty says the inscriptions show that the engineer had supervised the building of a booth with a seat used by Ramses II during celebrations and public gatherings. Ramses II ruled for more than 60 years, from roughly 1279-1213 BC." [2]<br />
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More about the site of Heliopolis: <br />
Official site of the Egyptian/German mission at Heliopolis: <a href="http://www.heliopolisproject.org/">http://www.heliopolisproject.org/</a><br />
[1] <a href="http://www.heliopolisproject.org/site-information/">http://www.heliopolisproject.org/site-information/</a><br />
[2] <a href="https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/society/2018/11/22/archaeologists-discover-ramses-ii-inscriptions-in-temple-of-ra">https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/society/2018/11/22/archaeologists-discover-ramses-ii-inscriptions-in-temple-of-ra</a><br />
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<a class="embedly-card" data-card-recommend="0" data-card-width="100%" href="http://see.news/egyptian-expedition-unearths-limestone-blocks-in-temple-of-ra/">http://see.news/egyptian-expedition-unearths-limestone-blocks-in-temple-of-ra/</a><script async="" charset="UTF-8" src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js"></script></div>
Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-39401263750341170822018-11-17T16:23:00.000-08:002019-02-14T18:57:13.343-08:00Understanding the news: More cat mummies - this time from the OldKingdom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/8DE6/production/_104262363_050515182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="660" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/8DE6/production/_104262363_050515182.jpg" /></a></div>
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<strong>Understanding the news: More cat mummies - this time from the Old Kingdom</strong><br />
Perhaps the real story here should be about the usual glaring errors in stories about ancient Egypt that, along with pseudoscience add to the confusion of the average person trying to understand this complex and wonderful topic. I shall try to untangle the most significant errors in this brief post.<br />
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One of the most glaring errors is, as usual, the dating. Many sources are reporting that the mummies are from 6,000 years ago. This is an error. The mummies are dated to the 5th Dynasty, during the Old Kingdom which is around <strong>2686-2160 BCE</strong>[1]. The 5th Dynasty falls in the latter part of the Old Kingdom so this makes the mummies around <strong>4,000</strong> years old.<br />
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The cat mummies found at Saqqara <em>are</em> much older than the much later usual Ptolemaic necropolis ones found in huge numbers - their appearance is quite different and highlights the fact that mummification as a process developed over a long period of time. It should be remembered that these animals are not pets but offerings.<br />
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Also found were large scarab beetles in their own coffins, and while the wording of some articles suggests they were 'mummified' this has not been tested and is probably not the case. Because insects have an exoskeleton they do tend to 'self' preserve somewhat better than their counterparts who do not. Mummification involves removing internal organs and drying a corpse in order to preserve it.<br />
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I've had a bit of difficulty (as usual) finding reports that are factually accurate for this story, so my linked article for this week is actually a series of photos from the dig. Click to browse through them.<br />
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[1] Shaw, I (Ed) (2000) Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, Oxford: Oxford University Press p.480<br />
<a class="embedly-card" data-card-recommend="0" data-card-width="100%" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-46167334">https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-46167334</a><script async="" charset="UTF-8" src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js"></script></div>
Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-30920725047175680172018-11-10T15:36:00.000-08:002019-02-14T18:59:09.545-08:00Feature Object: Arched Shoulder Harp, New Kingdom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://collectionapi.metmuseum.org/api/collection/v1/iiif/546194/1337474/main-image" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://collectionapi.metmuseum.org/api/collection/v1/iiif/546194/1337474/main-image" /></a></div>
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<strong>Feature Object: Arched Shoulder Harp, New Kingdom</strong><br />
Music and musicians played a role in both sacred and secular contexts in ancient Egypt. Music and dance is depicted in the context of tombs such as Nebamun[1] (New Kingdom) and on the walls of significant temples, which had their own staff of singers, dancers and musicians.<br />
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It's hard to know how instruments were tuned and played in Ancient Egypt but a few precious examples of instruments have survived. <br />
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Tomb walls from the Middle Kingdom and Papyri from the New Kingdom (such as Harris 500[2]) do provide us with some lyrics, which often extol the audience to cherish life and celebrate it.<br />
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This beautiful example is from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. <br />
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[1] <a href="https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/a-feast-for-nebamun-the-top-half-of-a-scene-from-the-tomb-chapel-of-nebamun/MgGAnWLJymZxMA">https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/a-feast-for-nebamun-the-top-half-of-a-scene-from-the-tomb-chapel-of-nebamun/MgGAnWLJymZxMA</a><br />
[2] <a href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details/collection_image_gallery.aspx?assetId=438703&objectId=110336&partId=1">https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details/collection_image_gallery.aspx?assetId=438703&objectId=110336&partId=1</a><br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harper%27s_Songs">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harper%27s_Songs</a><br />
<a class="embedly-card" data-card-recommend="0" data-card-width="100%" href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/546194">https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/546194</a><script async="" charset="UTF-8" src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js"></script></div>
Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-20854537083970423092018-11-04T00:56:00.000-07:002019-02-14T19:00:51.554-08:00How time flies! 96th Anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
How time flies!<br />
<a class="embedly-card" data-card-recommend="0" data-card-width="100%" href="https://www.egyptindependent.com/luxor-celebrates-the-96th-anniversary-of-discovering-the-tomb-of-tutankhamun/">https://www.egyptindependent.com/luxor-celebrates-the-96th-anniversary-of-discovering-the-tomb-of-tutankhamun/</a><script async="" charset="UTF-8" src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js"></script></div>
Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1359631685913406763.post-7421055770291880822018-10-27T19:42:00.000-07:002019-01-19T19:22:52.371-08:00Understanding the news: Ramesses II sat here, New Kingdom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><strong>Understanding the news: Ramesses II sat here, New Kingdom</strong><br />
It was important for Egyptian rulers to see and be seen from one end of the Nile to the other. Rulers often had more than one palace, but since these were usually built from mud brick and were abandoned after the death of the ruler, little archaeological evidence of these survives - although we know from pictorial evidence that they could contain a 'Window of Appearances' at which the ruler could stand and be seen. <br />
This little platform which was discovered recently near Heliopolis is an example of a place where the ruler could sit to receive subjects, possibly to bestow gifts and observe events. A rare and fascinating find!<br />
<a class="embedly-card" data-card-recommend="0" data-card-width="100%" href="https://phys.org/news/2018-10-egyptian-archaeologists-pharaoh-booth.html">https://phys.org/news/2018-10-egyptian-archaeologists-pharaoh-booth.html</a><script async="" charset="UTF-8" src="//cdn.embedly.com/widgets/platform.js"></script></div>Aakheperurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16831538102671401871noreply@blogger.com3