A fresh look at some of the misconceptions of Ancient Egyptian history. This afternoon we will be looking at the ways in which the writing of histories and chronologies of early literate societies such as Egypt differs from that of more recent times, in particular the provisional nature of so much what passes for ancient Egyptian history. We will also explore how the latter is often misunderstood by non-specialists, and the way that this has combined with the over-active imaginations of scholars to produce historical ‘zombies’ that are still popularly held as ‘facts’ long after their original bases have vanished in light of new discoveries and scholarly reassessments.
Professor Aidan Dodson has taught at the University of Bristol since 1996, becoming honorary Professor of Egyptology in 2018. A graduate of the University of Liverpool, he received his PhD from the University of Cambridge in 1995, was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 2003, served as Chair of Trustees of the Egypt Exploration Society from 2011 to 2016, and was Simpson Professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo for the Spring of 2013. Aidan is the author of over 25 books and over 400 articles and reviews.
Entry: £4 members, £6 non-members