The next seminar held at the PCMA UW Research Centre in Cairo will feature presentations of two research projects by PCMA scholarship holders.
Olga Ignatowska: “The House of Gold in the Amon’s – History and its importance in the New Kingdom”
Abstract: The House of Gold was an institution related to the temple, where statues, temple tools and other ritual supplies were made in secret. The craftsmen working there had to keep professional secrecy. Tombs, graffiti, movable finds and the remains of the temples provide evidence for the existence of this institution. The aim of the project will be to find and catalog all mentions of the House of Gold, which appear in the sources. An attempt will be made to recreate the hierarchy among artisans in the House of Gold and to reconstruct la chaîne opératoire of the sculpture made there. The author will also try to answer the following questions: how ancient Egyptians perceived a work of art? What were the formal requirements for a sculpted statue?
Szymon Popławski: Building techniques of Graeco-Roman Egypt: walls, doors, passages
Abstract: Construction techniques are often discussed in connection with the monumental structures of the ancient world. We are curious to know, how these durable and impressive buildings were erected. In Egypt, the topic is especially popular in the context of temples and tombs. Unfortunately, such an approach results in insufficient studies of common buildings. In my research, I would like to focus on the diversity of constructions used in facilities of a smaller scale, mainly residential buildings and small public and tomb structures. I would like to study how the Egyptian building traditions mixed with the Graeco-Roman ones.
The seminar will be held on Tuesday, 22nd June 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event is not open to the public