INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY

MA G199
MA half Option: Egyptian Writing as
Material Culture
(2009-)2010

Co-ordinator:

John Tait

j.tait@ucl.ac.uk
Room 110; Tel. (020 7679) 1530 (Internal 21530)

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

1 OVERVIEW
Short description
The course surveys ancient Egyptian written material and writing materials, including (1)
interpretation of technical features and aspects of production, with a view to a better
understanding of the social role of texts and writing; and also in order to explore ancient
attitudes to texts and writing, and (2) exploration of problems of method that arise when
trying to see texts as artefacts alongside other examples of material culture, and as evidence
alongside other types of archaeological and historical evidence.
Week-by-week summary
SPRING TERM
12.01.10
1.
(John Tait)

2:00 p.m.

B13

Introduction: course organization and objectives

19.01.10
2.

2:00 p.m.

B13

(John Tait)

The Heqanakhte letters and accounts

26.01.10
3.

2:00 p.m.

B13

2:00 p.m.

B13

2:00 p.m.

B13

(John Tait)

The Kamose texts

02.02.10
4.

(John Tait)

Tebtunis
09.02.10
5.

(John Tait)

The Famine Stela and other texts in their landscape

READING WEEK (NO TEACHING)

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

23.02.10
6.

2:00 p.m.

Petrie Museum

(John Tait)

Kahun
02.03.10
7.

2:00 p.m.

B13

(John Tait)

Harkhuf: the Tomb

09.03.10
8.

2:00 p.m.

Petrie Museum

(John Tait)

The Book of the Dead

16.03.10
9.

2:00 p.m.

B13

(John Tait)

Ostraca
23.03.10
10.

2:00 p.m.

Petrie Museum

(John Tait)

Rifeh

20092010

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

Basic texts
Some Reading relevant to the Option as a whole

Scribes, scribal practice, writing

BIERBRIER, Morris L., Papyrus: structure and usage. London: BMP, 1986
INST ARCH KH BIE
ERN, J., Paper & books in Ancient Egypt: an inaugural lecture delivered at University
College, London, 29 May, 1947. London: Published for the College by H. K. Lewis, 1952
[also repr. Chicago: Ares, 1977]
EGYPTOLOGY X 7 CER
Goldwasser, O., From Icon to Metaphor: studies in the semiotics of the hieroglyphs. Fribourg:
University Press, 1995
EGYPTOLOGY V 7 GOL
Leach, B. and John Tait, Papyrus, in Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology; ed. Paul
T. Nicholson and Ian Shaw. Cambridge: University Press, 2000, pp. 227253
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS S5 NIC
*Parkinson, R. B. and Stephen Quirke, Papyrus, with contributions by Ute Wartenberg and
Bridget Leach. London: Published for the Trustees of the British Museum by British Museum
Press, 1995
EGYPTOLOGY X 5 PAR
*Tait, J., Egypt, ancient, XI: Writing and books, in The Dictionary of Art, ed. J. Turner, 34v.
London, Grove, 1996, v. 10, pp. 17
INST ARCH TEACHING COLLECTION 2326
MAIN LIBRARY ART FOLIOS A 2 DIC
Wente, E., The Scribes of Ancient Egypt, in Civilizations of the Ancient Near East; Jack M.
Sasson, Editor in Chief, 4v., New York: Scribners, 1995, v. 4, pp. 221121
INST ARCH DBA 100 SAS; and in MAIN - ANCIENT HISTORY
WILLIAMS, R. J., Scribal Training in Ancient Egypt, JAOS 92 (1972), pp. 214221 (sic)
INST ARCH TEACHING COLLECTION

Literacy
*BAINES, J., Literacy and Ancient Egyptian Society, Man, N.S. 18 (1983), pp. 572 99
SCIENCE ANTHROPOLOGY PERIODICALS
See also in collected studies: Visual and written culture in ancient Egypt. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2007.
INST ARCH ISSUE DESK IOA BAI; EGYPTOLOGY B 20 BAI
4

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

JANSSEN, Jac J., Literacy and Letters at Deir el-Medina, in Village voices: proceedings of
the symposium texts from Deir el-Medna and their interpretation, Leiden, May 31-June 1,
1991; edited by R. J. Demare and A. Egberts (CNWS publications, no. 13). Leiden: Centre
of Non-Western Studies, Leiden University, 1992, pp. 8194
EGYPTOLOGY V 50 DEM
TE VELDE, H., Scribes and Literacy in Ancient Egypt, in Scripta Signa Vocis: studies
about scripts, scriptures, scribes, and languages in the Near East, presented to J.H. Hospers by
his pupils, colleagues, and friends; edited by H. L. J. Vanstiphout ... [et al.]. (Groningen: E.
Forsten, 1986), pp., 25364.
MAIN COMP. PHIL. D 5 VAN +HEBREW A 6 HOS
THOMPSON, D. J., Conquest and Literacy: the case of Ptolemaic Egypt, in Literacy:
Interdisciplinary Conversations; ed. D.KELLER-COHEN (Written language series). Cresskill
NJ: Hampton Press, 1994, pp. 71-89
INST ARCH GC KEL + ISSUE DESK

Findspots
Allen, J. P. The Heqanakht Papyri. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2002
ISSUE DESK IOA ALL 1
Hanson, A. E., Text & Context for the Illustrated Herbal from Tebtunis, in Atti del XXII
Congresso di Papirologia, I. Andorlini, G. Bastianini, M. Manfredi, G. Menci (eds). Firenze:
Istituto Papirologico G. Vitelli, 2001, vol. 1, 585604
PAPYROLOGY QUARTOS P 6 INT
Monson, A. and J. Tait, Putting Papyri into Archaeological Context: new insights from
Tebtunis, Egypt, Archaeology International [5] (20012002), pp. 4043
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS
*PARKINSON, R. B. et al.,
http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/research_projects/the_ramesseum_papyri.aspx
Pestman, P. W. Who Were the Owners, in the Community of Workmen, of the Chester
Beatty Papyri? In Demare, R. J. and Janssen, J. J. (eds.), Gleanings from Deir el-Medna.
Leiden: Nederlands Instituut voor het Nabije Oosten, 1982, 155172.
*Ryholt, K. 2005. On the Contents and Nature of the Tebtunis Temple Library: A Status
Report, In Lippert, S. and Schentuleit, M. (eds.), Tebtynis und Soknopaiu Nesos: Leben im
rmerzeitlichen Fajum. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 141170.
EGYPTOLOGY A 6 LIP

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

Use of written material

*BAINES, J., Literacy, Social Organization, and the Archaeological Record: the case of
early Egypt, in State and Society: the emergence and development of social hierarchy and
political centralization; edited by John Gledhill, Barbara Bender and Mogens Trolle Larsen
(One world archaeology 4). London: Unwin Hyman, 1988 (Reissued, London, Routledge,
1995), 192 214
INST ARCH BD STA
*Black, J. A. and W. J. Tait, Archives and Libraries in the Ancient Near East, in
Civilizations of the Ancient Near East; Jack M. Sasson, Editor in Chief, 4v., New York,
Scribners, 1995, v. 4, pp. 2197-209
INST ARCH TEACHING COLLECTION 2327; DBA 100 SAS
DORN, Andreas and Tobias Hofmann (eds), Living and writing in Deir el-Medine: sociohistorical embodiment of Deir el-Medine texts (Basel: Schwabe, 2006)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS A 6 DOR
McDOWELL, Angela G., Village life in ancient Egypt: laundry lists and love songs (Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 1999)
EGYPTOLOGY B 20 MAC
Quirke, S. G. Archive, in Loprieno, A. (ed.), Ancient Egyptian Literature: History and
Forms (Probleme der gyptologie 10). Leiden: Brill, 1996, 379401.
EGYPTOLOGY V 10 LOP
ALSO Parkinson and Quirke, Papyrus (above)

Selection of collected translations

Kitchen , K. A. Ramesside inscriptions: translated and annotated: Translations 1 , Oxford:
Blackwell, 1993
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS T 6 KIT
Lichtheim, M. 1973. Ancient Egyptian Literature, vol. 1: The Old and Middle Kingdoms.
Berkeley: University of California Press, 1973
Ancient Egyptian Literature, vol. 2: The New Kingdom. Berkeley: University of California
Press, 1976
Ancient Egyptian Literature, vol. 3: The Late Period. Berkeley: University of California
Press, 1980
EGYPTOLOGY V 20 LIC
Peden, A. J., The graffiti of pharaonic Egypt: scope and roles of informal writings (c. 3100
332 B.C.). Leiden: Brill, 2001
EGYPTOLOGY T 50 PED
6

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

*Simpson, W. K. et al., The Literature of Ancient Egypt: An Anthology of Stories,

Instructions, Stelae, Autobiographies, and Poetry. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press,
2003
EGYPTOLOGY V 20 SIM
Strudwick, N, Texts from the pyramid age. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2005
EGYPTOLOGY T 6 STR

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

Methods of assessment
This course is assessed by means of a total of 5,000 words of coursework, divided into two
research essays of ca. 2,500 words. For assessment, each of the two has equal weight. The
topics and deadlines for each assessment are specified below. If students are unclear about the
nature of an assignment, they should contact the Course Co-ordinator. The Course Coordinator will be willing to discuss an outline of their approach to the assessment, provided
this is planned suitably in advance of the submission date.

Teaching methods
The course is taught through seminars. All seminars have weekly recommended readings,
which all students will be expected to have done, to be able fully to follow and actively to
contribute to discussion. In addition, for each seminar except the first, two or more students
will expected to have undertaken some specific reading, and to offer a short presentation
analysing either data, or approaches, or both. The assignment of topics for future seminars
will be discussed at each seminar. All sessions are compulsory.

Workload
There will be 20 hours of seminars. Students will be expected to undertake around 120 hours
of reading for the course, plus 60 hours preparing for and producing the assessed work. This
adds up to a total workload of some 200 hours for the course.

Prerequisites
This course does not have a prerequisite. In particular, it is intended that the course should be
fully accessible and advantageous for students with no training in ancient Egyptian language.
The seminars will, however, assume a degree of acquaintance with the history and culture of
ancient Egypt, and the archaeological sources.

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

2 AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND ASSESSMENT

Aims
This Option aims
to provide training in the interpretation of texts and writing-related artefacts seen as
material culture in the context the study of ancient Egyptian society
to introduce the student to the breadth of the range of ancient Egyptian sources
to prepare students who wish to undertake original research on ancient Egypt that will
involve textual or related material

Objectives
On successful completion of this course a student should:
have gained a detailed understanding of recent developments and theoretical and
practical perspectives in the field of textual studies within Egyptian archaeology;
have developed their critical faculties in discussion, debate, and evaluation of
alternative interpretations of and perspectives on textual evidence from or relevant to
ancient Egypt;
have acquired a range of skills in the handling of textual and related data from ancient
Egypt, relevant to their future development;
have developed a range of research-oriented skills appropriate to the investigation of
Egyptian texts.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students in addition to having advanced their understanding and
critical awareness of the nature of sources and evidence should have acquired a critical
awareness of methods of analysis in the study of Egyptian textual material and be able to
assess research problems, and to evaluate issues in the application of such analyses to wider
issues concerning ancient Egyptian society.
They should be able to design an original research project in this field.
They should have acquired a command of current trends and imperatives in research on
ancient Egyptian textual and related material.

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

Coursework
Assessment tasks
This course is assessed by means of a total of 5,000 words of coursework, divided into two
research essays of ca. 2,500 words. For assessment, each of the two has equal weight. The
topics and deadlines for each assessment are specified below. If students are unclear about the
nature of an assignment, they should contact the Course Co-ordinator. The Course Coordinator will be willing to discuss an outline of their approach to the assessment, provided
this is planned suitably in advance of the submission date.
Submission procedures
The coursework must be stapled to a completed blue coversheet (available from the web, or
from outside Room 411A) and submitted to the course co-ordinators pigeon hole via the Red
Essay Box at Reception by the appropriate deadline. Late submission will be penalized unless
permission has been granted and an Extension Request Form (ERF) completed. Please see the
Cousework Guidelines document at
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/handbook/common/
(or your MA/MSc Handbook) for further details on the required procedure.
In addition students are required to submit each piece of work electronically to Turnitin. The
Turnitin Class ID is 132495 and the Class Enrolment Password is IoA0910. Further
information is given here http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/handbook/common/cfp.htm.
Turnitin advisors will be available to help you via email: ioa-turnitin@ucl.ac.uk if you need
help generating or interpreting the reports.
Keeping copies
Please note that it is an Institute requirement that you retain a copy (this can be electronic) of
all coursework submitted. When your marked essay is returned to you, you should return it to
the marker within two weeks.
Citing of sources
Coursework should be expressed in a students own words giving the exact source of any
ideas, information, and diagrams, etc. that are taken from the work of others. Any direct
quotations from the work of others must be indicated as such by being placed between
inverted commas. Plagiarism is regarded as a very serious irregularity which can carry
very heavy penalties. It is your responsibility to read and abide by the requirements for
presentation, referencing and avoidance of plagiarism to be found in the IoA Coursework
Guidelines at
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/handbook/common/referencing.htm.

10

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

3 SCHEDULE AND SYLLABUS

SCOPE
The course presents advanced training in the study of ancient Egyptian written material and
writing materials, from an artefactual approach, including
(1) interpretation of technical features and aspects of production, with a view to a better
understanding of the social role of texts and writing; and also in order to explore ancient
attitudes to texts and writing
(2) exploration of problems of method that arise when trying to see texts as artefacts
alongside other examples of material culture, and as evidence alongside other types of
archaeological and historical evidence
The theoretical backgrounds explicitly considered range from those long established in
Palaeography and Textual Criticism to recent approaches in Archaeology and the study of
ancient texts (e.g. New Historicism).

Teaching schedule

1. Introduction: course organization and objectives

(John Tait)
12.01.2010

2:00 p.m.

11

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

2. The Heqanakhte letters and accounts

(John Tait)
19.01.2010
B13

2:00 p.m.

Readings:

*Allen, James P., The Heqanakht papyri (New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2002).
ISSUE DESK IOA ALL 1
James, T. G. H., The Hekanakhte papers and other early Middle Kingdom documents (New
York: [Metropolitan Museum of Art], 1962).
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 50 JAM
Eyre, Christopher J., Work and the Organisation of Work in the Old Kingdom, in: Labor in
the Ancient Near East. Edited by Marvin A. Powell, New Haven, American Oriental Society,
1987 (= American Oriental Series, 68), 5-47
ANCIENT HISTORY B 66 POW
Goedicke, Hans., Studies in the Hekanakhte papers (Baltimore, MD: HALGO, c1984).
EGYPTOLOGY E 50 GOE

12

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

3. The Kamose texts

(John Tait)
26.01.2010
B13

2:00 p.m.

Readings:
Janine Bourriau, Some Archaeological Notes on the Kamose Texts, in: Studies on ancient
Egypt in honour of H.S. Smith (edited by Anthony Leahy and John Tait; London: Egypt
Exploration Society, 1999), pp. 43-48.
[NB contains references to archaeological and historical studies, especially the work of Detlef
Franke - e.g. Orientalia 57 (1988), 245-274]
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS A 6 LEA
Alan Henderson Gardiner, Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 3 (1916), pp. 95-110
INST ARCH PERIODICALS
Hans Goedicke, Studies about Kamose and Ahmose (Baltimore, MD: HALGO, 1995)
EGYPTOLOGY B 20 GOE
Labib Habachi, The Second Stela of Kamose and his struggle against the Hyksos ruler and his
capital (Glckstadt: J. J. Augustin, 1972)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS B 12 HAB
Wolgang Helck, Historisch-biographische Texte der 2. Zwischenzeit und neue Texte der 18.
Dynastie (1975)
2nd ed. (1983), 82-98
EGYPTOLOGY V 20 HEL
*W. K. Simpson (ed.), The literature of ancient Egypt: an anthology of stories, instructions,
stelae, autobiographies, and poetry. 3rd ed. (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press,
2003), pp. 345-350
EGYPTOLOGY V 20 SIM
*Alexandrina Smith and H. S. Smith, A reconsideration of the Kamose Text, Zeitschrift fr
gyptische Sprache 103 (1976), pp. 48-76
INST ARCH Periodicals
+INST ARCH 1856

Teaching Collection

13

2806940821

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

4. Tebtunis
(John Tait)
02.02.2010
B13

2:00 p.m.

Readings:
The site, artefacts
C. Anti, Gli scavi della missione archeologica italiana a Umm el Breighat (Tebtunis)
Aegyptus 11 (1931), pp. 389-391
MAIN PAPYROLOGY PERIODICALS
G. Bagnani, Gli scavi di Tebtunis, Aegyptus 14 (1934), pp. 3-13
MAIN PAPYROLOGY PERIODICALS
D. J. I. Begg, It was wonderful, our return in the darkness with...the baskets of papyri!:
papyrus finds at Tebtunis from the Bagnani archives, Bulletin of the American Society of
Papyrologists 35 (1998), 185-210
MAIN PAPYROLOGY PERIODICALS
Tebtynis I-IV:
Claudio Gallazzi and Gisle Hadji-Minaglou, Tebtynis I: la reprise des fouilles et le quartier
de la chapelle dIsis-thermouthis (Le Caire: Institut franais darchologie orientale, 2000).
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 100 GAL
Rondot, Vincent, Tebtynis II: le temple de Soknebtynis et son dromos (Le Caire: Institut
franais darchologie orientale, 2004).
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 100 RON
Litinas, Nikos. Tebtynis III: vessels notations from Tebtynis (Le Caire: Institut franais
darchologie orientale, 2008).
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 100 LIT
Hadji-Minaglou, Gisle, Tebtynis IV: les habitations lest du temple de Soknebtynis (Le
Caire: Institut franais darchologie orientale, 2007).
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 100 HAD

14

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

Textual finds

The following volume serves as a survey, and includes much bibliography. The chapter by
Ryholt, noted immediately below, itself has a substantial bibliography (pp. 164-170).
Sandra Lippert und Maren Schentuleit (eds.), Tebtynis und Soknopaiu Nesos: Leben im
rmerzeitlichen Fajum: Akten des Internationalen Symposions vom 11. bis 13. Dezember
2003 in Sommerhausen bei Wrzburg (Wiesbaden: Harrasowitz, 2005).
EGYPTOLOGY A 6 LIP
Kim Ryholt, On the contents and nature of the Tebtunis Temple Library: a status report, pp.
141-170.
http://pcarlsberg.ku.dk/
specifically bibliography: http://pcarlsberg.ku.dk/bibliography/
Karl-Theo Zauzich Einleitung in The Carlsberg Papyri 1: Demotic Texts from the
Collection,. (ed. P. J. Frandsen, CNI Publications 15; Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum
Press, 1991), pp. 1-11. [survey of texts]
http://www.istitutovitelli.unifi.it/
http://tebtunis.berkeley.edu/
http://www.digitalegypt.ucl.ac.uk/writing/library/tebt.html
Anne E. Hanson, Text & context for the illustrated herbal from Tebtunis, in Atti del XXII
Congresso di Papirologia (I. Andorlini et al. (eds.); Firenze: Istituto Papirologico G.
Vitelli, 2001), vol. i, pp. 585-604.
MAIN PAPYROLOGY QUARTOS P 6 INT
Andrew Monson and John Tait, Putting papyri into archaeological context: new insights
from Tebtunis, Egypt, Archaeology International 5 (2001-2002), pp. 40-43.
INST of ARCH PERIODICALS
A Town Full of Gods: Imagining Religious Experience in Roman Tebtunis (Egypt):
http://tebtunis.berkeley.edu/lecture/townfull.html
illustrated lecture given by Dominic Rathbone at Berkeley, CA, April 2003

15

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

5 The Famine Stela and other texts in their landscape

(John Tait)
09.02.2010
B13

2:00 p.m.

Readings:
Paul Barguet, La stle de la famine, Shel (Le Caire: Impr. de lInstitut franais
darchologie orientale, 1953)
EGYPTOLOGY T 30 BAR
Heinrich Karl Brugsch, Sieben Jahre der Hungersnoth nach dem Wortlaut einer
altgyptischen Felseninschrift (Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1891).
STORES 392 B 12 BRU
Hans Goedicke, Comments on the Famine Stela (San Antonio, Texas: Van Siclen Books,
1994).
EGYPTOLOGY T 30 GOE
Annie Gasse, Les inscriptions de Shel (Le Caire: Institut francais darcheologie orientale,
2007).
EGYPTOLOGY FOLIOS E 25 [126]
Annie Gasse et Vincent Rondot, (eds.), Shel entre gypte et Nubie: inscriptions rupestres et
graffiti de lpoque pharaonique: Actes du colloque international, 31 mai-1er juin 2002,
Universit Paul Valry, Montpellier (Montpellier: Publications Montpellier 3, 2004).
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS T 6 GAS
+++++++++++++++++
Norman de Garis Davies, The rock tombs of El Amarna, Part 5: Smaller tombs and boundary
stelae (London: Egypt Exploration Fund, 1908).
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 40 [17]
William J. Murnane and Charles C. Van Siclen III, The boundary stelae of Akhenaten
(London, New York: Kegan Paul International, 1993).
EGYPTOLOGY T 30 MUR

[READING WEEK]
16

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

6. Kahun
(John Tait)
23.02.2010
Petrie Museum

2:00 p.m..

The outstanding resource is the Petrie Museum site and links:

Lahun
Kahun
Digital Egypt
http://www.petrie.ucl.ac.uk/index2.html
http://www.kahun.ucl.ac.uk/
http://www.kahun.man.ac.uk/
http://www.doc.mmu.ac.uk/RESEARCH/virtual-museum/Kahun/
Digitisation of Petries reports:
http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/eos/eos_title.pl?callnum=DT73.K3P5_cop1
Reading:
The UCL Lahun papyri: letters; edited by Mark Collier, Stephen Quirke (Oxford:
Archaeopress, 2002)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS T 20 UCL
The UCL Lahun Papyri: religious, literary, legal, mathematical and medical; edited by Mark
Collier, Stephen Quirke, with a chapter by Annette Imhausen and Jim Ritter (Oxford:
Archaeopress, Available from Hadrian Books, 2004)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS T 20 UCL
The UCL Lahun Papyri: accounts; edited by Mark Collier, Stephen Quirke (Oxford:
Archaeopress, 2006)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS T 20 UCL
Lehner, Mark, Fractal House of Pharaoh: Ancient Egypt as a Complex Adaptive System, a
Trial Formulation, in Dynamics in human and primate societies: agent-based modeling of
social and spatial processes; editors, Timothy A. Kohler, George J. Gumerman. (New York,
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000)
ANTHROPOLOGY B 36 KOH
QUIRKE, Stephen, Visible and invisible: the King in the administrative papyri of the late
Middle Kingdom, in: Das frhe gyptische Knigtum: Akten des 2. Symposiums zur
gyptischen Knigsideologie in Wien, 24.-26.9.1997; herausgegeben von Rolf Gundlach und
Wilfried Seipel (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1999), 63-71
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS B 20 BAU

17

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

7. Harkhuf: the Tomb

(John Tait)
02.03.2010
B13

2:00 p.m.

TRANSLATIONS:
Lichtheim, M. 1973. Ancient Egyptian Literature, vol. 1: The Old and Middle Kingdoms.
Berkeley: University of California Press, 1973
EGYPTOLOGY V 20 LIC
Strudwick, N, Texts from the pyramid age. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2005
EGYPTOLOGY T 6 STR

STUDIES (IofA PERIODICALS):

EDEL, Elmar, Ein bisher falsch gelesenes afrikanisches Produkt in der Inschrift des [...]
(Herchuf), SAK 11 (1984), 187-193
GOEDICKE, Hans, Harkhuf's Travels, JNES 40 (1981), 1-20
KADISH, Gerald E., Old Kingdom Egyptian Activity in Nubia: Some Reconsiderations,
JEA 52 (1966), 23-33
OCONNOR, David, The Locations of Yam and Kush and Their Historical Implications,
JARCE 23 (1986), 27-50

TOMBS, wider issues:

Baines, J. and Lacovara, P. Burial and the dead in ancient Egyptian society: respect,
formalism and neglect. In Journal of Social Archaeology 2:1 (2002), pp.536
INST ARCH PERIODICALS
Der Manuelian, P, Review of Eigner, D, Die monumentalen Grabbauten der Sptzeit in der
thebanischen Nekropole JNES 47 (1988), 297304
IofA PERS
Eigner, D, Late period private tombs in Bard, K (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of the Archaeology of
Ancient Egypt (London and New York, 1999), 4328
ISSUE DESK IOA BAR 17
Grajetzki, W. Burial Customs in Ancient Egypt: Life in Death for Rich and Poor. London
2003
EGYPTOLOGY E7 GRA
18

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

Malek, J. The tomb-chapel of Hekamaetre-neheh at northern Saqqara, in Studien zur

Altgyptischen Kultur 12, 1985, pp.4360.
IofA PERS
OConnor, D. The Cenotaphs of the Middle Kingdom at Abydos, in P. Posener-Kriger
(ed.), Mlanges Gamal Eddin Mokhtar, Cairo 1985, vol.2, pp.161177
EGYPTOLOGY A6 MOK 2
For Thebes see the following articles in N. Strudwick and J. Taylor (eds.), The Theban
Necropolis. Past, present and future, London 2003
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E100 STR:
Assmann, J. The Ramesside tomb and the construction of sacred space (pp.4652)
Aston, D. The Theban West Bank from the Twenty-fifth Dynasty to the Ptolemaic Period
(pp.138166)
Kampp-Seyfried, F. The Theban necropolis: an overview of topography and tomb
development from the Middle Kingdom to the Ramesside period (pp.210)
Nelson, M. The Ramesseum necropolis (pp.8894)
Taylor, J. Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt, London 2001, pp.136185 (Chapter 5)
EGYPTOLOGY R 5 TAY

19

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

8. The Book of the Dead

(John Tait)
09.03.2010
Petrie Museum

2:00 p.m.

Petrie Museum site and links:

search the Collection: descriptions: Book of the Dead
http://www.petrie.ucl.ac.uk/index2.html
Digital Egypt: Book of the Dead
BM:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/world_cultures/africa/ancient_egypt.aspx
http://www.britishmuseum.org/search_results.aspx?searchText=Book+of+the+Dead
note the now extensive BM series that began with
Catalogue of Books of the dead in the British Museum 1, The Papyrus of Nu (BM EA 10477),
by G. Lapp, with a contribution by T. Schneider (London: Published for the Trustees of the
British Museum by British Museum Press, 1997)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS V 30 BOO
Quirke, Stephen, Owners of funerary papyri in the British Museum (London: [BM]
Department of Egyptian Antiquities, 1993)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS X 2 QUI
Many museum or collection sites are worth exploring
Note that Book of the Dead, Totenbuch, Livre des Morts are useful searches in many
library catalogues and bibliographies.
Note the series: Handschriften des Altgyptischen Totenbuches, and Studien zum
Altgyptischen Totenbuch.

20

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

9. Ostraca
(John Tait)
16.03.2010
B13

2:00 p.m.

The solution to most queries can be found via:

http://www.leidenuniv.nl/nino/dmd/dmd.html
which includes a link to:
http://obelix.arf.fak12.uni-muenchen.de/cgi-bin/mmcgi2mmhob/mho-1/hobmain

A few recent items:

Les artistes de Pharaon. Deir el-Mdineh et la Valle des Rois. Paris, muse du Louvre, 15
avril - 5 aot 2002. Bruxelles, Muses royaux d'Art et dHistoire, 11 septembre - 12 janvier
2002. Turin, Fondation Bricherasio, 11 fvrier - 18 mai 2003 (Paris: Editions de la Runion
des Muses Nationaux; Turnhout: Brepols, 2002)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS M 5 AND
Les artistes de pharaon: Deir el-Medineh au Nouvel Empire ([Dijon, France: Editions Faton],
2002)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS M 5 ART
ERN, Jaroslav, A Community of Workmen at Thebes in the Ramesside Period (2nd ed.;
Bibliothque dtude, 50; Le Caire: Institut franais darchologie orientale, 2001)
the 2nd ed. contains new indexes
1st ed.
EGYPTOLOGY E 28 CER
DEMARE. R.J., Ramesside Ostraca (London: The British Museum Press, 2002)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS T 60 DEM
GUTGESELL, Manfred, Die Datierung der Ostraka und Papyri aus Deir el Medineh. Teil II:
Die Ostraka der 19. Dynastie, (Hildesheimer gyptologische Beitrge, 44; Hildesheim:
Gerstenberg Verlag, 2002)
EGYPTOLOGY B 12 GUT
McDOWELL, Andrea, Teachers and Students at Deir el-Medina, in Deir el-Medina in the
third millenium AD: a tribute to Jac. J. Janssen; edited by R.J. Demare and A. Egberts
(Leiden: Nederlands Instituut voor het Nabije Oosten, 2000), 217-233.
EGYPTOLOGY A 6 JAN
WIMMER, Stefan, Palaeography and the Dating of Ramesside Ostraca, LingAeg 9 (2001),
285-292
IofA PERS

21

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

10. Rifeh
(John Tait)
23.03.2010
Petrie Museum

2:00 p.m.

Petrie Museum site and links:

search the Collection: descriptions: Rifeh
found at: Rifeh
http://www.petrie.ucl.ac.uk/index2.html
Digital Egypt: Rifeh

22

20092010

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

4 ONLINE RESOURCES
The full UCL Institute of Archaeology coursework guidelines are given here:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/handbook/common/marking.htm.

The full text of this handbook is available here (includes clickable links to Moodle and online
reading lists if applicable) http://www.ucl.ac.uk/silva/archaeology/course-info/.

This course is on Moodle: the code is ARCLG199

23

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

5 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Libraries and other resources
In addition to the Library of the Institute of Archaeology, other libraries in UCL with
holdings of particular relevance to this course are:
Main Library (especially Ancient History section)
Libraries outside UCL which have holdings which may also be relevant to this course are:
University of London Library in Senate House
The Library of the Egypt Exploration Society is open to students who become members or
student members.

Information for intercollegiate and interdepartmental students

Students enrolled in Departments outside the Institute should be asked to collect hard copy of
the Institutes coursework guidelines from Judy Medringtons office.

Dyslexia
If you have dyslexia or any other disability, please make your lecturers aware of this. Please
discuss with your lecturers whether there is any way in which they can help you. Students
with dyslexia are reminded to indicate this on each piece of coursework.

Feedback
In trying to make this course as effective as possible, we welcome feedback from students
during the course of the year. All students are asked to give their views on the course in an
anonymous questionnaire which will be circulated at one of the last sessions of the course.
These questionnaires are taken seriously and help the Course Co-ordinator to develop the
course. The summarised responses are considered by the Institute's Staff-Student
Consultative Committee, Teaching Committee, and by the Faculty Teaching Committee.
If students are concerned about any aspect of this course we hope they will feel able to talk to
the Course Co-ordinator, but if they feel this is not appropriate, they should consult their
Personal Tutor, the Academic Administrator (Judy Medrington), or the Chair of Teaching
Committee (Dr. Mark Lake).

24

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

Additional resources for sites

Apart from Google searches, prime tools for bibliography and information on
sites are:
BARD, Kathryn A., Encyclopedia of the archaeology of ancient Egypt (London:
Routledge, 1999)
Archaeology

ISSUE DESK IOA BAR 17

Issue Desk

2805618233

HELCK, Wolfgang, Lexikon der gyptologie; herausgegeben von Wolfgang

Helck und Eberhard Otto (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1975- )
EGYPTOLOGY A 2 LEX
http://oeb.griffith.ox.ac.uk/
PORTER, Bertha, Topographical bibliography of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic
texts, reliefs and paintings; by Bertha Porter and Rosalind L.B. Moss 1- , The
Theban necropolis (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1927- )
EGYPTOLOGY A 1 POR
See http://www.griffith.ox.ac.uk/gri/3.html
Many of the numerous sites devoted to sites can be found via
http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/er/
especially http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/er/dig.html
and
http://www.ees.ac.uk/
especially http://www.ees.ac.uk/fieldwork/deltasurvey.htm

Some bibliography on remoter spots:

Exile
I tell Horus of Kuban, Horus of Aniba, and Atum, Lord of the Earth to give you life,
prosperity and health and a perfect ripe old age, and to let Amun of the Thrones of the Two
Lands, my good lord, bring me back alive from Y a r , the place where I am abandoned in this
far-off land, and to let me fill my embrace with you.
from Late Ramesside Letter 9 (BM EA 10326)
Edward F. WENTE, Late Ramesside Letters (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1967)
EGYPTOLOGY V 40 WEN
cf. Letters from ancient Egypt; translated by Edward F. Wente; edited by Edmund S.
Meltzer (Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press, 1990)
EGYPTOLOGY V 50 WEN

25

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

Ricardo A. CAMINOS, A Tale of Woe, from a hieratic papyrus in the A. S. Pushkin Museum of
Fine Arts in Moscow (Oxford: Griffith Institute, 1977)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS V 40 CAM
Maribel DIETZ, Wandering monks, virgins, and pilgrims: ascetic travel in the Mediterranean
world, A.D. 300/800 (University Park, Penn.: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2005)
ANCIENT HISTORY X 73 DIE
Jos M. GALN, Four journeys in ancient Egyptian literature (Gttingen: Seminar fr
gyptologie und Koptologie, 2005)
EGYPTOLOGY V 50 GAL
Antonio LOPRIENO, Topos und Mimesis: zum Auslnder in der gyptischen Literatur
(Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz , 1988)
EGYPTOLOGY V 7 LOP

Berenike
Steven SIDEBOTHAM and Willemena Wendrich, Berenike: Roman Egypts maritime gateway
to Arabia and India, Egyptian Archaeology 8 (1996), 15-18
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS

Dakhleh
Colin HOPE, Excavations at Ismant el-Kharab in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egyptian Archaeology 5
(1994), 17-18
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS
K. A. WORP, Greek papyri from Kellis 1, (P.Kell.G), Nos.1-90; in collaboration with J.E.G.
Whitehorne and R. W. Daniel. (Oxford: Oxbow Books, 1995)
PAPYROLOGY QUARTOS PA 340 KEL
Iain GARDNER, Kellis literary texts Vol.1; with contributions by S. Clackson, M. Franzmann
and K. A. Worp (Oxford: Oxbow Books, 1996)
PAPYROLOGY QUARTOS PA 340 KEL
Roger S. BAGNALL, The Kellis agricultural account book: P.Kell. IV Gr.96 (Oxford: Oxbow,
1997)
PAPYROLOGY QUARTOS PA 340 KEL
Georges SOUKIASSIAN, A Governors Palace at Ayn Asil, Dakhleh Oasis, Egyptian
Archaeology 11 (1997), 15-17
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS
K. A. WORP and A. Rijksbaron, The Kellis Isokrates Codex (P. Kell. III Gr. 95); with an
introductory chapter by J. L. Sharpe (Oxford: Oxbow, 1997)
26

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

PAPYROLOGY QUARTOS PA 340 KEL

C. S. CHURCHER and A. J. Mills (eds), Reports from the Survey of the Dakhleh Oasis, Western
Desert of Egypt, 1977-1987 (Oxford: Oxbow, 1999)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 100 DAK
Iain GARDNER, Anthony Alcock and Wolf-Peter Funk, Coptic documentary texts from Kellis,
Volume 1: P. Kell V (P.Kell. Copt. 10-52; O.Kell. Copt 1-2); with a contribution by C. A.
Hope and G. E. Bowen (Oxford: Oxbow, 1999)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS W 40 GAR
C. A. HOPE and A. J. Mills (eds), Dakhleh Oasis Project: preliminary reports on the 19921993 and 1993-1994 field seasons (Oxford: Oxbow, 1999)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 100 DAK
C. A. MARLOW and A. J. Mills (eds), The Oasis Papers 1: proceedings of the First
International Symposium of the Dakhleh Oasis Project (Oxford: Oxbow, 2001)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 100 DAK
Colin A. HOPE and Gillian E. Bowen (eds), Dakhleh Oasis Project: preliminary reports on
the 1994-1995 to 1998-1999 field seasons (Oxford: Oxbow, 2002)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 100 DAK
Gillian E. BOWEN and Colin A. Hope (eds), The Oasis Papers 3: proceedings of the Third
International Symposium of the Dakhleh Oasis Project (Oxford: Oxbow, 2003)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 100 DAK
Michel CHAUVEAU, The Demotic ostraca of Ayn Manawir, Egyptian Archaeology 22
(2003), 38-40
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS
Michel WUTTMANN, Ayn Manawir, Egyptian Archaeology 22 (2003), 36-37
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS
K. A. WORP, Greek ostraka from Kellis: O.Kellis, Nos. 1-293; with a chapter on the Ostraka
and the archaeology of Ismant El-Kharab by Colin A. Hope. (Oxford: Oxbow, 2004)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS X 70 WOR
Colin HOPE, Mut el-Kharab: Seths city in Dakhleh Oasis, Egyptian Archaeology 27 (2005),
3-6
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS
omitted here:
Ceramics from the Dakhleh Oasis
Vernacular mudbrick architecture in the Dakhleh Oasis

27

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

Farafra
Lisa L. Giddy, Egyptian oases: Bahariya, Dakhla, Farafra and Kharga during Pharaonic
times (Warminster: Aris & Phillips, 1987)
EGYPTOLOGY A 20 GID
Barbara BARICH, The Archaeology of Farafra Oasis, Egyptian Archaeology 15 (1999), 3739
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS
Ahmed Fakhry, Bahriyah and Farafra; with a new introduction by Anthony J. Mills (Cairo:
American University in Cairo Press, 2003)
EGYPTOLOGY A 20 FAK
Kurkur
John Coleman DARNELL, A Stela of the reign of Tutankhamun from the region of Kurkur
Oasis, SAK 31 (2003), 74-91
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS

Mons Claudianus
Jean BINGEN [et.al.]. 3v Mons Claudianus: ostraca graeca et latina, 3v. (Le Caire: Institut
francais d'archologie orientale, 1992- )
PAPYROLOGY (QUARTOS) PA 310 CLA
David PEACOCK, Rome in the Desert: a symbol of power (Southampton: University of
Southampton, 1992)
EGYPTOLOGY E 100 PEA
David PEACOCK and Valerie Maxfield, On the trail of Imperial Porphyry Egyptian
Archaeology 5 (1994), 24-26
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS
D. P. S. PEACOCK and V. A. Maxfield, Mons Claudianus: survey and excavation, 1987-1993,
vol.1: Topography & quarries; with contributions by Olwen Williams-Thorpe [et al.];
illustrations by Sen Goddard, Kathryn Knowles and Nick Bradford (Le Caire: Institut
franais d'archologie orientale, 1997)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 22 MON
V. A. MAXFIELD and D. P. S. Peacock, Mons Claudianus: survey and excavation, 1987-1993;
with contributions by Jean Bingen [et al.]; illustrations by Nick Bradford [et al.],volume 2:
Excavations, Part I ([Cairo]: Institut franais d'archologie orientale, 2001)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 22 MON
V. A. MAXFIELD and D. P. S. Peacock (eds), Mons Claudianus: survey and excavation, 19871993 Volume 3 ([Cairo]: Institut franais d'archologie orientale, 2006)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 22 MON
28

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

Qasr Ibrim
Ricardo A. CAMINOS, The shrines and rock-inscriptions of Ibrim (London: Egypt Exploration
Society , 1968)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS E 40 [32]
Martin HINDS and Hamdi Sakkout, Arabic documents from the Ottoman period from Qasr
Ibrim (London: Egyptian Exploration Society, 1986)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS T 60 HIN
Gerald M. BROWNE, Old Nubian texts from Qasr Ibrim 1-3; by (J. Martin Plumley and)
Gerald M. Browne (London: Egypt Exploration Society, 1988-1991)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS Z 275 PLU
Martin HINDS and Victor Mnage, Qasr Ibrim in the Ottoman period: Turkish and further
Arabic documents (London: Egypt Exploration Society,1991)
392 QUARTOS Z 272 HIN
Mark H OR TO N , The First Christians at Qasr Ibrim, Egyptian Archaeology 1
(1991), 9-12 (cf. 16)
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS
Mark H OR TO N , Shrines and Temples at Ibrim, Egyptian Archaeology 2 (1992), 2325
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS
Willemena W E N D R IC H , Mats, baskets and plastic bags, Egyptian Archaeology 3
(1993), 39-40
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS
Pamela ROSE, Evidence for early settlement at Qasr Ibrim, Egyptian Archaeology 21 (2002),
3-4
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS

Sinai etc.
William Matthew Flinders PETRIE, Researches in Sinai; with chapters by C. T. Currely
(London: Murray, 1906)
EGYPTOLOGY E 100 PET
Alan H. GARDINER and T. Eric Peet, The inscriptions of Sinai, Part 1, Introduction and plates
(London: Egypt Exploration Society, 1952)
EGYPTOLOGY SMALL FOLIOS T 30 GAR
Alan H. GARDINER and T. Eric Peet, The inscriptions of Sinai, Vol.2, Translation and
commentary; edited and completed by Jaroslav ern (London: Egypt Exploration Society,
1955)
EGYPTOLOGY QUARTOS T 30 GAR
29

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

Angelo CASTIGLIONI and Alfredo Castiglioni, Discovering Berenice Panchrysos, Egyptian

Archaeology 4 (1994), 19-22
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS
Peter GROSSMANN, Firan in South Sinai, Egyptian Archaeology 10 (1997), 3-5
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS
Christian DCOBERT, The identification of Firan in Southern Sinai, Egyptian Archaeology
12 (1998), 37-38
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS
Carol MEYER, A gold-mining settlement at Bir Umm Fawakhir, Egyptian Archaeology 22
(2002), 8-10
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS

Siwa
Ahmed FAKHRY, Siwa oasis (Cairo, Egypt: American University in Cairo Press, 1990)
EGYPTOLOGY A 20 FAK

Wadi Abu Had

Ann BOMAN, Search in the Eastern Desert, Egyptian Archaeology 3 (1993), 41-43
EGYPTOLOGY PERIODICALS

30

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

ASSESSMENTS
First Research Essay
In the first essay, you should choose an individual inscribed item from ancient
Egypt for discussion in the light of one (or more) of the core concerns of the course
(see the sections on scope, aims, objectives, and learning outcomes above;
e.g. a discussion of factors, such as find-spot, preservation, context of production,
or reception, that govern the use of a particular text as a historical source would be
appropriate, but a straightforward attempt to use the text as a historical source
would belong in other courses). You should discuss your choice, and seek guidance
on priorities of reading from the course co-ordinator at an early stage.
Obviously, it will not be appropriate to choose an item that has been the focus of discussion in
seminars, unless you have something quite fresh or different to say about it.
You should have your precise title agreed by the Course Co-ordinator before submission, and
this is something best not be left to the last minute.
The Turnitin code for this course is 132495. The password is IoA0910.

Please remember to complete and attach a blue cover-sheet to your essay.

31

Egyptian Writing as Material culture

20092010

Second Research Essay

In the second essay, to complement your approach in the first essay, you should
choose for discussion (in the light of one or more of the core concerns of the
course) a theme, issue, or topic relating to ancient Egypt, or a type of inscribed
item. You will need to avoid concentrating upon a single object, but reference to
particular examples will surely be appropriate. You should discuss your choice,
and seek guidance on priorities of reading from the course co-ordinator at an early
stage.
Again, it will not be appropriate to choose a topic or body of material that has been the
explicit focus of discussion in seminars, unless you have something quite fresh or different to
say about it.
You need to make sure that your work does not overlap significantly with what you have
written in your first essay (or indeed other written work you submit outside this Option). On a
practical level, you will realise that this is something that other Examiners, including the
External Examiner, can very readily query, and you will not wish to sail too close to the wind.
You should have your precise title agreed by the Course Co-ordinator before submission, and
this is something best not be left to the last minute.
The Turnitin code for this course is 132495. The password is IoA0910.

Please remember to complete and attach a blue cover-sheet to your essay.

32