AEMES - Ancient Egypt & Middle East Societyhttp://www.aemes.co.ukat Horncastle College, Lincolnshire
Saturday 17th July 2010
John Wyatt - Ornitho-Egyptologist John read Anthropology and Ethnography at University and then undertook much zoological and ornithological research, as part of his other duties, during the 12 years he was based in Northern Rhodesia/Zambia and the subsequent 40 years he worked in other parts of Africa. He paid his first visit to Egypt in 1962 and has now been there 17 times including two extended visits to undertake research into the wildlife but especially birds of Ancient Egypt. He has also led or co-led three specialist tours on this subject for the Friends of The Petrie Museum and Birkbeck College. In 2006 he became the World’s only full-time ornitho-egyptologist and has since given over 60 lectures to various organisations and led three Study Days for Ancient Egypt Societies. In July 2009, he was a Course Director for a 5-day course on The Wildlife of Ancient Egypt for Bloomsbury Summer School. He is currently writing a Guide to the Birds of Ancient Egypt which, God willing, will be followed by three further books on The Wildlife of Ancient Egypt – North, Central and South.
11:15 The Birds of Ancient EgyptUsing Patrick Houlihan's 1987 book on The Birds of Ancient Egypt as a starting point, John Wyatt and his small team have spent the last five years re-researching the subject and have now identified 183 probable species from the mummies, bone remains, hieroglyphs, art and artefacts of Ancient Egypt from 4000BCE to 300CE. By using new investigative techniques in an Hercules Poirot -like way they have been able to find around 45 additional probable species to date and to show why some previous identifications were either right or wrong. They have also suggested a new answer to the What Species is the Horus Falcon debate?
14:00 The Divine BestiaryMany of the Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt are linked to or manifested as animals, birds, fish, reptiles or insects in the art and hieroglyphs of the time. Some are represented by more than one animal and others by strange combinations. This talk looks at a wide range of the species given such divine status and why this may have been so. The zoological rather than the Egyptological approach raises some new ideas for consideration.
For further information contact Sue Kirk Secretary
AEMES (Ancient Egypt & Middle East Society - est 1987)
www.aemes.co.uk01754 765341
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Andrew Chick Website:
http://www.forktail.co.uk/
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