Egyptology News from 23rd May to 1st June 2013

Tomb of Pennut, Lake Nasser

There's been some really interesting news in the last couple of weeks from different research projects, including the use of meteorite materials to create ornamental items 5000 years ago, and a rather tragic case of child abuse in Roman-Christian Dakhleh Oasis. Sadly, there has been even more news on the subject of threats to heritage in Egypt. It reads as something of a litany of disaster when assembled in one place. Hopefully the new minister, about whom there is a piece on Al Ahram Weekly, will begin to tackle it, although with a shortage of funds it is difficult to see what steps he will be able to take. Fortunately, there is some good news as well, about the protection of certain sites and the removal of graffiti.



Fieldwork  

Update on the reconstruction of the false door in the tomb of Karakhamun, South Asasif, Luxor. South Asasif Project http://bit.ly/11K1l14 

Amarna period discovery, Luxor: Arqueólogos hallan los primeros relieves del gobernador perseguido por Ajenaton. IEAE http://bit.ly/19oxTPD   

Excavating at Amarna South Tombs Cemetery: pondering the ethics of working with human remains. Powerhouse Museum http://bit.ly/1aeHczo 

Research

Canadian researcher uncovers first evidence of child abuse in ancient Egypt at Roman Dakhleh Oasis. The Star http://bit.ly/140R6Vi 

More re 2-3-yr-old child in Romano-Christian cemy in Dakhleh Oasis whose remains suggest physical abuse. Live Science http://bit.ly/12Lp11e 

Report on how iron was obtained from meteorites in AE millennia before the earliest evidence of iron smelting. Nature http://bit.ly/17uRDTs 

More re new research showing that AE iron bead found inside a 5000-yr-old tomb was crafted from meteorite. Discovery http://bit.ly/18zj9ic 

The first ever complete leatherwork of an AE chariot will reveal the technology used to produce it. Ahram Weekly http://bit.ly/199Llqs 

Some Notes on Health Problems in Ancient Egypt and Nubia: part 3. By Joyce Filer on her blog: http://bit.ly/10ExKVc 


Heritage Management and Looting

Two weeks ago Ahmed Eissa became minister of state for antiquities and now faces an uphill battle. Al Ahram Weekly http://bit.ly/17yNj5D 

AE artefacts deteriorate in Cairo’s central museum due to poor conditions, lack of resources. Ahram Online http://bit.ly/1aebHoX 

Shenhur Temple, Qena, needs restoration after stone robbing, lime burning + groundwater and now used to dump rubbish http://bit.ly/1145NBG 

Egypt's lost antiquities: After the uprising of 2010, much was stolen or neglected. Philly http://bit.ly/13eCXl7 

Historic gate in Islamic Cairo was demolished, Sunday, raising questions about saving Egypt's heritage. Aswat Masriya http://bit.ly/141fvGS. If you have Facebook access here are some photos of the demolished Islamic Cairo gateway. So sad. Aswat Masriya http://on.fb.me/12MKwyL 

Chinese Tourist Vandalizes Egyptian Temple, Pisses Off China. With photo. Gadling http://aol.it/14TsEoh 

Adolescente chino desfigura una escultura egipcia milenaria y desata la ira de Internet. CNN http://bit.ly/13YSPqP 

Egypt's antiquities face bigger problems than Chinese graffiti. CS Monitor http://bit.ly/11v9ztL 

Video: Graffiti clean-up at Luxor. Reuters http://reut.rs/13fQb0T . Via @JaneAkshar

Beautiful Islamic antiquities looted or neglected over the last 2 years following the 2011 uprising. Huffington Post http://huff.to/189w4XJ 

Local community's campaign to protect Dashur pyramids has resulted in police and army protection. Past Preservers http://bit.ly/11tCfmT

Demolerán el cementerio ilegal construido cerca de las pirámides de Dahshur. Ushebtis http://bit.ly/13W2ku0 

In Spanish. Inauguration of plan to improve security and visitor experience at the Giza pyramids. El Confidencial http://bit.ly/12TSo1A   

Protecting temples of Luxor. Lanzan un proyecto hispano-egipcio para iluminar y vigilar los templos de Luxor. Yahoo http://bit.ly/12jFuz3 


Books

New Book: French, P. 2013. The Anubieion at Saqqara III: Pottery from the Archaic to the 3rd Intermediate Period. EES http://bit.ly/ZcFw7L 

Book review: S. P. Vleeming, Demotic and Greek-Demotic Mummy Labels and Other Short Texts. Peeters 2011. BMCR http://bit.ly/10Zd0TD 


Conferences

In the Nilo-Saharan Linguistics’ Colloquium. Medieval Sai Project http://bit.ly/17d2uQV 

Curator’s Diary 25/5/13: Advocating Ancient Egypt. Manchester Museum http://bit.ly/13U9xYa  

35th Annual Conference of the Theoretical Archaeology Group to be held at Bournemouth University, UK, 16-18 Dec 2013 http://bit.ly/11m6QN3 



Museums and exhibitions

Cairo Museum director says objects need restoration, but money is not available to do so. North Africa Post http://bit.ly/12UIwpR 

Univ Washington report: King Tut exhibit at Seattle generated more than $78 million for the local economy. PSBJ http://bit.ly/11gvAut 

Museums Confront the Skeletons in Their Closets. New York Times http://bit.ly/1atdJle 

UCL Museums survey to improve promotion and public engagement. You don't have to have visited any of the museums: http://bit.ly/132y26y 



Free online articles and resources

New on Osirisnet: T51, the tomb of Userhat, also called Neferhabef, complete with description, images, and site plans http://bit.ly/10tI16A 

Object biography #13: The upper part of a female statuette from Kahun (Acc. No. 269). Manchester Museum http://bit.ly/177Ny6K 

The electronic publication of Oriental Institute Annual Reports is now complete. Oriental Institute http://bit.ly/13kRgo4 

Thesis: The ideological significance of flint in Dynastic Egypt Graves-Brown, C.A. (2011). Doctoral thesis. UCL http://bit.ly/qBR9ni 

New Egyptology blog: Tetisheri by Julia Thorne http://www.tetisheri.co.uk/blog.html 


Journals and Magazine  

The new edition of the Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections is now out (JAEI/ 5:2.). Table of Contents at http://bit.ly/jBBHdJ 

Free online: Atiqot 74. Underwater Ptolemaic Coin Hoards from Megadim by Danny Syon, Catharine Lorber + Ehud Galili http://www.atiqot.org.il

 

Job Openings

Job: Trainee Curator in Ancient Egypt and Sudan. 6 months at British Museum and 12 months at Glasgow Museums http://bit.ly/18yTTWJ 

Job: One month internship with the Online Egyptological Bibliography team in Oxford. Griffith Institute on Facebook http://on.fb.me/197XVGW . For those interested in the 1 month internship at the OEB, Oxford, but unable to access Facebook, I've copied it here http://bit.ly/13PlOka 

Miscellaneous 

AE words seep powerfully through the sands of time, war and massive political changes to persist today. Ahram Online http://bit.ly/150ITjt 

Invitation to provide feedback on UCL Museums and Public Engagement

UCL Museums and Public Engagement (including the Grant Museum, Petrie Museum and Art Museum) are inviting your input to help them improve the ways in which they promote their museums and public engagement activities and communicate with their existing and potential audiences and visitors. Please note that you do not have to have visited any of the museums to take part. On completion of the survey you will be entered into a prize draw with £50 worth of vouchers of the winner's choice as the prize. The deadline is 4 June.

Complete the survey: http://bit.ly/132y26y

Internship in Oxford at the Online Egyptological Bibliography (1 month)

For those people who have had trouble finding the information about the internship on the Griffith Institute Facebook page, I have copied and pasted the information here.  I have no more details than those copied here, so please ask any questions via the contact details below.

The Mellon Foundation grant award for the Online Egyptological Bibliography (OEB) includes provision for an annual internship of one month to be held in Oxford.

Accordingly, we are seeking a person with an interest in bibliography & the development of databases in Egyptology to join the team for this period, during which they will gain experience of building an online bibliographic resource while contributing to the enhancement of the OEB database.

They will be able to devote some time to their own research, using the unrivalled facilities of the Sackler Library as well as other resources in Oxford.

We envisage that this person will be a graduate student of Egyptology (or a closely related subject) who will be willing to live & work in Oxford for a period of one month between July & September 2013. The precise period to be spent in Oxford need not coincide with a calendar month. Knowledge of Egyptological publications is essential, as is a concern for accuracy & consistency. The person must have a reading knowledge of French & German.

The intern will be reimbursed reasonable travel costs within the UK & will be helped with finding & paying for accommodation in Oxford, up to a total of £1000.
 

Those who are interested should write to R. Gareth Roberts (gareth.roberts [at] orinst.ox.ac.uk) with a letter, CV & the name of a referee (preferably their current graduate supervisor). We should like to receive expressions of interest as soon as possible, and no later than Friday 14 June, 2013.

Egyptology News from 20th to 23rd May 2013

Fragment of fallen ceiling in the open air storage
of the lovely Temple of Tod complex, south of Luxor

Fieldwork

Penn curator Joe Wegner continues excavations at mortuary complex of Pharaoh Senwosret III, Abydos.Penn Artifactlab http://bit.ly/11a1cnf 

Research

Hand in Hand with Politics: The Challenges of Egyptian Studies in Serbia by B. Anđelković. Friends of ASOR Newsletter. http://asorblog.org/?p=4490 

Heritage Management and Looting

Egypt’s poor management of ancient monuments draws threat from UNESCO. Daily News Egypt http://bit.ly/19WhtLS 

Minister for Antiquities says that UNESCO is not threatening to remove 6 sites from World Heritage List. Ahram Online http://bit.ly/11Vvw6J 

Archaeologists denounce “disgraceful” plundering of the city of Antinopolis, built by Emperor Hadrian. The Art Newspaper http://bit.ly/164Sxpk and Past Horizons http://bit.ly/18g5wBS

Books 

Ancient Egyptian Literature Theory and Practice. Edited by Roland Enmarch and Verena M. Lepper. OUP http://bit.ly/184k21N 

Extended edition of Anubis, Bibliography on Mummies, Mummification and; Related Subjects. C.de Vartavan and I.Waanders http://bit.ly/10S3K4F 

From Old Cairo to the New World: Coptic Studies Presented to Gawdat Gabra. Colloquia Antiqua 9. Peeters http://bit.ly/184krkP 

 

Conferences

The British Museum continued its support of Sudanese archaeology with an international conference. Sudan Vision Daily http://bit.ly/ZdItHt 

Czech Inst. of Egyptology announces international conference: Profane landscapes, sacred spaces. miroslav.barta [at] ff.cuni.cz

Museums and exhibitions

Alexandria plans for a new maritime museum at site of Qaitbay citadel. Archaeology News Network http://bit.ly/13NhuSj  

Call for general public volunteers (14-65 yrs old) for the new Petrie Museum website to appraise work done so far: Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology http://bit.ly/16b4PfU

Free online/ open access

Ancient Egyptian Architecture Online provides vetted, standardized architectural drawings of a selection of buildings http://dai.aegaron.ucla.edu 

MUDIRA: Joint project to digitize and provide access to the collections of images held at two Munich institutions. http://bit.ly/168xGBq 

   

Short article: "Archaeology after the Arab Spring" by Jesse Casana. Friends of ASOR Newsletter http://asorblog.org/?p=4417 

Short article in Spanish about the Turin papyrus that shows a Ramesside map of the Eastern Desert goldmines. Ushebtis http://bit.ly/Zabio1 

 

Journals, Magazines and Newsletters

Damqatum, the CEHAO newsletter, 2012, nº 8, in English: UCA http://bit.ly/10VjbJj 

Job Opportunities

Job: British Museum: Curator, Department of Ancient Egypt & Sudan, with responsibilities for research and outreach. http://bit.ly/10iJ7hX 

Miscellaneous 

Northampton faces legal challenge over Sekhemka statue sale from Marquis of Northampton. Museums Journal http://bit.ly/10U7Vgf 

The Ancient Egypt Research Associates (AERA) archives now officially registered with the Library of Congress. AERA http://bit.ly/13LfZkl 

 
Zahi Hawass, long-reigning king of AE antiquities was forced into exile but is now plotting a return. Smithsonian Mag http://bit.ly/16a12PH 

For fun. This really made me laugh (and a good moral in the tale too). How NOT to hand in your PhD. The Thesis Whisperer http://bit.ly/192trWM 

Egyptology News for 15th - 20th May 2013

The Temple of Karnak

Fieldwork

Egyptian-Nubian soldier skeleton discovered by Dr.Irene Forstner-Müller at late Roman site Hisn Al-Bab. Luxor Times http://bit.ly/15MvbEE 

Hallan los restos de un soldado de origen nubio fallecido hace 1.400 años. With photo. EFE Ikuna http://bit.ly/10ZkpBW 

Research

Research in Dakhleh Oasis suggests that Roman period babies were conceived in the heat of July, August. Live Science http://bit.ly/10IHp9u

Cornell Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections (RMC) identify unique Ptolemaic funerary text. Cornell Chronicle http://bit.ly/10z12Up 

Just in case you missed it, here's another account of the theory of why pyramid construction was abandoned. Huff Post http://huff.to/10oaEkN

Video re the Oxford Uni project to involve the public in translating the Oxyrhynchus papyri. Guardian http://bit.ly/19FZZ6r  Via @SJRoyce

Scientific Insurgents Say 'Journal Impact Factors' Distort Science. Science Daily http://bit.ly/10VptgD 

Heritage Management and Looting

Egyptian heritage body calls for authorities to halt unauthorized renovation at Sayyeda Zeinab Mosque. Ahram Online http://bit.ly/115zBDH 

Archaeologists and Cairenes call on antiquities ministry to save Qaitbay’s water basin from encroachment. AhramOnline http://bit.ly/16Cexad 

In French: A livestock market is set to encroach upon the Matariya archaeological site. Ahram Hebdo http://bit.ly/10tcktr 

Egyptian antiquities with "convincing provenances" were withdrawn from sale at Christie's. Looting Matters http://bit.ly/148JGOR 

Video: Cairo's Abu el-Ela Bridge, featured in film and music videos, may be rebuilt. Aljazeera http://aje.me/10CrIDV . Via @PatriciaSpencer

Although times changed, many of the ancient Egyptian funeral customs have lingered on. Al Ahram Weekly http://bit.ly/11IfvRu 

 

Books 

Forthcoming book: Diachronic Trends in Ancient Egyptian History. Eds. Miroslav Bárta + Hella Küllmer, Charles University in Prague.

Conferences

The International Congress of Egyptologists in Alexandria has been postponed for a year until September 2014: http://www.iae-egyptology.org/ 

Museums and exhibitions

In Spanish. The artificial dome that houses the relocated Nubian Abu Simbel temples will be converted into a museum. http://bit.ly/10IIbmZ 

How the British Museum protects more than seven million objects (including a touchable Rosetta Stone copy). BBC http://bbc.in/19Jcga6 

Interview with Dr. Yazzez from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo about the current state of the museum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=O-Zjgd9N2lg …

 

Houston Museum of Natural Science has welcomed a giant coffin to its new Egyptian displays. kuhf.fm http://bit.ly/184oLOD 

 

AE antiquities featured at Western Australian Museum, part of ongoing collaboration with British Museum. Australian http://bit.ly/YUZzaG 

Houston Museum NS Unveils Egyptian Sarcophagus, Hall of Egypt. With slideshow of green-faced sarcophagus. news92fm http://bit.ly/10tbjBC 

 

Museums at Night Report: Gavin Turk, pyramid power and Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. Culture24 http://bit.ly/15SZmtY 

Free online

Free online: Analysis of wooden finds from burial shafts of A38 (from ABUSIR XXII, Abusir, Egypt). J.Beneš. Academia http://bit.ly/110ZUuJ 

Article free online: "The History and Research of the Naqada Region Collection" by G. J.Tassie + J.van Wetering. UCL http://bit.ly/YN7ruR 

 

Journals and Magazines 

Pyramids : special issue of Pharaon Magazine, cahier supplémentaire #2, digital volume. in french. http://goo.gl/RbZ2J 

Travel and Tourism

Why cultural heritage, cultural and creative industries, tourism can help poverty & unemployment http://ow.ly/l38gJ 

Job Opportunities

Job: British Museum Dept of Anc. Egypt & Sudan seeks Project Curator to support exhib re science of mummies. Details http://bit.ly/1175Igk 

Obituary

Sad news: Kew botanist and Africa / Egypt specialist Nigel Hepper, author of “Pharaoh’s Flowers,” has passed away.

Miscellaneous 

A railway journey to the Giza pyramids in 1910 - wonderful footage from the Huntley Film Archives: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3oTKK4IS8M …

Superb slideshow of the discovery of an Egyptian statue found in a hidden chamber of the tomb of Meketre. Met Museum http://met.org/YJftF5 

British Virgin Islands have officially issued a new and unique coin featuring the Great Pyramids of Giza. Coin Update http://bit.ly/17u7n8d 

Think you're an expert on all things Egyptian? Houston Museum Ancient Egypt quiz. http://www.hmns.org/quiz/ 

Cairo's 19th Century transformation in 7 points. Cairobserver http://bit.ly/16yZKgC