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- Convenor:
-
Helena Lopes
(CHAM, NOVA FCSH, UAc)
Send message to Convenor
- Location:
- B1 0.03
- Sessions:
- Wednesday 17 July, -, -
Time zone: Europe/Lisbon
Short Abstract:
In African antiquity, the long history of Egypt throughout more than 3 thousand years is important because it was subject of changes and constant innovations maintaining, however, its core identity. Even after the fall of its ancient civilization it continued to culturally influence the world.
Long Abstract:
Ancient Egypt has one of the most fascinating, richest and well-known histories of the African continent. Throughout more than 3 thousand years it was subject of changes and constant innovations maintaining, however, its core identity. Egypt set its ambitions in African territory and beyond, attested by its Southern and Eastern expansion fuelled by economic and political motivations. Likewise, Egypt was envied for its riches and caught the attentions of the mightiest powers since antiquity, from ancient Greeks and Romans to the modern French and British Empires. Therefore, its cultural and historic memories are felt and seen even today. To comprehend its history and changes with time will help us to understand the evolution and relations of this ancient African civilization and its myriad influences.
Accepted papers:
Session 1 Wednesday 17 July, 2019, -Paper short abstract:
The aim of this paper is to discuss the main characteristics of the royal portraiture in the Early Middle Kingdom through literary and statuary sources considering the aspects of innovation, but also of permanence, providing a comprehensive view of the period's ideology and its influences.
Paper long abstract:
Despite its deceptive immobility the Egyptian civilization had moments of change and innovation. The Early Middle Kingdom was one of these, in which took place a movement of administrative reform, cultural development and social transformation. Among the transformations is the redefinition of the role of Egyptian royalty in that society, as well as the relationship of the Pharaoh with his subjects.
The twelfth dynasty witnessed the emergence of literature as a division of written culture. Politics and literature were combined into a unique association in Egyptian history in a program promoted by a State with a high degree of self-awareness and self-reflection. As far as the pharaonic function is concerned, it is presented in idealized terms, however, another facet of it appears with its duties presented in a pessimistic way. The Pharaoh, despite being the centre of the Egyptian society, is represented as a lonely individual, burdened by responsibilities and fallible because of his own human condition.
At the same time, the official image of the sovereign is part of the ideological program propagated by the statuary which accompanied the changes of the period. In the reign of Senwosret III and his successor, the generally neutral and vigorous features of royal representations give way to sombre and aging expressions.
In this paper we intend to approach the unique characteristics of this period through literary and statuary sources considering the aspects of innovation, but also of permanence regarding the royal representation and its role in that society.
Paper short abstract:
This essay intents to analyze the most relevant alterations that shaped a new Egyptian posture to the World. Their ability to survive came directly from their capacity to adapt and innovate, and with that, an expansion created an Empire.
Paper long abstract:
There are several catalysts that can be found to be the reason for the beginning of an expansionist movement of a nation. The most common are, perhaps, economic, political or defensive in nature.
During the genesis of the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, one starts to observe a crescendo of territory being annexed to the heart of Egypt. The Two Lands gradually became an Empire that grew both tor South and to the East. At first, with Ahmose, the founding pharaoh of Dynasty XVIII, the reason was security, but after that, what were the motivations for continued annexation? What was used to keep the Empire together? What strategies, what innovations, what advantages did the ancient Egyptians have?
Tuthmoses III extended his Empire to a stable union of territories, occupying one of the largest areas that would ever be occupied by an Egyptian pharaoh. Its maintenance would require permanent awareness of the dominated space and the surrounding enemy forces. Also, response to attacks or insurrections were paramount to the maintenance of peace. Tuthmoses III was extremely successful in doing everything needed to keep Egypt as an Empire.
This essay will analyze the period of time from the reign of Ahmose to the one of Tuthmoses III, focusing on significant information that will help to clarify aspects such as the external political situation, the expansionist movements and what was involved in maintaining frontiers, enemies at bay and insurrections inside the annexed territories under control.
Paper short abstract:
Catarina Miranda addresses in her communication the sculpture in the round of Ptolemaic pharaohs in Egyptian territory, aiming to contribute to a re-understanding of the phenomenon of artistic contact in these representations.
Paper long abstract:
Ptolemaic royal sculpture offers a vast array of statues, some of which attracted much attention for the ways they framed in a single piece distinct artistic traditions - Greek and Egyptian in particular.
Egyptology, for disciplinary reasons, has only turned to investigate the phenomenon of intercultural interactions in recent decades, but the Ptolemaic dynasty (c. 4th BCE - 1st CE) immediately benefited of great prominence, for the multitude of sources available. Nonetheless, the theoretical and conceptual apparatus has struggled to incorporate anthropological knowledge on this matter, a matter which has been long and deeply studied in this discipline.
Interdisciplinarity is both welcomed and pursued in this investigation, in an attempt at providing new readings of this object.
The concern of the study is both ontological and epistemological: it is equally concerned with the material and the words that have named it and interpreted the phenomenon of cultural contact evinced.
The paper will present some of the highlights of the investigation.
Paper short abstract:
Our interest with this communication will be to open the debate on how Andalusian Islamic authors understood the stories and objects from Ancient Egypt, their means and aims with and beyond their works and writings on magic.
Paper long abstract:
Modern archeology opened up an invaluable area of material and immaterial culture with the take of the pharaonic wealth. But the Egyptian knowledge immortalized in hieroglyphics and statues was somehow already known during the Islamic expansion. One of the most remarkable Medieval Islamic works on magic was produced in al-Andalus, which testifies the importance of the findings of the Muslim travellers, and the transfer of knowledge between Egypt and the Peninsula. The way in which this Islamic pre-archaelogy was transformed into Andalusian works on magic, shapes one of the most intriguing episodes in Islamic and Arabic-Andalusian sciences. With our presentation we want to offer a view on the ways Egyptian Hermetism could have influenced our Andalusian
authors. Scholar as well as earth-bound paths will be taken into consideration, pious as well as secular approaches to (Egyptian) Knowledge at the time, will be considered.
Paper short abstract:
Mummification was developed in Ancient Egypt to preserve the body. Being introduced in the practical classes of Cellular Biology of the course of Biological Sciences at Federal University of Paraiba (UFPB), it aims aiming at promoting innovations in the Teaching-Learning Process of that field of knowledge
Paper long abstract:
Artificial mummification is a procedure that involves several stages, having, in its accomplishment, an important religious aspect. After washing the body, the intestines, stomach, liver, lungs and heart were, in this order, removed from the corpse by means of the perpendicular incision to the ribs on the left side of the abdomen. They were then treated with natron, a complex mixture of various sodium salts, such as sodium chloride, cooking salt (NaCl), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) and sodium sulfate (Na2SO4). As we know today, the sodium chloride dehydrates as well as prevents the occurrence of certain biochemical reactions that hinder the decomposition of the spoils, characterizing what we, now, call fixation, which is a stage for the preservation of cells and tissues. Depending on the historical period, the heart was placed in its place of origin and the other organs were kept in canopic jars, which represented the four sons of the god Horus: Imsety (liver), Hapi (lungs), Duamutef (stomach) and Qebehsenuef (intestines). In the undergraduate Licentiate course in Biology at the UFPB, we have used mummification as an innovative procedure to arise the debates related to Law 10.639 / 2003, with the purpose of discussing race relations in Brazil, from the Cell Biology classes. Therefore, the students are trained to perform mummification by successfully replacing the natron with a mixture of 3 cooking salt parts and a portion of sodium bicarbonate. The analyses allow an interdisciplinary discussion among Biology, Chemistry and Religious teaching.
Paper short abstract:
Through the O deslumbramento do Egipto, the last chapter of the book Terras de Sol e de Febre by Julião Quintinha, a Portuguese journalist and writer, we will capture the representation, memory, and reception of the identity of the Pharaonic Egypt in Portugal in the 20s and 30s of the 20th century.
Paper long abstract:
During the Research Project Tutankhamon em Portugal. Relatos na imprensa portuguesa (1922-1939), we came across a text about the archaeological discoveries in Egypt, published in the newspaper República, on the 24th of March of 1939, by Julião Quintinha (1885-1968), a renowned Portuguese journalist and writer.
Quintinha traveled through Africa, between 1925 and 1927, visiting the Portuguese colonies, the Egypt, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean and Red Seas, in an exclusively journalistic journey of inquiry and study of the colonial life and indigenous habits, to be able to write some books.
Thereafter, he left extensive documentation and information, either fictional or narrative, resulting from his experience, observation, and reflection about overseas issues and problems. He is, therefore, considered the pioneer of modern colonial literature. Among his various works, we highlight the one dated from 1932, entitled Terras de Sol e de Febre in which, as a result of his visit to Egypt, the Author shares a critical and enlightened look at the ancient Egyptian civilization.
Through the last chapter (O deslumbramento do Egipto) we will collect and frame his insights on the legendary Egypt, as he calls it, namely on his arrival at the Suez Canal, the fascinating desert crossing, the mysterious charm of Cairo, and the wonderful Tutankhamun's treasures in the Cairo museum. Through his narrative, we will capture the representation and memory of the supreme enchantment of the Egypt (...) of Cleopatra and the Pharaohs, as well as the reception of its identity.