Join us for the first lecture of the new year this Monday, 9th January!

The Pharaoh Akhenaten (c1352 – 1336 BC) has been described as ‘the first individual in human history’, but can we really know him as an individual? In this lecture Lucia Gahlin will explore what is known about, but also what has been projected on to, this most fascinating of historical figures. He chose to be represented in a most singular fashion. Modern explanations for this run wild. We will find that the mythologizing of Akhenaten began soon after his death and continues to the present day.

Everyone welcome!

Massimiliano Pinarello will be exploring the archaeology of ancient Egyptian writing and the role of the “scribe” on 12th December but please note we will be starting at 7:!5pm and finishing at 8:45pm to allow Max to get the last train back home! Please be early!!!

Elena Pischikova and her daughter Katherine gave us a stunning lecture last night – looking at their work restoring the Kushite (Twenty-fifth Dynasty) tombs in the South Asasif necropolis. If you missed it, you can find out more about their work here.

Sadly Carolyn Routledge is unable to join us next week as she’s still in China! So we would like to welcome Ian Trumble to speak in her place – with a look at new developments for the ancient Egyptian gallery at Bolton Museum! Monday 10th October 7:30pm at the Manchester Conference Centre / Pendulum Hotel, Sackville Street, Manchester, M1 3BB. All welcome!

We kick off on Monday 12th September with Peter Brooks and his controversial theory about how hard stones were cut in ancient Egypt to create such stunning statues.

Also coming up a sneak peak at the new Bolton Museum galleries with Carolyn Routledge and Elena Pischikova celebrates with us the 10th anniversary of the South Asasif Conservation Project.

Check here for full details!

Monday 9th May: Bob Partridge Egyptology Lecture

Joyce Tyldesley – Wonderful Things: Thematic Transmission in Egyptian Revival Jewellery

The West has long been fascinated by the art and culture of ancient Egypt. This fascination has peaked at times of significant contact, such as Napoleon’s 1798 conquest of Egypt, the 1822 decoding of the hieroglyphic script, and the 1922 discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb. The “Egyptomania” of these times was directly reflected in the production of Egyptian-style architecture, furniture and fashions, including hairstyles, clothing and accessories. Egyptian-style jewellery – some pieces faithfully replicating original antiques, but most simply incorporating Egyptian themes – became increasingly popular and, thanks to ever-improving manufacturing techniques, increasingly available to the general public.

This lecture will identify and explore themes in the design of Egyptian-style jewellery from the 19th and 20th Centuries.

7pm Pendulum Hotel Manchester Conference Centre ( see below for details)

Join us for our next MAES meeting on Monday 14th March: 

The Naturalist Nobles of Beni Hassan!

This illustrated talk looks not only generally at these Middle Kingdom Tombs of the Oryx Nome but also specifically at the huge range of birds and animals portrayed therein.  Beni Hasan was the major site for John’s research in Egypt and as he still works as a Research Volunteer for both the Griffith Institute and the Egypt Exploration Society, he will be able to include some of the scenes copied by such eminent Egyptologists as Wilkinson, Rosellini, Newberry and Carter.

Ornithologist John Wyatt

John Wyatt has been researching the birds and animals of Ancient Egypt for the last two years and two publications on these topics are now in preparation. He has already been co-author, with Jiri Janak, of an on-line publication for the Griffith Institute entitled “An Album of Howard Carter’s Watercolours of Birds and Animals” and is still a part-time Research Volunteer for both that Institute and the Egypt Exploration Society cataloguing their watercolour collections.  Both these collections are scheduled to go on-line in 2015.

At the MAES monthly meeting last Monday, Michael Tunnicliffe explored the “Amarna Letters” with readings of the letters themselves by Sarah Griffiths.  This unique archive of clay tablets covered in cuneiform script, were discovered at Amarna and reflect the diplomatic correspondence between Egypt, her vassal states and neighbouring powers. But the messages are not all polite inquiries into the health of various kings; Egypt was seen as a wealthy country where gold was like dust, there to be gathered up and the vassal rulers were quite blatant in their demands for gold to decorate their palaces!

Read more about the Amarna Letters here: Amarna Letters

Happy Christmas to everyone – don’t forget our first meeting of the New Year is on Monday 11 January with guest speaker William Manley. Everyone welcome!