Interview with Dr Salima Ikram

American Chronicle (interview by Saqqara Aleister)

Dr. Salima Ikram is a leading expert on animal mummies and as founder and co-director of the animal Mummy project at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo she combines an understanding of the past with a passion for preserving the future and has brought the little known world of animal mummies to light.

Dr. Ikram is also a professor of Egyptology at The American University in Cairo, a grantee of the National Geographic Society's Committee for Research and Exploration as well as an international guest speaker.

A specialist in zooarchaeology, mummification, daily life in ancient Egypt, tomb decoration and ancient foods Dr. Ikram has been involved in various research projects throughout Egypt such as, The Theban Mapping Project along with a variety of books, being a consultant Egyptologist at Giza, Saqqara, Abu Sir, Valley of the Kings and her latest project, being Co-Director of the North Kharga Oasis Survey.

Saqqara Aleister: What new things are you working on in Egypt?

Salima Ikram: I have been working in Kharga Oasis and we have found evidence for human occupation dating to C. 20,000 BC if not earlier. We have campsites, places where tools were made, jewellery (ostrich egg beads in particular) production centers, and rock art. We also have evidence for activity in the remote areas of the Western Desert during the pharaonic period in the form of inscriptions and camp sites. Obviously there was more trade and exploration from the Southwestern sides of the country than one might have expected.

Also, in the Valley of the Kings I work with Otto Schaden at KV63, a 'tomb' that is really an embalming cache, and also with Donald Ryan on a group of tombs dating to the 18th dynasty. One of these tombs might have been the final resting place of Hatshepsut.