In this episode Kara and Jordan sit down with Prof. Solange Ashby (Assistant Professor, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, UCLA) to discuss her academic journey and her research on Nubian women. Solange Ashby received her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago. Dr. Ashby’s expertise in ancient languages, including Egyptian hieroglyphs…

The stories that made the Ancient Egypt headlines over the third week of July. Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs Opens in Germany Top of the Pyramids: Ancient Egyptian Civilisation Opens in China Underwater Discoveries in Aswan Anubis in London These news stories are taken from various public internet sources including: http://english.ahram.org.eg/…

The stories that made the Ancient Egypt headlines over the second week of July. The Zahi Hawass Foundation Al-Wafd Illegal Antiquities Smuggling Donald Redford Retires These news stories are taken from various public internet sources including: http://english.ahram.org.eg/Portal/9/Heritage.aspx https://egyptianstreets.com/tag/cairo/ http://www.egyp…

Episode Notes Parasites and other diseases * Mitchell, Piers D. 2024. Chapter two - parasites in ancient Egypt and Nubia: malaria, schistosomiasis and the pharaohs. Advances in Parasitology 123, 23-49. DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2023.12.003 * Metwaly AM, Ghoneim MM, Eissa IH, Elsehemy IA, Mostafa AE, Hegazy MM, Afifi WM, Dou D. Traditional ancient Egypti…

The stories that made the Ancient Egypt headlines over the first week of July. No Change to UK/US Travel Advice NMEC & Archaeogentic Analysis Sherif Fathy New Minister of T&A Mrs. Yamona Al-Bahar Deputy Minister Stolen Coffin Returned to Sweden NMEC Audio Guide for Royal Mummies Hall These news stories are taken from various public internet sources…

The stories that made the Ancient Egypt headlines over the last week of June. Aswan Tomb Discovery Foreign Delegations in the 18th Dynasty SCA, Christies and the Head of Tutankhamun These news stories are taken from various public internet sources including: http://english.ahram.org.eg/Portal/9/Heritage.aspx https://egyptianstreets.com/tag/cairo/ h…

The stories that made the Ancient Egypt headlines over the third week of June. Luxor Museum Training Eid Museum and Site Visitors Zahi Hawass and Afrocentrism Tourism Figures for 2023 Antiquities Sold Online These news stories are taken from various public internet sources including: http://english.ahram.org.eg/Portal/9/Heritage.aspx https://egypti…

Show Notes Evolution of Temple Architecture * Digital Karnak * Blyth, E. (2006) Karnak : evolution of a temple / Elizabeth Blyth. New York, NY: Routledge. * Wilkinson, R. H. (2000) The complete temples of ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. * For Pre-formal → Formal temples see, Kemp, B. J. (2018) Ancient Egypt : anatomy of a civilization : pbk. 3rd ed…

The stories that made the Ancient Egypt headlines over the second week of June. 3 Stories About Zahi Hawass Egyptian Women's Museum at NMEC "Pharaoh" at NGV, Australia Digital Entry These news stories are taken from various public internet sources including: http://english.ahram.org.eg/Portal/9/Heritage.aspx https://egyptianstreets.com/tag/cairo/ h…

In this episode Kara and Jordan discuss animals in ancient Egyptian society. What does the archaeological evidence tell us about the ancient Egyptians’ attitudes and practices towards non-human members of their society? Show notes Herodotus Book II, 65-66 There are many household animals; and there would be many more, were it not for what happens t…

The stories that made the Ancient Egypt headlines over the second week of June. Elephantine Island of the Millennia 58 Holes 20% Discount From June to August NMEC App Launchs China-Egypt Team at Montu Temple, Karnak These news stories are taken from various public internet sources including: http://english.ahram.org.eg/Portal/9/Heritage.aspx https:…

The stories that made the Ancient Egypt headlines over the end of May. Gihane Zaki CEO of GEM Repatriation of Artefacts to Egypt Final Prepartions at the GEM Cancer in AE NMEC to Get Mummification Hall These news stories are taken from various public internet sources including: http://english.ahram.org.eg/Portal/9/Heritage.aspx https://egyptianstre…

The stories that made the Ancient Egypt headlines over the fourth week of May. The Aten Collection Rameses II Original Sarcophagus Identified Roman Papyri Discovered in Berenice Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs Leaves Sydney These news stories are taken from various public internet sources including: http://english.ahram.org.eg/Portal/9/Heritage…

During the process of recommodification and reburial by 21st Dynasty elites, several royal mummies in the Deir el Bahri 320 (also known as TT 320) burial cache were badly damaged. In this episode, Kara and Amber discuss the evidence we have for the ritual repair of these mummies carried out during their reburial, including the term rdit Wsir, “to m…

The stories that made the Ancient Egypt headlines over the second week of May. New Dates for Karanis in the Fayoum R.I.P Professor Barry Kemp Giza Ground Penetrating Radar Scans The Extinct Ahramat Branch of the Nile Egypt Celebrates World Museums Day These news stories are taken from various public internet sources including: http://english.ahram.…

The stories that made the Ancient Egypt headlines over the second week of May. GEM Officials Charged with Stealing Antiquities 300,000 Signatues for Return of Rosetta Stone Underground Anomaly Found in Giza New Analysis of Tuthmose III Tomb Painting These news stories are taken from various public internet sources including: http://english.ahram.or…

In this episode Kara and Jordan answer listener questions from April. To submit a question for the monthly Q&A podcast, become a paid subscriber on Substack or join our Patreon! A few photos from Kara’s Egypt trip Show Notes: Female Genitalia Lexicography * Bednarski, Andrew 2000. Hysteria revisited. Women's public health in ancient Egypt. In McDon…

The stories that made the Ancient Egypt headlines over the first days of May. Egyptian Skulls Removed From UK Auction The Story of a Museum at NMEC Trafficked Artefacts Returned From US Hawass Gives Up on Cleopatra Tomb NMEC Holds Labour Day Exhibition These news stories are taken from various public internet sources including: http://english.ahram…

The stories that made the Ancient Egypt headlines over the fourth week in April. Rameses II Statue Head Repatriated MoTA Meeting About Tourism Entities Heritage Conservation in Giza Royal Rest House in N. Sinai Smuggler Arrested in Assiut Coffin Returned to Swedish Museum These news stories are taken from various public internet sources including: …

In Part 2 of a two-part episode, Kara and multiple Emmy-nominated Executive Producer and novelist Neil Laird continue their conversation about their experiences making television documentaries about the ancient world, how things get done behind the scenes, whether or not romanticizing the past is a bad thing, and what the future may hold for docume…

In Part 1 of a two-part episode, Kara and multiple Emmy-nominated Executive Producer and novelist Neil Laird talk about their experiences making television documentaries about the ancient world, how things get done behind the scenes, and what the future may hold for documentary programs. Secrets of Egypt's Lost Queen Out of Egypt Digging for the Tr…

This week Kara and Amber discuss color (also known as polychromy) in ancient Mediterranean art and how it is studied and understood today. What role did color play in ancient art? How does polychromy affect the way modern audiences view ancient art? What are the origins of the aesthetic preference for plain white marble sculpture in Western art? Th…

In this episode Kara and Amber talk about the veneration of ancestor kings in the late 20th-21st Dynasties. During this period the coffins of ancestor kings were manipulated, buried, and reburied in caches like that of Theban Tomb 320 (also known as Deir el Bahri 320). Who was reburying and caching these royal ancestors together and why? Using the …

CW// self harm and suicide In this episode Kara and Amber discuss the death of Cleopatra VII and whether or not we should trust the ancient Roman accounts regarding the circumstances of her death. Did she really commit suicide, as Roman historians tell us? Or were the accounts of her death by suicide part of a cunning Roman propaganda campaign? Rea…

EPISODE 81 | This episode is a recording of a live zoom Q&A with our listeners. Thank you to everyone who attended and submitted questions! Show notes * Byblos * Baal and Seth * Prof. Dani Candelora – Her research focuses on interactions between Egypt and West Asia. * Prof. Marian Feldman, Diplomacy by Design * Amarna Letter 23 – A Goddess Travels …

EPISODE 80 | In this episode, Jordan and Kara interview Malayna Evans, author of Neferura, about the inspiration behind the story, her writing process, and how her knowledge of Egyptology factored into the choices she made as she was writing the book. About the author Malayna Evans was raised in Utah and spent her childhood climbing mountains and r…

EPISODE 79 | In this episode Kara and Jordan answer this month’s listener questions. They discuss which ancient Egyptians they would like to see a tv show about, colonialism in the ancient world, extreme climate events in ancient Egypt, and more. Get full access to Ancient/Now at ancientnow.substack.com/subscribe…

EPISODE 78 | In this episode Kara and Jordan talk with archaeobotanist and Assistant Professor of Archaeology Claire Malleson (American University in Beirut) about agriculture in ancient Egypt. What can archaeologists learn about the way ancient Egyptians lived from botanical remains? What are the traditional narratives about agriculture in ancient…

EPISODE 77 | Professor Maggie Geoga joins Kara and Jordan to discuss ancient Egyptian wisdom literature (also known as instruction texts), specifically “The Teaching of Amenemhat,” a Middle Egyptian poem from ca. 1550 to 500 B.C.E. in which the murdered King Amenemhat I advises his son from beyond the grave. They discuss the challenges of studying …

EPISODE 76 | In this episode Kara and Jordan are joined by Drs. Danielle Candelora and Nadia Ben-Marzouk, who discuss their experience co-editing Ancient Egyptian Society: Challenging Assumptions, Exploring Approaches, what inspired the book, and how they wanted it to differ from other studies of ancient Egyptian society. Get the book here: Ancient…

EPISODE 75 | CW// war, violence, explicit language In this month’s Q&A episode Kara and Jordan answer questions about Kara’s upcoming book Recycling for Death: Coffin Reuse in Ancient Egypt and the Theban Royal Caches, their favorite fictional books related to ancient Egypt and Egyptology, female identity and rebirth in ancient Egyptian religion, a…

EPISODE 74 | In this episode we are crossing the podcast streams of the past and the present, by bringing you a vintage episode of Eric’s Guide to Ancient Egypt in which Eric Wells discusses the ancient Egyptian tale of the shipwrecked sailor. Eric, who earned his PhD in Egyptology from UCLA, produced his podcast from 2015-2016 and has kindly grant…

EPISODE 73 | Is Kara’s book The Good Kings “colonialist”? Should a non-Egyptian write a critical history of ancient Egyptian pharaohs? Kara and Amber discuss the possible reasoning behind this perspective, and Kara talks about how her book came together and why she set out to write a book calling into question the typical positivist historical narr…

EPISODE 72 | In this episode Kara and Jordan answer this month’s listener questions. Listener Notes: Time & Calendars: * MET- Telling Time in Ancient Egypt * Nile Scribes- Celebrating the Seasons * SAOC 26. The Calendars of Ancient Egypt. Richard A. Parker * Tomb aligned with Winter Solstice Wills & Funerals * NJ van Blerk, The basic tenets of inte…

EPISODE 71 | With the growing number of labor disputes and strikes around the world, Kara and Jordan delve into how labor was organized and issues were settled in ancient Egypt. This is part two of a two-part episode. Listen to Part I here. Also read Jordan’s companion post to this episode, Fashion and Hidden Labor in the Ancient World. Sources: * …

EPISODE 70 | With the growing number of labor disputes and strikes around the world, Kara and Jordan delve into how labor was organized and issues settled in ancient Egypt. Part one of two. Sources: * Papyrus Stories- The First Recorded Strike in History * Turin Strike Papyrus * Edgerton, William F. “The Strikes in Ramses III’s Twenty-Ninth Year.” …

EPISODE 69 | Here’s an uncomfortable fact: Having a woman’s body allows one to be much more easily controlled and commodified in patriarchal systems. We are watching this play out in real time in a post-Roe America, but what role did the female body play in the ancient world, and more specifically: How did ancient Egyptians negotiate female power i…

EPISODE 68 | This month’s Q&A episode features questions on ancient festivals, food, human sacrifice, and marriage and incest in ancient Egypt. Episode Notes * Food * The Pharaoh’s Kitchen, by Madga Mehdawy * Ikram, Salima. 1995. Choice Cuts : Meat Production in Ancient Egypt. Leuven: Peeters. * Ancient Egyptian Festivals * Coppens, F. 2009. Temple…

EPISODE 67 | In this episode Kara and Jordan talk with PhD candidate Kylie Thomsen about her research contextualizing statuary reuse using new technologies like photogrammetry and RTI (Reflectance Transformation Imaging). About Kylie Thomsen Kylie is an Egyptology PhD candidate in the department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at the Univers…

EPISODE 66 | This month’s listener questions covered a variety of topics from ancient Egyptian clothing and furniture to the portrayal of mummies in popular culture. Episode Notes Egyptian linen Pleated dresses from the Museo Egizio of Turin: study of the technical data of fabrics in Moor, A. de (Antoine) et al. (eds.) (2015) ‘Textiles, tools and t…

EPISODE 65 | Historians are products of their time, place, and life experiences, and yet in many ways they approach their work with the idea that it can be (at least to some degree) separated from all of those things. In this episode Kara and Amber discuss whether or not history can—or should—be apolitical and how historical narratives inevitably r…

EPISODE 64 | Kara and Jordan discuss iconoclasm in the ancient and medieval worlds with Lexie Henning, the host of the Ancient Office Hours podcast. Below is information about Lexie and some visuals! We include Aya Sofia, also called Hagia Sophia, a 6th century CE multi-domed church turned mosque turned museum turned back to mosque. We also discuss…

EPISODE 63 | In this month's Q&A episode, Kara and Jordan discuss questions relating to ancient papyri, display and study of human remains in museums, female power in the ancient world, and more. Get full access to Ancient/Now at ancientnow.substack.com/subscribeOleh Kara Cooney and Jordan Galczynski

CW// Human remains The red-shroud mummy of a young man named Herakleides—don’t ask us how he died so young; we don’t know—presents some tantalizing insights into certain religious practices of the first century CE in Egypt. On view at the Getty Villa in Malibu, the mummy of Herakleides is unprovenanced, but archaeological evidence suggests it proba…

In this month's Patreon Q&A Kara and Jordan answer questions about literature, what they did over the summer and other topics. And as a special treat-- Kara debriefs about the recent International Congress of Egyptologists' conference in Leiden. Get full access to Ancient/Now at ancientnow.substack.com/subscribe…

The One who Made Calculations Concerning the Heavens, the Stars, and the Earth, the Reckoner of Time and of Seasons.Oleh Patrick A McCoy

EPISODE 59 | In this episode Kara and Amber discuss Patron questions covering topics ranging from Cleopatra to balancing historical accuracy in entertainment and more. ---- If you want knowledgable hot takes on headlines about archaeology, Egyptology, and antiquity in general delivered to your inbox, subscribe to our Substack Ancient/Now. You can a…

EPISODE 60 | In Part II of our discussion on Cleopatra VII and reception, ownership, and race we welcome guests Dr. Mai Musie and Professor Rebecca Futo Kennedy. Dr. Musie and Professor Kennedy both study aspects of identity formation, race, and ethnicity in the ancient world and bring their expert perspectives to this discussion of Cleopatra VII, …

EPISODE 58 | Kara and Jordan meet with Dr. Serena Love to discuss her ongoing work with Seamus Blackley on the collection of ancient yeast and reconstruction of ancient bread making techniques. How does one collect ancient yeast without contamination? What can be learned through experimental archaeology? And most importantly, what did ancient bread…

EPISODE 57 | In this episode, special guests Dr. Katherine Blouin and Dr. Heba Abd el Gawad join Kara and Jordan for a conversation about Netflix’s docu-drama Queen Cleopatra and the ways in which modern issues of reception, ownership, and race have played into how Cleopatra is seen today. Dr. Abd el Gawad brings her nuanced perspective as a schola…