In the Ancient Egyptian city of Tanis
in the Nile Delta, an entire complex of royal tombs was
discovered by Pierre Montet– three were still intact! The
treasures uncovered there are one of the greatest, and most
beautiful, archaeological discoveries of all time, rivalling
even those of Tutankhamun. But because of its discovery
during World War II it went unnoticed. This lecture covers the exciting
discovery of the tombs of the pharaohs with explanations and
images of the gold and silver treasures, fine
jewellery and artefacts which are now housed in Cairo’s
Egyptian Museum.
Egypt has a wealth of artefacts dated
to its ancient past that today can be classified as art.
This lecture examines one genre, the splendid wall reliefs
and paintings found in tombs, drawing on
examples from the Old, Middle and New Kingdom Periods.
It identifies the techniques, materials and different styles
used by their accomplished artisans to achieve the beautiful
paintings and reliefs we can still see today, more than
3,000 years after the burial tombs were sealed.
From pyramids and temples to jewellery
and furniture, every item from Ancient Egypt is steeped in
religious symbolism and magical power. This lecture reveals
the meaningful messages behind the artistry, unravels the
religious symbolism inherent in their world and lays bare
their greatest hopes and fears
The Narma Palette and Meidum Geese from
the Old Kingdom, the Senoswret III pectoral from the Middle
Kingdom, and the bust of Nefertiti and Nebamun paintings
from the New Kingdom give an indication of the wealth of
Ancient Egyptian riches. I will look in depth at these five
most interesting treasures
among others, examine the techniques and materials
used, who commissioned and owned them, their purpose and
hidden meaning.
Hieroglyphic script, the sacred language of Ancient Egypt’s pharaonic period, remained an incomprehensible language for over 1,500 years until the discovery of the Rosetta Stone enabled scholars to unlock the mysteries of hieroglyphs and understand the texts. This lecture takes the audience on a journey of discovery, examining the path to decipherment while they learn to identify various symbols, numbers and words in this ancient script.
Every item of Ancient Egyptian art is
highly symbolic of the religious beliefs of this ancient
culture, especially its belief in the Afterlife. This
lecture explores aspects of the deceased’s journey to a
heavenly paradise as depicted in the Book of the Dead, the
methods used by the team of embalmers to preserve their
bodies for eternity, and their faith in magical charms and
rituals which ensured eternal life and happiness.
The pyramids are an iconic and
mysterious symbol of Ancient Egypt and many theories have
been put forward regarding the origins of their design and
build; many people suggest they were built with slave labour
and some claim aliens were responsible. This lecture follows
the development of the pyramids from mastaba to the Great
Pyramid at Giza and explains the archaeological evidence for
their existence as remarkable feats of innovation, design,
logistics, and administration.
Tutankhamun came to the throne as a
young boy of eight years old and died nine years later, too
young to have achieved very much in his short life, but now
the most famous pharaoh, known for the incredible treasures
which were buried with him.
This lecture introduces us to the ‘boy king’ and his
family and explores his small burial chamber in the Valley
of the Kings, including the latest evidence on what, and
whom, lies behind his tomb walls. Some of the many wonderful
things found in his tomb will be examined in detail,
focussing on the materials used, their purpose and
significant religious symbolism and meaning.
The young Pharaoh’s death has been a
challenging enigma since his tomb was first opened in 1922
by the British archaeologist, Howard Carter. There are many
theories relating to the cause of his death including
murder, accident and disease. This lecture examines each
possible cause in detail and the evidence for each theory,
looking at Carter’s own diary entries, photographs, and
modern scientific analysis to unravel the strands of this
intriguing mystery.
This lecture takes you on a voyage of
discovery about the crème de la crème of the Ancient
Egyptian workforce who created the Pharaohs’ tombs in the
Valley of the Kings. It looks at their homes, families and
village life in Deir el Medina as well as the skills,
methods and materials they employed to accomplish such
commendable work. Examples of their interpretation of the
Afterlife in the tombs of the kings and their own burial
places will demonstrate their skill and artistry.
The practices of magic and medicine
in Ancient Egypt were intertwined and often difficult to
distinguish. This lecture examines both to demonstrate the
similarities and differences, with details of spells,
prescriptions and potions to kill or cure. The magicians
were powerful, the doctors knowledgeable and the surgeons
were skilled but could they help and heal the unfortunates
they treated? This lecture identifies what worked – and what
didn’t!
Throughout the ancient history of Egypt, its queens made a difference to the lives and fortunes of the country and its kings. For us, looking back down the millenia, they remain quite mysterious figures, always walking in the shadow of their husband, the pharaoh. This lecture identifies the women who were a real influence on society, the real powers behind the throne, the queen who was portrayed as a man, and the most beautiful and best loved of all the queens. It also examines the turbulent life and loves of Cleopatra, the last Queen of Egypt.
Contrary to popular belief, the daily
life of an Ancient Egyptian was not preoccupied with
arrangements for his death, burial and the Afterlife. Their
frequent celebrations were done in style with good food and
drink and they were entertained by accomplished musicians
and dancers. This lecture features the secrets of a good
time, Ancient Egyptian style, with details of their
festivals, clothes, jewellery,make-up , food and drink, in fact all you need to
know about how
they ‘strut their stuff’.