A free, one-day conference will be held at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh with a focus on the history of archaeology, the antiquities trade and museums.
Further information about the AHRC research fellowship that this event is funded by is here: www.nms.ac.uk/buyingpower
Buying Power: The Intersection of Archaeology and the Antiquities Trade in Egypt and Sudan (in person)
16 February 2024 at the National Museum of Scotland, Chambers St, Edinburgh
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries museums and individuals competed to collect the ‘best’ ancient Egyptian and Sudanese objects, leading to objects entering museum collections from many sources, sometimes with little contextual information of where they came from. For much of this time archaeological excavation in Egypt and Sudan had a symbiotic relationship with the antiquities trade.
This one-day conference will explore the entanglement and intersection of archaeology in Egypt and Sudan, and the world of the antiquities market. It will include presentations of cutting-edge research delving into the histories of museums, collecting, the art market and the study of the Nile Valley.
There will also be panel discussions about the ethics of historic collecting and the impact of the entanglement of archaeology and the art market on museum collections
across the world today.
This event is open to anyone interested in Egyptology, museum collecting history, archaeology, and the antiquities market.
Book a free ticket at: www.nms.ac.uk/buyingpowerconference
An associated online lecture/event will be taking place on 6 February 2024. It is also free, and will have a focus on some of the findings from the research project, some excellent short films and the journalist Samira Ahmed as host.
www.nms.ac.uk/buyingpowerevent
