Away with the Pharaohs | Podcast on RSS.com

Away with the Pharaohs

Away with the Pharaohs

by The Egypt Exploration Society

History Society & Culture

Season 1

Can we trace the hands behind Egyptian artefacts—or just the systems that produced them?

Specialist on artisanship and EES Publications Manager, Dr Meg Gundlach, joins our host Charlotte Jordan at the Egypt Exploration Society. Explore how we understand authorship, craftsmanship, and creativity in ancient Egypt. First, Art in ancient Egypt is contextualised, as objects were shaped by tradition, function and cultural norms rather than individual expression. We discuss how artisans were not necessarily creative geniuses but trained specialists, and so their identities were typically anonymous. The episode then turns to the evidence found in the archaeological record, including what the study of maker’s marks, often mistaken for signatures, instead reveals about administrative control. The difference between palaeography and orthography in the study of written inscriptions is also explored, showing how artisans still exercised choice in execution and detail. This, alongside discussions of scientific analyses such as fingerprint analysis and digital scanning, offers ways to trace specific methods and patterns of production. Focusing on the inhabitants of Deir el-Medina, the episode highlights how artistic production was highly collaborative. Ultimately, while identifying individual makers remains challenging, these examinations allow us to better understand the broader society that shaped ancient Egyptian artefacts. Learn more at https://www.ees.ac.uk/ or follow us on Social Media: @TheEES or @egyptexplorationsociety or #AwayWithThePharaohs.

Are ancient Egyptian funerary texts sacred guides to the afterlife—or practical manuals for navigating death?

Specialist on funerary texts, Dr Christina Geisen, joins our host Charlotte Jordan at the Egypt Exploration Society. Trace the 2,000-year evolution of ancient Egyptian funerary texts, including the Pyramid Texts, Coffin Texts and Book of the Dead. The episode highlights that these were never ‘books’, but unique sets of spells drawn from a shared but developing tradition. Explore how these examples shifted from royal to private spheres, even though belief in the afterlife was attested from very early Pharaonic history. Focus turns to examples from arguably the most famous text corpora: the Book of the Dead, including spells isolated for specific amulets. We touch upon the magical power of these documents, as their presence alone was enough to prepare the deceased for the journey to the afterlife. Finally, these texts link to actions of the gods and goddesses, commenting on the wider spirituality of these texts and providing an understanding towards broader Egyptian religious belief. Learn more at https://www.ees.ac.uk/ or follow us on Social Media: @TheEES or @egyptexplorationsociety or #AwayWithThePharaohs.

Did Egyptian gods and goddesses empower everyday worship—or reinforce state control?

Specialist on Egyptian religion and EES Development Manager, Dr Edward Scrivens, joins our host Charlotte Jordan at the Egypt Exploration Society. The episode opens with a brief overview of religion in ancient Egypt, before exploring the complex, fluid nature of its gods and goddesses and the rituals that empowered them. It introduces key deities, including many forms of the sun god, Amun-Ra as king of the gods, and the family of Osiris, Isis, Horus, and Seth, before examining the pharaoh’s divine role and responsibility to uphold Ma’at or cosmic order. The focus then shifts to non-royal individuals who could be deified and to acts of personal devotion, ending with local and domestic deities that reveal a more intimate, personalised form of worship beyond state control. Learn more at https://www.ees.ac.uk/ or follow us on Social Media: @TheEES or @egyptexplorationsociety or #AwayWithThePharaohs.

Are Egyptian artefacts in museums priceless treasures—or just ancient pieces of a puzzle?

Specialist on museums, Dr Anna Garnett, joins our host Charlotte Jordan at the Egypt Exploration Society. Explore how different types of Egyptian artefacts, including pottery, jewellery, shabtis, and tools, can help us understand daily life in ancient Egypt as well as the people behind the objects. We will take you behind the scenes of museum work, examining how objects are numbered, interpreted, and presented to the public. The discussion then ends on how these objects ended up in collections outside Egypt, considering excavation and distribution practices, and what it means for Egyptian material culture to be held in museums around the world. Learn more at https://www.ees.ac.uk/ or follow us on Social Media: @TheEES or @egyptexplorationsociety or #AwayWithThePharaohs.

Were Egyptian temples built to honour the heavens—or to elevate earthly rulers?

Specialist on Egyptian temples, Dr Kelly Accetta Crowe, joins our host Charlotte Jordan at the Egypt Exploration Society. Unpack how Egyptian temples functioned – architecturally, spiritually, and politically. Discover their evolving design reflecting shifting belief systems, the King’s role ranging from spiritual duties to state-led standardisation, and daily rituals happening within and beyond their walls. Learn about the actions of kings, priests, and everyday people within these sacred precincts. Gain insight into how temples operated simultaneously as sacred cosmological sites and instruments of royal imagery, making the dichotomy more intertwined than opposed. Learn more at https://www.ees.ac.uk/ or follow us on Social Media: @TheEES or @egyptexplorationsociety or #AwayWithThePharaohs.

Were Egyptian statues carving out the truth—or just sculpting the facts?

Specialist on Egyptian statuary, Dr Campbell Price, joins our host Charlotte Jordan at the Egypt Exploration Society. Join us as we uncover the true purpose behind sculpted images of the pharaoh and his royal family. We’ll explore how statues were placed in temples, tombs, and palaces, not as mere decoration, but as vessels of divine presence and collective memory. We end with the artistic conventions that created these timeless and iconic Egyptian designs, answering whether they can be viewed as realistic portrayals of pharaohs. Buy Ancient Egypt in 50 Discoveries: Highlights from the first century of the Egypt Exploration Society here: https://bit.ly/4oq6CXz. Learn more at https://www.ees.ac.uk/ or follow us on Social Media: @TheEES or @egyptexplorationsociety or #AwayWithThePharaohs.

Were pharaohs just ‘pyramid scheme’ leaders—or building a true legacy?

We delve into the politics of kingship in ancient Egypt, the significance behind the monumental architecture of Egyptian pyramids, and how these structures have influenced both power and memory up to the present day. Join our special guest Aidan Dodson and host Charlotte Jordan at the Egypt Exploration Society, as we unpack the balance between spectacle, symbolism, and the enduring question of what makes a ruler’s legacy last. Learn more at https://www.ees.ac.uk/ or follow us on Social Media: @TheEES or @egyptexplorationsociety or #AwayWithThePharaohs.

Spotlight | Who really made ancient Egypt’s masterpieces?

Step inside Deir el-Medina, the home of the artisans who built and decorated some of ancient Egypt’s most famous royal tombs with special guest Meg Gundlach and host Charlotte Jordan. Discover how painters, sculptors, and craftsmen worked together in a thriving creative community, and why the identities of individual artists remain a mystery. Hear how collaboration—not just individual talent—shaped some of history’s most iconic artefacts. Want to hear more about funerary texts in ancient Egypt and how people prepared for the afterlife? Tune in to our full episode with Meg Gundlach entitled: Can we trace the hands behind Egyptian artefacts—or just the systems that produced them? Learn more at https://www.ees.ac.uk/ or follow us on Social Media: @TheEES or @egyptexplorationsociety or #AwayWithThePharaohs.

Untold | Tracing the Egyptian Timeline and Textual Sources

Listen to unheard clips from our early podcast content, and reflect on the first six months of our podcast: Away with the Pharaohs! Starting with a focus on the historical timeline of ancient Egypt, including how chronology could be understood through kingship with Aidan Dodson, and how the latest periods under Roman rule still looked traditionally Egyptian with Kelly Accetta Crowe. Another common theme mentioned throughout episodes was textual sources, including inscribed objects often seen in museums with Anna Garnett, different sources that reveal Egyptian mythological stories by Edward Scrivens, and how scribes could make mistakes just like us with Christina Geisen! Want to hear more? Check out our first six episodes and spotlights now! Don’t forget to send in the questions that you want answered by our host, Charlotte Jordan, in future. Learn more at https://www.ees.ac.uk/ or follow us on Social Media: @TheEES or @egyptexplorationsociety or #AwayWithThePharaohs.

Spotlight | Could your heart survive ancient Egypt’s final judgment?

Hear about the Book of the Dead and its magical collection of spells to guide people through the ancient Egyptian afterlife with special guest Christina Geisen and host Charlotte Jordan at the Egypt Exploration Society. There is a focus upon the famous ‘weighing of the heart’ scene, and we discuss whether your heart really had to balance against the Ma’at feather, symbolising truth and balance… or whether our own biases cloud this ancient belief. Want to hear more about funerary texts in ancient Egypt and how people prepared for the afterlife? Tune in to our full episode with Christina Geisen entitled: Are ancient Egyptian funerary texts sacred guides to the afterlife—or practical manuals for navigating death? Learn more at https://www.ees.ac.uk/ or follow us on Social Media: @TheEES or @egyptexplorationsociety or #AwayWithThePharaohs.

1 of 2