Press Conference to be Held at Egyptian Museum

Originally published February 15, 2010 | Zahi Hawass' Blog | by Dr. Hawass | Two very important events to the Egyptology world will occur on February 17: an 11am conference to announce new discoveries surrounding the family of Tutankhamun and the cause of the young king’s death and the publishing of these findings in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association). While you wait for those events, here's a video to keep you in the Tutmania mood:

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.

Modern Review of a 1936 Review of Human Adventure

Accessed September 8, 2009 | The New York Times

James Henry Breasted's The Human Adventure, a short documentary about the excavation and research activities of the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute, received a rather dour review from the New York Times in 1936, according to Archaeopop, but I think it's charming. To read the 1936 review, you have to sign in (it's free) to the NY Times.

April-June Issue of Boletín Informativo de Amigos de la Egiptología

Accessed August 1, 2009 | Amigos de la Egiptología | by various authors

The following volume is a compilation of many topics regarding Egypt, penned by various authors. I'd like to plug one of the articles in particular because one of my friends and another scholar wrote it: Egipto y la Biblia - El evangelio de Judas: Textos coptos del cristianismo by Marina Escolano Poveda and Gerardo Jofre González-Granda, which begins on page 47. It is about the Gospel of Judas; Marina writes about the characteristics of the Coptic language (she represents only a few people who in Spain who know how to read this language!)

Other articles chronicle the treasures of Tutankhamun in Barcelona, the Giza Pyramids, and the hieroglyphic writing system. It is complete with pictures, cited notes, and a recommended reading list.

Article - Royal Gift Exchange Between Mycenae and Egypt

Accessed August 20, 2009 | American Journal of Archaeology | by Jorrit M. Kelder

The following is the abstract to Jorrit M. Kelder's article in the American Journal of Archaeology. There are links to the PDF version of the abstract and the author's bio.

This paper seeks to stimulate new thinking on this subject by positing the possibility that exchange between the two was more than a haphazard phenomenon, arguing that it was, instead, a highly organized system that involved the active engagement of the ruling elite at Mycenae as well as the pharaonic court.

New Issue of Ancient Egypt Magazine - August/September 2009 Edition

Accessed August 12, 2009 | Ancient Egypt Magazine

The current issue of Ancient Egypt Magazine now available for purchase online. Topics within include the latest news from Egypt, the Temple of Montu near Luxor, the new Canavron exhibit at Highclere Castle, the mystery of Seth's theophany, some articles from the EES, and more.

The AE web site includes also some topics that will appear in future issues of AE Magazine and showcases a trip with the editors to Egypt. The following links will send you to the advertisement and also the information/itinerary page.

Left-handed Kings? Observations on a Fragmentary Egyptian Sculpture

Accessed July 30, 2009 (web site updated July 27) | Nicholas Reeves.com | by Nicholas Reeves

Although not a new theory, Mr. Reeves presents an article, followed by descriptive notes and accompanying pictures, that examines the supposed leftward orientation in Ancient Egypt, as observed through several facets: sculpture, the folding of kilts, perceptions favoring the left side, hieroglyphic representations, and others.

New Papers - UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology (UEE)

Originally published June 3 & 4, 2009 | UEE

Recent papers added to the UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology are:

• Democratization of the Afterlife by Mark Smith (view the abstract)


• Votive Practices by Geraldine Pinch & Elizabeth Waraksa (view the abstract)