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Histories of Egyptology

Interdisciplinary Measures

Edited by William Carruthers

To Be Published November 15th 2013 by Routledge – 296 pages

Series: Routledge Studies in Egyptology

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    978-0-415-84369-0
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Description

Egypt is currently undergoing a process of redefinition. As the country’s recent history is questioned, so it is more important than ever for the discipline of Egyptology – whose constructions of Egypt’s ancient history are borne of the modern, colonial encounter – to grapple with its own difficult past. This book builds on a growing interest in the history of Egyptology. It is the first volume to ask both Egyptological and outside figures to examine the discipline’s past, providing a critical historical assessment of where the discipline is, how it got there and – as a result – where it now needs to go.

Vital themes addressed by chapters in this book include not only the historical involvement of Egyptology with the colonial and political spheres, but also the manner in which the discipline staked out its professional territory as well as the ways in which it has made and represented its knowledge. Histories of Egyptology provides the basis to understand not only how Egyptologists constructed their discipline, but to demonstrate how they constructed ancient Egypt. Those from related disciplines – archaeology and anthropology in particular – will find material of interest. So, too, will historians – of science, the colonial encounter, politics, and thought. As the nation of Egypt is engaged in considering its past and future, it is time for the discipline that bases its existence on that country’s past to do so too.

Contents

Part 1. Introduction. 1. Disciplinary Measures? Histories of Egyptology in Multi-Disciplinary Context William Carruthers Part 2. The Creation and Isolation of an Academic Discipline 2. ‘We Seem to be Working in the Same Line’: The Development and Divergence of the Disciplines of Archaeology, Anthropology and Egyptology as seen from the Pitt Rivers Museum Alice Stevenson 3. The ‘Anglo-Saxon Branch’ of the Berlin School of Egyptology Thomas Gertzen 4. Cursed Discipline? The Peculiarities of Egyptology at the Turn of the Twentieth Century Juan Carlos Moreno Garcia 5. Discussion Paper David Gange Part 3. Knowledge in the Making 6. Greek, Roman, Egyptian? Defining Mummy Panels from the Fayyum Debbie Challis 7. Beyond Traveler’s Accounts: Publishing Cailliaud’s Arts and Crafts Andrew Bednarski 8. W.M.F. Petrie and Find Divisions Tine Bagh 9. ‘Nationalism’ in Ancient Egypt: Hierakonpolis, the Narmer Palette and the ‘New Race’ Lynn Stagg 10. Discussion Paper Christina Riggs Part 4. Colonial Mediations, Postcolonial Responses 11. Tutankhamun between Empire and Nation: British and Egyptian Rhythms of Remembering and Forgetting Donald Reid 12. Egyptology from Below: Labor Formation in Egyptian Archaeology under Colonial Occupation Wendy Doyon 13. In the Shadow of War: Developments in Egyptian Antiquities Law during the Gulf and Afghanistan Conflicts Keith Amery 14. Discussion Paper Paul Sedra Part 5. Representing Knowledge. 15. Thomas Pettigrew’s Mummy Autopsies and the Birth of the Archaeological Gaze Gabriel Moshenska 16. Repeating Death: the High Priest Character in Mummy Horror Films Jasmine Day 17. ‘The Romance of Setne-Khaemwas’ and the Victorians Steve Vinson 18. Discussion Paper Stephanie Moser Part 6. Conclusions: The History and Future of Egyptology. 19. An Egyptian Perspective (TBC) 20. A Further Perspective: The Case against the Grand Egyptian Museum Mohamed Elshahed 21. Conclusion: Egyptology Before – and After – the Revolution William Carruthers

Author Bio

William Carruthers is a Lecturer at the University of Cambridge, UK.

Name: Histories of Egyptology: Interdisciplinary Measures (Hardback) – Routledge 
Description: Edited by William Carruthers. Egypt is currently undergoing a process of redefinition. As the country’s recent history is questioned, so it is more important than ever for the discipline of Egyptology – whose constructions of Egypt’s ancient history are...
Categories: Egyptian Archaeology, Politics of Archaeology, Middle East Culture, Middle East History, Middle East Politics