Approaching the afterlife: Egyptian funerary culture and new technology

Melanie will share some of her recent research into ancient Egyptian funerary culture undertaken at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. In the first part of the talk, Melanie will focus on her involvement in the interdisciplinary study of ancient Egyptian coffins. Bringing together a team of Egyptologists, conservators, a pigment analyst, an expert in historical painting techniques, an ancient woodworking specialist and a consultant radiologist, alongside the application of advanced imaging techniques such as Computed Tomography (CT-scanning) and X-radiography, this study has generated unprecedented insights not only into the way coffins were made and decorated, but also the nature of the funerary industry and beliefs in the afterlife. In the second part of the talk, Melanie will focus on the wider application of these research methodologies to other types of funerary objects, especially stelae. The talk will also address some innovative methods for engaging diverse audiences with this research and some of Melanie’s aspirations with the Nicholson collection. 

Thursday 17 March, 6 for 6:15pm

Cost   

• Friends of the Nicholson Collection: $35
• General: $45 

Includes two glasses of wine and canapés after the lecture

Registration essential: Join us in the Nelson Meers Foundation Auditorium

Melanie Pitkin is an Egyptologist and curator with over 15 years of experience, working in museums in Australia and the UK, and providing support to colleagues at museums in Egypt. Her first degree was in Ancient History from Macquarie University. She also holds a PhD in Egyptology from Macquarie and a Masters in Museum Studies from the University of Sydney.

For the past four years, Melanie has worked in the University of Cambridge as a Research Associate (Egyptian Antiquities) at the Fitzwilliam Museum, playing a key role in the Museum's cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research into its ancient Egyptian coffins. In particular, she has been responsible for making this research more accessible and engaging to diverse audiences in the UK and Egypt. Prior to joining the Fitzwilliam Museum, Melanie worked for more than a decade at the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences in Sydney where she was involved in many high-profile exhibitions, including the British Museum travelling exhibition Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives. She is a board member of CIPEG (ICOM's international committee for ancient Egyptian and Sudanese collections) and a former member of the Amarna Project’s excavations in the non-elite cemeteries. 

Featured Image: The inner coffin of Pakepu undergoing Computed Tomography (CT) scanning at Addenbrookes Hospital. Fitzwilliam Museum Collection: E.2.1869.