Art Appreciation: Egyptian Treasures of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (In-Person Gallery Tour)

The Ashmolean Museum one of the most significant ancient Egyptian displays in the UK. In particular it includes an early Egypt collection without parallel outside of Egypt itself with many pieces from the important Predynastic and Early Dynastic site of Hierakonpolis. Other highlights include the Coptos colossi (the earliest monumental sculpture from Egypt), an intact shrine of the Nubian pharaoh Taharqa and a display from the Amarna period.

In this tour we will visit all of the ancient Egyptian galleries of the museum, proceeding broadly chronologically. Our visit will start with the amazing early Egypt collection, followed by Nubia (the area south of Egypt in modern Sudan). We then tour through displays of dynastic Egypt including the Amarna pieces from the time of the Hieratic pharaoh Akhenaten. We will contextualize the artefacts we see in ancient Egyptian history as well as discussing their specific features.

The tour will be suitable both for those new to the subject and participants with some Egyptological experience. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the pieces as we make our way round.