Friday, May 24, 2013

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.

Thursday, May 23, 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 



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 


Monday, May 20, 2013

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 



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 



Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Egyptology News 12th-14th May 2013

Copied from @egyptologynews


Beautifully preserved Faiyum Neolithic basket
British Museum
Registration number: 1927,0312.10
BM/Big number: EA58696



Fieldwork

Halfway into the Spring season at Gebel el Silsila, with some lovely photographs from the project team. http://bit.ly/10pL8HY

Más hallazgos, Oxirrinco: un posible nilómetro, cripta con pinturas coptas, una esfinge y peces sagrados. Vanguardia http://bit.ly/125x8We 


Research

Useful overview of the new theory re why pyramids are collapsing. Structural Engineering Mag http://bit.ly/YG1WQH 

More Coptic Manuscripts (Sahidic fragments) from Monastery of Apa Shenoute (White Monastery) at Gallica. Alin Suciu http://bit.ly/138sjdX

Un uovo di struzzo mette in discussione la datazione delle piramidi di Giza? (dating of pyramids) Sotterannai do Roma http://bit.ly/19hNGwX 

Karnak Project. Dépouillement exhaustif des documents et inscriptions de Karnak collationnées sur l’original. CFEETK http://bit.ly/10tu7wy 
   
 

Local cemetery expansion in Akhmim threatens site of Ramesses II, forcing authorities to place items in storage. Ahram Online http://bit.ly/12nokwH 

As Egypt's tourism industry languishes, antiquities under threat. Gadling http://aol.it/10I9jak 

National Geographic releases documentary behind CINTEC's Pyramid of Djoser project. World Architecture News http://bit.ly/13ejG1F 


Conferences

The Institute of Archaeology Annual Conference will take place 20-21 May on the topic of 'Forming Material Egypt' UCL http://bit.ly/18AUOqF 

5th International Fayum-Conference, 29 May – 1 June 2013, Leipzig. http://nadine-quenouille.de/fayum/ 
 
Overview of aspects of “Dialogue of Civilizations” conference that looked at 5 ancient cultures. National Geographic http://bit.ly/13PinZ9 


Museums and exhibitions

Grand Egyptian Museum pushing forward with the allocation of a 4-year O&M consultancy contract Yahoo http://yhoo.it/10VAzfQ 

In Spanish. Traveling exhibition, El Museo de Abu Simbel, with a copy of the RII temple. http://bit.ly/12rdN3p  and http://bit.ly/10KCN7B 
 

Travel and Tourism

Egypt tourism still struggling despite upswing: Industry insiders. Ahram Online http://bit.ly/13bLNhL 

Some common sense comments and advice about visitor safety in Egypt. Via @maraegypt. Mara House Luxor http://marahouseluxor.com/is-it-safe-to-go-to-egypt/ …

Travel: Tourists chanting/meditating to what they believe is enlightenment through mystical experience. Egypt Today http://bit.ly/11l71Ku 


Online resources

Ancient Egyptian Architecture Online provides vetted and standardized architectural drawings of various sites. AWOL http://bit.ly/18F425f 


Miscellaneous

A Dec 2012 article, but it makes still-relevant points about Egypt's ongoing environmental issues. Egypt Today http://bit.ly/ZYW7fX