International Conference

Title of the conference: “Company of images: modelling the ancient Egyptian imaginary world of the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 BC)”

Place/Institution: Institute of Archaeology, University College London, London (UK)

Date: 18-20 September 2014
Organising Committee: Gianluca Miniaci, Stephen Quirke, Marilina Betrò, Jan Picton
Executive Board: Gillian Cordall, Marta Krzyżańska, Zsuzsanna Lengyel, Porin Šćukanec Rezniček.
The purpose of this conference is to explore the fertile imaginary world of Middle Bronze Age Egypt through its material culture and the archaeological sources from which such material is recovered. One principal focus will be on figurines in their immediate and wider archaeological context. We also aim to explore other objects that have traditionally been interpreted as tools for the protection of mother and child, all as products of an interwoven world.
The conference is an opportunity to explore how the ancient Egyptians populated their imaginary universe, combining different images, materials, and objects – “Company of Images”.
Key points of discussion will be the following:

  • Iconography
  • Find assemblage
  • Materiality and technology
  • Types of context
  • Rituality and conception

The aim of the conference is also to consider related material from other periods that throw light on the subject.
Abstract deadline: 15 May 2014
Please submit abstracts of no more than 250 words for a proposed 15 minute paper with an additional 10-15 minutes allowed for general discussion, along with your name and institution, to companyofimages@gmail.com. For further questions, you may contact Gianluca Miniaci at g.miniaci@gmail.com. The abstracts should contain the title of the paper, the author’s/authors’ name(s) and affiliation. Abstracts will be reviewed by the Organizing Committee, and notification of accepted proposals will be sent out before 15th June 2014.
The proceedings will be published in 2015.
Speakers are not required to pay the conference fee.
The conference is part of the research project EPOCHS – Egyptian Periodisation – Object Categories as Historical Signatures, funded by the European Research Council inside the scheme Marie Curie – Intra European Fellowship. The conference is supported by the European Research Council, University College London, University of Pisa, Italian Ministry of Research, and the Friends of the Petrie Museum.
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