The Treasure of Queen Ahhotep (1550 BC)

Organised by the Archaeology of Egypt and Sudan Research Network, Gianluca's seminar will explore the emergent Late Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean and the writing of the history of Egyptology.

Abstract

In 1859 an Egyptian team digging in the northern sector of the Theban necropolis on behalf of Auguste Mariette brought to light the coffin of a queen called Ahhotep (Second Intermediate Period, c. 1550 BC). Within they found rare and unparalleled items, forming the largest “treasure” of the goldsmith’s art then known from Egypt, and including objects that reflect the influence of the Aegean and of Nubia. However, many questions remain open, as the discovery of the Ahhotep burial became a legend where the borders between tale and reality are not always clear. This seminar presentation aims at deconstructing and then reconstructing the history of the Queen Ahhotep discovery through the eyes and sources of the nineteenth century, moving away from the narrative of Egyptological tradition.

Any enquiries about the event may be directed to: Stephen Quirke (s.quirke@ucl.ac.uk) and Paulina Wandowicz (paulina.wandowicz.20@ucl.ac.uk)