ARCE-NC Zoom Egyptology Talk 8/16 - Here Comes the Sun: A diachronic study on the role of music during the Amarna Period

The American Research Center in Egypt, Northern California chapter, invites you to attend a Zoom lecture by Waleed el-Hawatky, The American University in Cairo: Here Comes the Sun: A diachronic study on the role of music during the Amarna Period Sunday, August 16, 2026, 3 PM PDT This meeting is virtual, and not in person. It will be recorded. Zoom registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FcyP-FNRSbqg_kpujlRXuA Relief of People Driving off Birds, ca. 1352–1336 B.C.E.. Limestone, pigment, 8 1/4 x 21 1/4 in. (21 x 54 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 60.197.3. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum,www.brooklynmuseum.org) About the Lecture: Music has played and continues to play a prominent role in the lives of individuals and in society, hardwired into the human experience and integral to our understanding of the world in both its tangible and intangible manifestations. This was no different in dynastic Egypt, where abundant iconographic and physical evidence from the Old Kingdom on shows music being performed in every context and at every level of society. Music appears not only to gain prominence during the Amarna Period but also to develop innovations, including new instrument designs and musical ensembles, all of which are well documented in the rich visual culture of the Amarna Period. This paper explores music in this era, with an emphasis on the royal court, demonstrating its increased role as compared with the first part of the 18th Dynasty with evidence garnered from representations in tombs, temples and texts, as well as physical instruments, amulets, figurines and other material objects associated with music. Through both an Egyptological and musicological approach, this study not only elucidates the function and possibly accelerated evolution of musical innovation in the Amarna Period, but also the implications of the social and gender roles observed in musical practice within the framework of the Aten ideology, perhaps even inspired directly by it.   About the Speaker: Waleed el-Hawatky is an Egyptologist and Musicologist with an MA in Egyptology & Coptology from The American University in Cairo. Born and raised in California to Egyptian immigrants, el-Hawatky is a newcomer to Egyptology, coming from a background in genetics and public relations, bringing disciplinary versatility to his work. A composer, performer and recording artist of nearly three decades, el-Hawatky specializes in ancient Egyptian musicology, seeking new approaches to the study of ancient music in hopes of eventually constructing a comprehensive lexicon on the ancient Egyptian musical tradition, contributing to the wider study of daily life in ancient Egypt. How to Register: Register for the lecture by clicking on this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/FcyP-FNRSbqg_kpujlRXuA After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the lecture. There are a few things you should know before you join the lecture: * Advance registration is required. When you click on the link to register. you will receive instructions by email on how and when to join, along with a link on which you will click to join the meeting. Save the email, as you will need the link it contains to join the meeting. Please register now. Please do not share the join link with anyone, it is unique to your email address. Try to join at least 10 minutes before the meeting. When you do join the meeting, be prepared to be put in the waiting room until the lecture starts at 3 pm.  This is a security measure. * If you haven't already installed Zoom, you should download and install the Zoom program (app) well before you try to join the meeting. There IS an option to use your web browser to join the meeting instead of the Zoom program, but the browser interface is limited and depends greatly on what browser and what operating system you're using. * For tutorials on how to use Zoom, go to https://learn-zoom.us/show-me. In particular, "Joining a Zoom Meeting" should show you what you need to do to join our lecture. * All meeting attendees can communicate with everyone, or with individual participants, using the chat window, which can be opened by clicking on the chat button and which you can probably find at the bottom middle of your Zoom viewing screen. Participants will be encouraged to hold their questions for the speaker until after the lecture, and will also be encouraged to address their questions for the speaker to everyone, not just to the speaker, so that all can see them. "Everyone" is the default chat option. If you have any questions, please email glenn@glennmeyer.net or arcencZoom@gmail.com. About Northern California ARCE: For more information, please visit https://www.youtube.com/@NorthernCaliforniaARCE, https://www.facebook.com/NorthernCaliforniaARCE, https://arce-nc.org, https://bsky.app/profile/khentiamentiu.bsky.social, and https://khentiamentiu.org. To join the chapter or renew your membership, please go to https://arce.org/membership/ and select "Berkeley, CA" as your chapter when you sign up.

18 Ancient Tombs Unearthed Near Alexandria Reveal How Egyptian and Hellenistic Cultures Blended - GreekReporter.com

https://greekreporter.com/2026/07/07/ancient-tombs-egypt-alexandria-hellenistic/

18 Ancient Tombs Unearthed Near Alexandria Reveal How Egyptian and Hellenistic Cultures Blended

By Nisha Zahid

July 7, 2026

Human skeletal remains uncovered during excavations at Marina El Alamein. Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Egyptian archaeologists have uncovered 18 ancient tombs, a granite sarcophagus and dozens of rare burial objects at Marina El Alamein, offering new insight into the city’s role as a cultural crossroads between ancient Egypt and the Mediterranean world.

The discovery was made by an Egyptian archaeological mission working at the ancient city on Egypt’s northwestern Mediterranean coast. Excavations also uncovered surface burials, coffins and a wide range of archaeological objects.

The team also revealed previously unknown sections of the ancient city, including additional architectural remains. With the latest discoveries, the total number of tombs uncovered at Marina El Alamein since the site was first discovered in 1986 has reached 44.

Sealed burials preserve ancient traditions

One of the newly discovered tombs at Marina El Alamein. Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Mohamed Abdel Badie, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the cemetery includes 11 rock-cut tombs, known as hypogea, with an average depth of about eight meters (26 feet), along with seven limestone surface tombs.

The vertical shaft leading into one of the rock-cut hypogea. Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Several burial chambers remained sealed beneath large stone slabs since ancient times. Archaeologists also uncovered surface burials surrounding the tombs, reflecting the city’s social diversity. The excavation further revealed a water well that was later converted into a burial site, showing that ancient Egyptian funerary traditions continued during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods.

Artifacts reveal cultural exchange

Decorated oil lamps and other artifacts. Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Researchers recovered a large collection of artifacts, including complete and nearly complete pottery vessels, amphorae, oil lamps, plates, limestone altars, stone basins, and architectural elements linked to the tombs.

Dr. Hisham Hussein, head of the Central Administration for Lower Egypt Antiquities, said one of the most significant discoveries was a limestone offering altar with a facade resembling the ancient Egyptian “false door.”

Glass tear bottles recovered from the cemetery. Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

The team also uncovered an unfinished marble statue believed to depict the goddess Aphrodite, a limestone funerary stele showing a seated man holding a bird, and several glass tear bottles used in burial rituals.

A limestone funerary stele depicting a seated figure. Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

The discoveries reflect the blending of Egyptian and Hellenistic artistic and religious traditions that shaped life in Marina El Alamein.

Granite sarcophagus and golden tongues stand out

A granite sarcophagus remains sealed inside one of the newly excavated tombs. Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Dr. Iman Abdel Khalek, head of the archaeological mission, said archaeologists uncovered a 2.5-meter-long (8.2-foot) granite sarcophagus with its original lid still sealed. Human skeletal remains found inside are now undergoing scientific analysis.

Nearby, the team discovered fragments of a plaster sphinx statue, providing further evidence that Egyptian religious and artistic influences remained strong during the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

Fragments of a plaster sphinx statue. Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Another major discovery was a group of 24 gold pieces placed inside the mouths of some of the deceased. Known as “golden tongues,” the objects were linked to beliefs about the afterlife. One piece was crafted in the shape of the “Eye of Horus,” one of the best-known protective symbols in ancient Egyptian belief.

Gold “tongues” and an Eye of Horus-shaped gold piece. Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Ancient city linked Egypt and the Mediterranean

Marina El Alamein lies about 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Alexandria and is widely believed to be the ancient city of Leukaspis, mentioned by the Greek geographer Strabo. The city flourished from the Hellenistic period through the Byzantine era and reached its peak during the first three centuries A.D. as an important commercial and urban center.

Since its discovery in 1986, excavations have revealed one of Egypt’s best-preserved ancient coastal cities. Archaeologists have uncovered a planned street network, homes, public buildings, a harbor, commercial districts, and extensive cemeteries.

Site prepares to welcome visitors

Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, said the discoveries will help researchers better understand the cultural identity of Marina El Alamein’s ancient residents and the city’s role in connecting Egypt with the Mediterranean world.

Dr. Hisham El-Leithy said redevelopment plans include a visitor center, routes for electric vehicles and pedestrians, a museum storage facility, an administrative building and an open-air theater. The project is expected to be completed during the first half of next year, helping transform Marina El Alamein into a major archaeological and cultural tourism destination.

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Egypt opens the spectacular, 3,400 year old tomb of one of its greatest pharaohs - Futura-Sciences

https://www.futura-sciences.com/en/egypt-just-reopened-the-3400-year-old-tomb-of-one-of-its-greatest-pharaohs-after-20-years_35232/

Egypt opens the spectacular, 3,400 year old tomb of one of its greatest pharaohs

Category : History

July 6, 2026

4 min

Egypt just reopened the 3,400-year-old tomb of one of its greatest pharaohs after 20 years © fredmantel

By Pia Gray

Visitors can now descend 46 feet underground into the newly reopened tomb of Amenhotep III, one of ancient Egypt’s most powerful rulers. Closed to the public for over two decades, the 3,400-year-old site officially reopened just ahead of the historic debut of the Grand Egyptian Museum.

A king who ruled at Egypt’s peak

Amenhotep III ascended the throne as a teenager and ruled for nearly 38 years, from around 1390 to 1350 BCE, during the height of the 18th Dynasty. His reign left behind temples, palaces, and statues that historians still study today. Among these monuments are the Colossi of Memnon near Luxor, a pair of large stone figures that once guarded his mortuary temple.

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The official reopening of the site took place on October 4, 2025, strategically timed just weeks ahead of the long awaited debut of the Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza Pyramids on November 1, 2025.

French engineers Prosper Jollois and Édouard de Villiers du Terrage first located the tomb in 1799 during Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign. British archaeologist Howard Carter later conducted a full excavation in 1915. By then, however, looters had stripped the chamber bare centuries earlier.

“The tomb was discovered in 1799, then rediscovered in 1915. It was found empty, having been looted before.”

— Mohamed Ismail, secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, during the launch. 

 

The restoration was carried out in three meticulous phases.
© TRT Afrika and agencies

What survived the looting

Even without its original treasures, the tomb still shows remarkable splendor. Vibrant, weathered paintings line the walls alongside sacred hieroglyphs drawn from the Book of the Dead. These texts were intended to guide the pharaoh safely into the afterlife.

“The tomb is a fascinating wonder.”

— Ismail.

“You can still see the frame of the stolen sarcophagus box, with its lid preserved in the place where it once rested.”

The restoration ran in three distinct phases over more than 20 years, with teams working from 2001 to 2004, 2010 to 2012, and 2023 to 2024. A collaboration of Egyptian, Japanese, and international teams led the effort. They focused on cleaning, conservation, and repairing the damaged wall paintings, which depict Amenhotep III alongside his royal consort, Queen Tiye.

“Two hundred and sixty representatives over these 20 years — researchers specialized in conservation, technicians with particular skills. I think this is a special achievement,” said Nuria Sanz, UNESCO‘s regional director in Egypt.

 

Egyptian Antiquities
© TRT Afrika and agencies

Inside the burial complex

A 36 meter (118 foot) passage slopes downward into a network of three connected chambers. One belonged to the king, while the other two belonged to his queens, Tiye and Sitamun. The wall scenes show Amenhotep III standing among the gods, surrounded by ritual inscriptions invoking eternal life. Unlike some other tombs in the valley, this one was never fully decorated.

The pharaoh’s mummy no longer rests inside the complex. Ancient priests long ago moved it to the tomb of his grandfather, Amenhotep II, for protection. Today, it is displayed at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo alongside 16 other royal mummies.

Tourism looks to a bigger opening

Egypt’s tourism ministry is counting on this addition to the Valley of the Kings, combined with the active first year of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, to continually draw international visitors.

“We are continuing to grow at a rate of 20 percent,” said Sherif Fathi, Egypt’s minister of tourism and antiquities, regarding the seasonal trajectory.

The tomb’s availability comes at a critical moment as the country works to build steady tourism revenue. Unlike a new discovery, this initiative relies on careful restoration work to offer travelers a direct link to Egypt’s golden age.

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https://www.heritagedaily.com/2026/07/lost-byzantine-city-rediscovered-in-egypts-dakhla-oasis/158514

Image Credit : Supreme Council of Antiquities

By: Mark Milligan

Date:

July 3, 2026

Archaeology

Lost Byzantine city rediscovered in Egypt’s Dakhla Oasis

Archaeologists have unearthed a well-preserved Byzantine-era residential city in the Dakhla Oasis, offering new insights into urban life in Egypt during the fourth and fifth centuries AD.

The settlement, excavated at the Ain Al-Sabil archaeological site in the New Valley Governorate by a mission from Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, has a well-organized street network, a Christian basilica, two watchtowers, a fortified structure and numerous mud-brick houses.

According to archaeologists, the city was built around broad north-south streets intersected by east-west roads, creating open public spaces. At its centre is a fourth-century Christian basilica, overlooking one of the city’s main streets, which is a key focal point as a religious and community centre.

The excavation also revealed domestic infrastructure such as bread ovens, kitchens and grain-grinding installations, providing a detailed picture of everyday life. The most notable buildings are the home of a priest named Tisos and another of Tabibos, which the researchers think may have been an early church before the basilica was built.

Image Credit : Supreme Council of Antiquities

One of the most important finds is nearly 200 ostraca—pottery fragments used as writing surfaces inscribed in Coptic and Greek. Commercial contracts, business transactions and personal correspondence are all contained in those texts, and they provide rare evidence of the city’s economic and social organization.

Researchers also found a large collection of well-preserved bronze coins with portraits of Byzantine emperors and gold coins dating back to Constantius II’s reign, helping to establish the occupation chronology of the site.

The Supreme Council of Antiquities said the discovery represents one of the most significant Byzantine settlements found in Egypt’s Western Desert, and is evidence of life in the Dakhla Oasis during a key time in the history of the country.

Sources : Supreme Council of Antiquities

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The eccentric pharaoh and the ‘Wikileaks of the Bronze Age’ | National Geographic

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/stones-bones-eccentric-pharaoh-wikileaks-bronze-age

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Ancient Egyptian settlement from the Second Intermediate Period with tombs and silos found at Tell el-Ku'a | Archaeology News Online Magazine

https://archaeologymag.com/2026/07/egyptian-settlement-with-tombs-and-silos-at-tell-el-kua/

Ancient Egyptian settlement from the Second Intermediate Period with tombs and silos found at Tell el-Ku’a

by Dario Radley

July 1, 2026

Egyptian archaeologists have uncovered a large settlement from the Second Intermediate Period at Tell el-Ku’a in Egypt’s eastern Nile Delta. The site includes tombs, homes, storage areas, ovens, and work spaces. Together, these finds offer a rare look at daily life during a time of political change.

Excavations at the site. Credit: Courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

The excavation took place at Tell el-Ku’a in the Wadi Tumilat corridor of Ismailia Governorate. This route linked the eastern Delta with Egypt’s eastern border and served as a major trade and travel route. The new finds help explain how people lived as Egypt moved from Hyksos rule into the early New Kingdom.

Archaeologists uncovered ten mudbrick tombs dating to the Fifteenth Dynasty. The tombs differ in size and design. Some follow the rectangular mastaba style. Others include decorated facades and more detailed building features.

Near the cemetery, the team found a planned residential area measuring about 30 by 60 meters. A mudbrick wall about 1.5 meters thick surrounded the settlement. Inside were halls, rooms of different sizes, and an orderly street plan. East of the homes, archaeologists found ovens and storage silos used for food and other supplies.

One of the tombs uncovered at Tell el-Ku’a. Credit: Courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

The layout shows a well-planned community where people lived, worked, stored goods, and buried their dead in one place. The site paints a clear picture of a self-supporting settlement with homes, workshops, storage areas, and burial grounds.

Excavations produced many artifacts, including scarabs, bronze tools, pottery vessels, alabaster kohl containers, and Tell el-Yahudiya flasks, a pottery type linked with the Second Intermediate Period. Some pottery pieces carry production marks and seals. These marks point to active trade and suggest Tell el-Ku’a served as a trading and distribution center.

Human remains found at the site add more detail to the story. Early study shows adults between 25 and 40 years old. Burial positions differ from one grave to another, showing several burial customs. Archaeologists also found large amounts of animal bones, likely left from meals and food offerings placed with the dead.

General view of the site, where archaeologists uncovered tombs, homes, silos, and production areas. Credit: Courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

One find stood out from the rest. Several people were buried outside the mudbrick tombs. Some lay in a crouched position, a burial style never found before at Tell el-Ku’a. Researchers plan further study to learn why these people received different treatment.

Pottery from the settlement shows heavy daily use. Tableware appears most often, followed by cooking pots. These finds give a simple picture of food preparation and daily household life.

Evidence shows people lived at Tell el-Ku’a until the middle of the Eighteenth Dynasty. The long period of use covers the shift from Hyksos control to the rise of the New Kingdom. This makes the site an important record of life during one of ancient Egypt’s biggest political changes.

Tell el-Ku’a covers about 55 feddans on the southern edge of the Wadi Tumilat corridor. Earlier excavations found buildings and tombs from the same period. The latest work adds a fuller picture of a busy settlement whose people took part in trade, local production, and everyday life for many generations.

More information: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

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