ITP Conference Grant Report from Nagwa Bakr (Egypt, ITP 2019)
Written by Nagwa Bakr, Director of Training Department, National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (Egypt, ITP 2019)
Echoes of Egypt: Reflections from the Current Research in Egyptology Conference (CRE2024)
I was fortunate to have my paper accepted for the Current Research in Egyptology conference held in Liverpool from 2- 6 September 2024. I also received support for the conference to attend through International Training Programme (ITP).
I presented my paper in the form of a poster entitled ‘Women’s programs in Egyptian Museums for Empowerment and Equality’.
The research aims to explore the impact of museum programs tailored for women in Egypt on gender equality and the empowerment of women. The research focuses on the diverse range of initiatives implemented by Egyptian museums, such as exhibitions, workshops, and community engagement programs, specifically designed to address the unique challenges faced by women, examining these programs, assessing of these programs’ effectiveness in challenging gender stereotypes, promoting inclusivity, and providing opportunities for women to contribute to the cultural narrative. Furthermore, the research investigates how these museum programs serve as catalysts for achieving gender equality in Egypt by offering a space for the exploration of women’s history, contributions, and achievements. The research adopts a qualitative approach, utilizing interviews, surveys, and case studies to gather data from participants, museum curators, and program organizers. The findings aim to provide insights into the attitudes, experiences, and perceptions of women who have engaged with museum programs.
I spent the first night in Manchester, and the first thing I did was visit the Manchester Art Gallery and Roomzzz Aparthotel. I fondly remembered my ten-day stay in that beautiful city during my time with ITP in 2019.
On the second day, I set off with my companion to Liverpool, the city hosting the conference. We checked into the accommodation provided by the conference, a Victorian-style house near Liverpool University. I took a quick visit to the port area, where I saw the Beatles’ statues and the Tate Museum. This visit reminded me of my trip to that area with my colleagues from ITP in 2019.
The conference was a great opportunity to meet many researchers in the field of Egyptology, both Egyptians and non-Egyptians, and to learn about their recent research on everything new regarding Egyptian antiquities.
The conference lectures were very informative, making it difficult to choose between the sessions happening simultaneously in four halls. However, I did my best to select the lectures that provided deeper insights into Egyptian antiquities. My favorite lectures were:
- As a specialist in women’s heritage, I found the lecture “Women in the Workforce: The Role and Status of Women in Workforce Communities throughout Dynastic Egypt” remarkable. It re-examines women’s roles in ancient Egypt’s labor systems through skeletal analysis, revealing insights into labor patterns, gender roles, and female agency.
- Also, “Unpublished Wooden Shabti box at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization “This paper examines a wooden shabti box from the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, designed to store Ushabti figurines. It discusses challenges in dating, provenance, and ownership, alongside the impact of climate on its preservation and conservation strategies.
- Moreover, Social and Spatial Dynamics in Egyptian Pottery Workshops: An Ethnoarchaeological Exploration, this research addresses the gap in understanding the spatial organization of ancient Egyptian pottery workshops by studying contemporary ones in El-Nazlah. Using ethnoarchaeology and chaîne opératoire, fieldwork involved interviews, photography, and photogrammetry. Insights aim to reveal the environmental, social, and economic factors influencing ancient workshop layouts.
- Additionally, lecture “Reframing Egypt’s Past: Challenging Western Discourse and Re-centering Local Perspectives on Egyptian-Hyksos Cultural Interactions its inception, Egyptology has been shaped by Western colonial power and Eurocentric paradigms, impacting interpretations of Egypt’s past. This research re-centers Egyptian perspectives, reinterpreting the Hyksos’ occupation through Critical Discourse Analysis, surveys, and media case studies to challenge Western biases and reshape disciplinary narratives.
The conference also included The Egyptomania tour and a visit to the Liverpool Museum.
We also had an excursion day to Manchester. It was great to visit Manchester Museum for the second time after the ITP in 2019. Manchester was my UK Partner placement and I spent some days at Manchester Museum. It was an honour to be welcomed by Campbell Price, who guided us in the storage and provided amazing explanations for some ancient Egyptian objects.
At the end of the conference, I moved to spend a few days in my favorite city, Manchester, with my friend Dr. Enas Karim, Director of the Education Department at the Grand Egyptian Museum. She also presented a research poster at the conference. We arranged to visit the Manchester Art Gallery, where it was wonderful to reconnect with Ronan Brindley, whom we had met before during the British Museum program.
Ronan has inspired me greatly in my work with the community. I missed the gallery and was amazed by the new programs, including cooking initiatives that integrate immigrants and engage them in diverse cultures. There was also a new exhibit called ‘Room to Breathe’, which reflects how museums function as spaces for contemplation. It features a large hall with dim lighting, artwork without labels, and comfortable chairs for resting and enjoying silence away from social media and the noise of the world, providing psychological, physical, and mental comfort. Ronan gave us an insightful tour of all the developments in the gallery and the new programs, which inspired us with many ideas we are trying to implement in our museums.
I also visited London but wasn’t lucky enough to see Claire and George. However, I met Sarah, who works on the stolen antiquities project within the Egyptology department. We had lunch together and met some of the staff from the Egyptology department. I passed by the training room and reminisced about 2019 and the long hours I spent there learning and acquiring many skills.
Acknowledgements
I would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors for their invaluable support and commitment to our mission.
Special thanks to the Marie-Louise von Motesiczky Charitable Trust for their generous funding, which has made this initiative possible.
I also acknowledge the support of the Egypt Exploration Society (EES) and the International Training Programme (ITP), whose collaboration has been instrumental in advancing our goals.
Your contributions have significantly enriched my work and helped me to create meaningful experiences.
To know more about NMEC
https://egymonuments.gov.eg/en/museums/national-museum-of-egyptian-civilization-nmec
About CRE
Read Nagwa’s full report HERE