The Heavens on Earth: Astronomy and Ancient Egypt
by Simon at 09:49 04/05/06 (Blogs::Simon)
Saturday 17 June, 2006

Egypt Exploration Society Study-Day

Location: The Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre, School of Oriental and African Studies, Thornhaugh St, Russell Sq, London, WC1H 0XG

(Seen advertised on the EEF mailing list - I've mailed the organisers to enquire as to the ticket price)

Programme:

10.00 Registration. Doors open for EES book-sale in the foyer of the Brunei Gallery Theatre
10.30 Coffee/tea and biscuits
11.00 Opening remarks by Lisette Petrie who will chair the Study-Day
11.05 Prof Malcolm Coe, Astronomy for Archaeologists - what did the ancients see?
11.55 Dr Kate Spence, Astronomy and the pyramids?
12.45 Lunch (please make your own arrangements)
14.10 Dr Luc Gabolde, The Orientation of some Egyptian Temples: an attempt to create a direct link with the Divine World
15.00 Coffee/tea and biscuits
15.30 Dr Sarah Symons, The Life and Death of Egyptian Stars
16.20 Closing remarks by Lisette Petrie

The Speakers:

Lisette Petrie, who will chair today's meeting, is the only grandchild of Flinders Petrie (and almost 100 years his junior!). She grew up with a Naqada II pot on the dresser, but didn't really develop an interest in Egyptology when she was young. She took a degree in astronomy when her children were small and has taught the subject for the Open University and the Sussex Institute for the last 12 years. Having now realised how exciting ancient Egypt is, visiting the country seven times in the last fi ve years, she is fascinated by the astronomy of the ancient Egyptians and eager to learn more.

Professor Malcolm Coe is Head of the School of Physics & Astronomy at Southampton University. He is an expert on distant star systems, particularly those in the Magellanic Clouds. He also has a strong interest in the broader implications of astronomy and, in particular, those areas of our lives where astronomy is vital to our understanding of other issues. For many years he has taught an extremely popular astronomy lecture course for non-scientists, as well as giving many popular talks to the general public. He is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Kate Spence is a Fellow of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research in Cambridge and an Affi liated Lecturer in the Faculty of Oriental Studies. She has participated in the Egypt Exploration Society expeditions to Amarna and Qasr Ibrim and has been studying pyramid architecture for a number of years. Her talk will focus on the early evidence for observation of the stars in Egypt and whether we are justifi ed in calling this 'astronomy'. It will also explore the contentious issue of the relationship between 'astronomy' and pyramid architecture.

Dr Luc Gabolde of the University of Montpellier is a Researcher at the French National Scientifi c Research Centre (CNRS) and has been working for ten years at Karnak, studying the temple of Sesostris I (and especially its astronomical orientation), and the limestone buildings of Tuthmosis II and Hatshepsut. His talk will discuss the orientations of Egyptian temples which were established on an axis focusing on the very point where an astronomical body rose or set on a specifi c date. The Egyptians hoped thus to reinforce direct links between the divine world and the place of the living.

Dr Sarah Symons teaches Archaeoastronomy within Interdisciplinary Science in the Dept of Physics and Astronomy at Leicester University. Her talk will examine how the Egyptians thought the sky worked, what the stars were, and how the heavens were described. She will look at two ways which were used to represent the star sky: astronomical ceilings and star 'clocks'. Texts which add information about the daily life and, perhaps, death of stars will be also discussed. The talk will consider how our own view of astronomy affects our interpretation of Egyptian texts, images, and objects.

Admission is by ticket only, available from 'Study-Day', The Egypt Exploration Society, 3 Doughty Mews, London WC1N 2PG. Please either complete the form in the Spring 2006 Events and News mailing, or send a letter to us, with a stamped, addressed envelope and cheque (payable to 'The Egypt Exploration Society' to 3 Doughty Mews, London, UK, WC1N 2PG). Tickets for the Study-Day include refreshments on arrival and mid-afternoon. Lunch is not included but there are many restaurants/cafés on Southampton Row, just a few minutes walk from SOAS. Tickets will be sold strictly on a 'first come, first served' basis. Early application is strongly recommended. Also, please note our new £15 student rate for tickets (proof of either registration in degree-course or full-time student status required). For further information contact events@ees.ac.uk

--
simon

<< Meglithomania Conference - upd... www.renew-reuse-recycle.com >>
Powered by
Powered by Novacaster