The Future of Egyptology

The
FUTURES Series investigates new directions for the study of Ancient Egypt, with
firebrand Egyptologist and academic Monica Hanna.

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Think of Ancient Egypt, and you’re
likely to think of hieroglyphic-covered tombs being unsealed by Victorian
explorers, revealing ‘wonderful things’ – as Howard Carter famously remarked on
seeing Tutankhamun’s treasures for the first time. But how did the practice
known as ‘Egyptology’ become the domain of wealthy Europeans? And what can be
done in future to give agency back to the country where it all began?



Dr Monica Hanna has spent her
career monitoring and trying to disrupt the flow of Ancient Egyptian antiquities
out of her home country – in the past, she has even directly confronted armed
graverobbers. In The Future of Egyptology, she presents a broad and
generous vision of Egyptology as it could and should be: a
subject not only concerned with the glitz and glamour of the Pharoahs, but with
connecting the ancient world with the Egypt of today – as well as reclaiming
its treaures.

Hanna argues that only by
disentangling Egyptology from its problematic past of looting, racism and
Euro-centric thinking can the subject truly find a way forward. The Future
of Egytology is a brilliantly argued, unexpected and deeply rewarding
journey into the future – via ancient history.