Dr. Salima Ikram, Professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo and STIAS fellow will present a talk with the title
May They Live Forever: Ancient Egyptian Mummies
Abstract
Ancient Egyptian mummies have gripped the popular imagination from early times. Mummies have been regarded as immortals, a source of medicine, terrifying monsters, and objects of curiosity. Now they are regarded as an invaluable source of information of funerary beliefs, technology, ancient diet, and the health of the ancient Egyptians. This lecture explores the history of mummies from their inception, into their most recent incarnations in Egypt. The evolving details of mummification over time will be explained, with attention paid to methods of wrapping and the jewellery and amulets included within the wrappings. The talk will also summarize the ways in which scholars now use their analysis of mummies in order to elucidate the history, economy, culture, and religion of ancient Egypt.
Dr. Salima Ikram is Professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo, and has worked in Egypt since 1986. She has lived in Pakistan, the US, UK and Egypt. After double majoring in History as well as Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology at Bryn Mawr College (USA), she received her M. Phil. (in Museology and Egyptian Archaeology) and Ph.D. (in Egyptian archaeology) from Cambridge University. She has directed the Animal Mummy Project, co-directed the Predynastic Gallery project, and is Director of the North Kharga Oasis Darb Ain Amur Survey.
Dr. Ikram has worked on several excavations in Egypt as well as in the Sudan, Greece, and Turkey. Her research interests include death, daily life, archaeozoology, ethnoarchaeology, rock art, experimental archaeology, and the preservation and presentation of cultural heritage. She has lectured on these and other subjects all over the world. Dr. Ikram has written several books (for adults and children) and articles, with subject matters ranging from mummification to the eating habits of the ancient Egyptians. She has also appeared on television.
At STIAS Salima Ikram will be working on the project Animal, Mineral or Vegetable?
