The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) opened fully in 2021 following the ‘Golden Parade’ of royal mummies, which were transported in style from the old Tahrir Square museum. Fustat (in Old Cairo) was chosen as the location because of…
Several recent reports have suggested that participation in cultural activities is good for one’s well-being. Under the headline ‘Daily dose of art as important to health as 5-a-day’, The Telegraph reported that cultural engagement not only slows down ageing, but is a ‘human necessity’.
Janice Kinory examines an early photograph of a Roman emperor’s palace.
Recent research at several heritage sites in Tanzania suggests that they may
be under threat from the very organisations tasked with protecting them.
An ancient tree is one that is in the final stage of its life and is exceptionally old for its species. Such trees typically have a wide girth and a hollow trunk with decaying wood, holes, and cavities that provide…
Most maritime archaeologists spend their careers trying to tease out what happened before a ship sank by asking questions like who was on board, when was it built, where was it going, and why? While poring over James Delgado’s new…
Dr Hourig Sourouzian, Director of the Colossi of Memnon and Amenhotep III Temple Conservation Project in Luxor, was recently honoured by Sherif Fathy, the Minister of Tourism, for her outstanding contributions to the restoration of the mortuary temple. The ceremony…
• A 3,000-year-old gold mining operation, including mining tools and residential areas, has been discovered in Egypt’s Sukari Mountains; the entire camp has been moved nearly two miles away to separate it from the modern mine at the site. •…
CA at Paestum The 27th annual Mediterranean Exchange for Archaeological Tourism met at Paestum, Italy, at the end of October and start of November to celebrate archaeological and cultural heritage. Together with archaeologists, heritage managers, and tourism professionals, CA visited…
REVIEW BY ADAM KLUPS Are Muslims native to Europe? Should Islam, in a historical and cultural sense, be considered an indigenous European religion? Readers who believe they already know the answers to these questions may find themselves reconsidering after accompanying…
Hadrian’s Wall may be primarily associated with stone fortifications, but trees played a key role in Roman life on the northern frontier. Complementing our preceding geological exploration of this region, David Breeze now turns the spotlight on to sacred species, wooden artefacts, and iconic views.
Lucy Gordan describes a temporary exhibition Treasures of the Pharaohs, which displays priceless artefacts from ancient Egypt in Rome for the first time.
• A German-Egyptian ScanPyramids team has discovered two previously unknown air-filled cavities in the Pyramid of Menkaura at Giza, which might suggest the presence of a second entrance on the eastern side of the monument. • Research published in the…
Marie Antoinette is one of the most famous and most misunderstood figures of 18th-century France. Carly Hilts visited a new exhibition exploring her life and legacy.
The Egyptian government’s ‘Great Transfiguration Project’ for the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mount Sinai – the location of the 6th century Monastery of St Catherine – has caused international concern, and calls for the area to be placed on…
• The gold bracelet of the Twenty-first Dynasty pharaoh Amenemope was recently stolen from the conservation laboratory of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Arrests were made but, sadly, the bracelet had already been melted down for gold. • An ancient…
What was under discussion at the latest World Archaeological Congress? Stu Eve reviews events at the gathering in Darwin, Australia.
Across 8 Mexican state, location of Mitla archaeological site (6)9 Early horse, now known as Hyracotherium (8)10 Phoenician city-state destroyed by Rome in 146 BC (8)11 Mycenaean settlement in southern Greece (6)12 Stage of the British Pleistocene Series (10)13 Greek…
In its annual ‘watchlist’ of threatened heritage sites, the World Monuments Fund (WMF) has cast its gaze beyond our own planet and declared that the surface of the Moon represents a vulnerable cultural landscape.
Napoleonic war camp saved for the nation The first purpose-built prisoner-of-war camp in the world – dating from the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars – has been saved for future generations through its recent purchase by Nene Park Trust, with…
Modern society faces significant global challenges, including climate change, environmental pollution, crime and conflict, social injustice, poor health, and concerns about wellbeing. In his recently published book exploring some of these issues, John Schofield argues that archaeologists have the necessary skills and insight to help address these problems, whether working in the field, among community groups, or in museums.
Sherds adopts a very broad definition of ‘heritage’, so no apologies for beginning this month’s column by drawing attention to the 70th anniversary of the establishment of tiddlywinks as a competitive university-based sport.
Lee P Ruddin explores the life and work of an artist whose beautiful paintings of Egyptian life are now sadly overlooked.
The latest on acquisitions, exhibitions, and key decisions.
AlUla is an oasis town in north- western Saudi Arabia with a deep historic past as a major stepping stone for the traders who brought frankincense and myrrh north into Egypt and the Levant.
The sounds that one associates with places of worship are those of an angelic choir or the intricate patterns of a Bach fugue. Some churches have, however, been enjoying success with the rather more unexpected pairing of doom metal bands and church organs.
Simone Petacchi visits the galleries of the Museum of Mediterranean Archaeology (MAM), which houses the second largest collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts in France.
When Venice features in the media, the story is usually about the malign consequences of flooding, cruise ships, and tourism, which crowds out more positive news, like the development of the Venice Time Machine, due to be showcased at this year’s European Association of Archaeologists conference in Rome.
The latest on acquisitions, exhibitions, and key decisions.
REVIEW BY LINDA MONCKTON In this book, seven chapters chart the development of heritage-led wellbeing and present research into six heritage sites across three countries (and continents). Heritage here means ‘visiting’ a heritage site, museum, or gallery. It is unusual…
TOP OF THE PYRAMIDS: THE CIVILISATION OF ANCIENT EGYPT This exhibition, co-hosted by the Shanghai Museum and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, has more than 780 ancient Egyptian artefacts on loan from Egyptian museums, most never before displayed in…
What was it like to visit Egypt as a tourist just before the First World War?
Lord Lisvane, former Clerk to the House of Commons and Chairman of the Royal College of Organists, sparked a lively correspondence in The Times earlier this year when he asked whether he was alone in deploring the popularity of ‘All…
REVIEW BY TIMOTHY DARVILL Archaeology is not just concerned with learning about the past – it is also about using our hard-won understandings to help inform the present and shape the future. Nowhere is this more urgent than with reference…
Across 7 North American archaeological culture (6)9 Huntress of Greek mythology (8)10 Germanic people defeated by the Huns (10)11 Port, now in Israel, conquered by Alexander in 332 BC (4)12 Father of Aeneas in Greek mythology (8)13 Extinct language of…
CREATURES OF THE NILE Creatures of the Nile explores the world of ancient Egyptian and Sudanese animals through more than 250 artefacts from the University of Liverpool’s Garstang Museum, National Museums Liverpool, and Manchester Museum. Highlights include the earliest known…