Rare Find by Polish Archaeologists in Egypt

Originally published December 9, 2010 | New from Poland | Congratulations to the Polish team! "Polish archaeologists working in Egypt have discovered the burial places of some 400 people dating back to1 BC or even earlier."

Classics and Egyptology Summer Classes at the University of Liverpool

Accessed June 1, 2010 | Egypt at the Manchester Museum | by Karen Exell | The School of Archaeology at the University of Liverpool is offering a summer school program that runs from July 26 through August 6 for those interested in the Classics or Egyptology. More information, including booking details and programme guides are available at the above link.

Excavations in the Valley of the Kings

Originally published March 14, 2010 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass | An excerpt:

One of the most famous sites in Egypt has always been the Valley of the Kings, which has revealed to us such wonders as the tomb of Tutankhamun. However, all of the major discoveries of the past were made by foreign archaeologists. I was determined that Egyptian archaeologists should become part of the process of excavation and discovery, so in November 2007, the first all-Egyptian team to ever work in the Valley began excavating the area behind the tomb of Merenptah.

In the cliffs behind the tomb we discovered channels that the ancient Egyptians dug to redirect the “tears of the gods,” the flood, in order to preserve the tombs. In the course of our excavations, we recorded many new graffiti in the Valley and found many ostraca, which are pieces of limestone or pottery with drawings and inscriptions. The inscriptions found were very interesting, including a picture of an old lady, the cartouche of Ramses II and many descriptions and other things.

Three Decades of Discovery - New Insight to Egypt’s Past

Accessed February 14, 2010 | Egypt Today | by May Kaddah | Over the last three decades, technological advancement has allowed archaeologists to answer longstanding questions and refute misconceptions about missing details of Egypt’s history. From the remains of ancient rulers to Napoleon’s flagship, Egypt Today takes you through some of archaeology’s most significant discoveries in the last 30 years, which includes the following topics: tombs of the pyramid builders, the Valley of the Golden Mummies, DNA analysis of Hatshepsut's tooth, the Theban Mapping Project, tomb of Rameses II's sons, underwater archaeology at Alexandria, and more.

The Taharqa Gate: the Week of the Brick

Originally published January 29, 2010 | Brooklyn Museum Blog | by Mary McKercher | This post illustrates in beautiful pictures the work that is being done at the Taharqa Gate. Each day reveals new insight about the enclosure. Click the above link to review the Johns Hopkins University excavation's progress and see the amazing photos.

Egypt Exhibit Opens in Vegas Natural History Museum

Originally published January 30, 2010 | KTNV ABC | The following is an excerpt announcing a new permanent exhibit at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, which opened yesterday (January 30):

The Las Vegas Natural History Museum in downtown Las Vegas is celebrating a milestone thousands years in the making. This Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010, the Museum opens a new permanent exhibit called The Treasures of Egypt, which features nearly 500 reproduced artifacts including the tomb of the young Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

The exhibit, located in the museum's new 4,000-square-foot Egyptian Pavilion expansion, provides a glimpse into the ancient past of Egyptian civilization. It features replicas generously donated by MGM MIRAGE that were formerly on display in the King Tut Museum & Tomb inside the Luxor Las Vegas, including the world-famous guardian statues, King Tut's sarcophagus and an array of statues, vases, baskets and pottery. The Museum was able to recreate the tomb of King Tut as discovered by Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt in 1922. This unique replica of the actual tomb is the only known exhibit of its kind outside of Egypt.

National Geographic Article - Animal Mummies

Published in November, 2009 Issue | National Geographic | by A.R. Williams and Richard Barnes

This five paged article chronicles the history of animal mummies in Ancient Egypt and their role in archaeological and Egyptological history, from first discoveries and illegal activities to the science behind them and artifacts in general.

If you're anything like me and have heard the stories about animal mummies before, you'd quickly read through the paragraphs dedicated to their having been used as fertilizer because, upon their first discovery, there was a surplus. It's a shame they weren't discovered recently, as nowadays, modern archaeology is more about science than a trophy hunt, as the article puts it. It's a good read nonetheless and features one of my favorite Egyptologists, Salima Ikram.

International Colloquium - Science and New Technologies Applied to Archaeology

Originally published October 9, 2009 | Challenging the Past | Marisa Bealby

Submit your papers (in English, German, or French) related to the theme at the 2010 international colloquium entitled The Temples of Millions of Years and Royal Power at Thebes in the New Kingdom: Science and New Technologies applied to Archaeology. Deadline is November 15, 2009.

Video - EES Oral History Project: Harry Smith on Buhen

Originally published September 28, 2009 | EES - YouTube

Professor Smith reminisces in this video, speaking about the now-lost fortress site of Buhen in Egyptian Nubia, an EES archaeological site. The video also features images from the Society's archives and footage shot by EES member Dr Anthony Hovenden during a visit to Buhen in 1962.

The Mut Precinct: a Brooklyn Museum Feature

Accessed September 28, 2009 | Brooklyn Museum

Trip to Tell el-Amarna Organized by the Bloomsbury Summer School

Originally published September 16, 2009 | Challenging the Past | by Marsia Sfakianou Bealby

Egypt News from Archaeological Institute of America

Accessed September 17, 2009 | AIA

• AIA and Museum of Science's 3rd Annual Archaeology Fair
• Recent job opportunities
• Fieldwork opportunities in Egypt

Cultural Exchange with the USA

Originally published September 15, 2009 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass

The following is an excerpt from Zahi Hawass' Blog; click on the above link to read his blog post in its entirety:

I think these study trips are very important for the young people of Egypt. It is important for them to travel abroad and befriend diverse people; it opens their minds to have international friends and increases their knowledge of the outside world. I can see how much Rania has changed; she has applied what she learned on the study tour to her work here, and I can see that she will have a very bright future. Helen and I talked about how we will send more young Egyptians for training in the future, and it is my hope that we will continue to work with the American people to promote cultural exchange through these study trips.

Dr. Hawass also talks about his meeting with President Obama and the pictures taken during that time and his hopes that he will inspire people to donate to the Childrens Museum in Cairo so that it will thrive.

The Egypt Exploration Society's Flickr Treasures

Originally published September 2, 2009 | Heritage Key | by Ann

Ann gives her reactions to five of her favorites from the early days of Egyptology, from the archives at EES on Flickr (and you can read my comment at her blog post to boot lol).

When Egyptology was in its infancy, the survey techniques were not yet well developed (consider the fact that Belzzoni must have destroyed dozens of unidentified mummies as he crawled over them and had Theodore Davis and Edward Ayrton took a little more time and done a better job of excavating KV55, it would be less mysterious) and it's very interesting to realize the dramatic difference between then and now. The same goes for the examination of mummies, when archaeologists discovered them: a modern Egyptologist, anthropologist or any other "ologist" would gasp at the thought of conducting a "mummy unwrapping party" (how Victorian!), where you'd have to actually take the mummy's bandages off!

Personally, my favorite picture is of John Pendlebury, one of the more charming and exciting archaeologists--that goes for his glass eye too! lol Can you believe the gall (I use that term with loving admiration) of this man! Why take a boring picture of an artifact when you can jazz the photo up by modeling it yourself?!

Course - History and Archeology of the Egyptian New Kingdom

Accessed September 3, 2009 | Instituto Valenciano De Egiptología

The Valencian Institute of Egyptology (IVDE) will offer a 20-hour course called History and Archeology of the Egyptian New Kingdom, given by José Lull, Egyptologist, from 28 October to 2 December 2009. The course consists of 10 2-hour sessions Mondays and Wednesdays from 7pm to 9pm at the Training Center TAES - Advanced Techniques Study.

Click on the above link to learn more about the course description and enrollment and contact information.

The following is a direct link to the web site in its original language (Spanish): Curso de "Historia y Arqueología del Imperio Nuevo egipcio" en Valencia

The Oriental Institute Back in Nubia

Originally published September 2, 2009 | The Oriental Institute Blog | by Charles Ellwood Jones

The Oriental Institute announces that it will be back to the archaeological fields of Nubia, which began in 2006. The following is a direct link to the OI's Nubian Expedition pages, which chronicles its efforts done there, from the early years in 1905-1907 to today.

New Discovery Links Ancient Egypt and Jordan Valley Site

Originally published September 2, 2009 | The Jerusalem Post | by Judy Siegel-Itzkovich

Excavations at Tel Bet Yerahcarved (a settlement along the ancient highway that connected Egypt to the rest of the Near East) yield a most unusual find: a stone plaque bearing archaic Egyptian signs, which are rare in Egypt (let alone anywhere else!). The find suggests the people of the Jordan Valley and Egypt (circa Dynasty I) had stronger ties than previously believed. Alas, a shining example of the reason for archaeology: not only to learn more about certain peoples (their habits, worldviews, lifestyles, technology, etc), but also to learn more about the connectivity they had with each other. I'd like to give lip service to Kara Cooney's series on the Discovery Channel, Out of Egypt; through the ancient Egyptian culture(s) she examines others around the world and throughout the ages.

Interactive Dig: Beads and Bead Making at Hierakonpolis

Accessed August 27, 2009 | Archaeology's Interactive Dig | by Hitoshi Endo, Izumi Takamiya, and Renée Friedman

Bringing the excavations to you, Archaeology's Interactive Dig team reveals more about the very dawn of Egyptian civilization and investigates early beer making. These field notes showcase an array of beautiful photographs of ancient beads, stones used for bead making, and tomb paintings depicting bead making.

New Publication - The West Delta Regional Survey

Accessed August 27, 2009 | David Brown Book Company

The following is a produce description of a new publication, penned by Penelope Wilson and Dimitris Grigoropoulos:

The West Delta Regional Survey is the result of five years of survey work carried out in Beheira and Kafr el-Sheikh Provinces as part of the Sais and its Hinterland Project and the Delta Survey of the Egypt
Exploration Society and Durham University, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The report by Penelope Wilson contains details of the current state of 70 archaeological sites (some of which are mapped here for the first time), their previous history and a photographic record. Dimitris Grigoropoulos discusses and dates the catalogue of pottery sherds, collected from most of the sites. The volume includes a CD with over 1,000 images of the sites catalogued by the Survey.

Symposium - Egypt in its African Context

Originally published August 28, 2009 | Egypt at the Manchester

The following event is especially for those who have a passion for Ancient Egypt, African Studies, Black History, museums, and the Sudan. A program guide for this symposium is available; click the provided link to access it. I've also included a direct link to the University of Manchester web site, where you will find outline, key speaker, fee and registration, and contact information.