An ancient Egyptian prime minister's tomb and its influence on Egyptian art will be discussed at a free illustrated public lecture hosted by the University of Queensland's Classics and Ancient History Department and its support group the Friends of Antiquity.
Professor Naguib Kanawati will speak on'Ankhm' Ahor: An Old Kingdom Egyptian Tomb in the University's Abel Smith Lecture Theatre on Sunday, July 20 at 3pm.
Professor Kanawati, director of the Australian Centre for Egyptology at Macquarie University in Sydney, has excavated at a number of sites in upper Egypt and is currently working at Saqqara near Cairo, where the tomb of 'Ankhm' Ahor is an important monument.
It measures 20m square and consists of seven rooms illustrated from floor to ceiling with a 20m shaft leading to the burial area.
'Ankhm' Ahor, a prime minister, was believed to have lived around the period of 2340 BC, or almost 4300 years ago, Professor Kanawati said, and the tomb was an illustrated biography documenting all aspects of his life including career and family.
'The lecture will include illustrations from the tomb including medical procedures and entertainment such as dancing and music,' he said.
'The artist really made his mark; the tomb provided a model for many later tombs and influenced Egyptian art for many generations.'
During his stay in Brisbane, Professor Kanawati will also give introductory classes in Egyptian hieroglyph plus reading classes with historical commentary (designed for those who have some basic hieroglyphic skills).
The classes will be held from July 21-25. The cost for the class series is $90 ($75 for full-time students and concessions), to be paid by July 16.
For more information, contact Professor Kanawati (telephone 02 9850 8855, fax 02 9850 8892).
