Eileen Goulding

Title


Series 1 Ancient Egypt  

The Treasure of Tanis

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.

Understanding Ancient Egyptian Art : Wall reliefs

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.

Pharaonic Art: Hidden Meanings Revealed

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

Ancient Artefacts: 3000 years of Egyptian Treasures

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.

Language of the Pharaohs: Discovery & Decipherment

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.

 

Journey to the Afterlife

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.

Understanding Egyptian Pyramids

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.

The Golden Pharaoh

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.

What killed Tutankhamun?

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.

The Tomb Builders of Ancient Egypt

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.

Ancient Egyptian Magic & Medicine

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!

Influential Queens of Ancient Egypt

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.

 

Party Time in Ancient 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’.