bits and pieces

Carolyn Graves-Brown, Curator of the Egypt Centre, said: “If you visit the Egypt Centre on a Saturday you will be greeted by excited but knowledgeable child volunteers anxious to show you ‘their’ museum. Many of these children are socially or economically disadvantaged or have learning difficulties, yet they offer a valuable service to academic and non-academic visitors. “For many people, volunteering at the Egypt Centre can be a life-changing experience. One of our adult volunteers was so lacking in confidence that when she first came to us she could not make eye contact. She has since taken part in Adult Continuing Education courses at the University, gives presentations to large groups of people and has gained paid employment. “Likewise, some of our former child volunteers have gone on to attend university. One student, having originally failed through the traditional formal learning experience, has just completed his PhD.” The winner of the award will be announced later in the year. But just being nominated, in the face of much opposition from around the country is a remarkable and commendable achievement in its own right, for the work of the Egypt Centre has been achieved by a small, but very enthusiastic team with limited resources and funding. Visit the Egypt Centre’s web site at: www.swan.ac.uk/egypt/

Conference in Reading In October, an impressive group of speakers gathered in Reading for the Ancient World Tours (AWT) conference. Over two hundred people enjoyed the two-day event and in addition to the lectures there was plenty of time for meeting fellow enthusiasts and travellers. Dr. Sabri Abd El Aziz, Head of Egyptology at the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, visiting the UK especially for this conference, spoke on recent (some

veryrecent) discoveries in Egypt. Kent Weeks gave two lectures, speaking on his work in the Valley of the Kings, the modern problems the site faces and the solutions to them. Barry Kemp spoke on new developments and work at El Amarna. Colin Reader gave an enlightening, and very understandable lecture on the geology of Egypt; Lucia Gahlin spoke about Akhenaten, ‘The Man and the Myth’; and Michael Ackroyd looked at the archaeology of the Western Desert of Egypt. This year the lectures were not limited just to Egypt. There were talks on eclipses, (Sheridan Williams); and on the ‘Origin of the Modern Mind’ and the ‘Neolithic Revolution and the Rise of Civilisation’ (both by Steven Mithen). Betanny Hughes and Michael Wood, both familiar from recent TV appearances, spoke on ‘Helen of Troy’ and ‘India, the Last Ancient Civilisation’, respectively. The AWT conference is open to anyone, not just those who may have travelled with AWT in the past. AE will bring you details of the 2008 conference as soon as they are made available. The photo. below left (courtesy of Mike Shepherd) shows, from left to right, Susan and Kent Weeks, Dr. Sabri Abd El Aziz and Colin Reader.

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Blue rexine-covered cordex binders, with ‘ancient egypt’ embossed in gold on the spine. ‘Ancient Egypt’ embossed in gold on the spine. (each binder takes 12 copies) UK INC. P&P - £7.80 USA & REST OF THE WORLD - £9.65

To order send a cheque (payable to Empire Publications) to: Ancient Egypt, 1 Newton Street, Manchester M1 1HW Tel: 0161 872 3319

ANCIENTEGYPTOctober/November 2007