Herta Mohr Lecture: Identity and Connectivity at the Oryx District
Speaker: Dr Anna-Latifa Mourad-Cizek (ISAC, The University of Chicago)
The Oryx District was once a thriving town located almost in the middle of Egypt. From the late Third to Second Millennium BCE, its officials decided to carve their tombs in the cliff-face at Beni Hassan. These beautifully decorated monuments offer us glimpses into the identities, achievements and desires of the District’s members, as they lived through a pivotal period of changing socio-political dynamics. Several tombs contain scenes of individuals represented with features atypical of Egyptians, signalling the presence of foreigners. Who were these individuals, and why were they pictured in these tombs?
In this Herta Mohr lecture, we will explore identity and connectivity at the Oryx District. We will consider a community’s shifting world view as it negotiated connections through a tumultuous period, representing a rich local identity while navigating complex affairs with those from within and beyond the borders of ancient Egypt.
The Oryx District was once a thriving town located almost in the middle of Egypt. From the late Third to Second Millennium BCE, its officials decided to carve their tombs in the cliff-face at Beni Hassan. These beautifully decorated monuments offer us glimpses into the identities, achievements and desires of the District’s members, as they lived through a pivotal period of changing socio-political dynamics. Several tombs contain scenes of individuals represented with features atypical of Egyptians, signalling the presence of foreigners. Who were these individuals, and why were they pictured in these tombs?
In this Herta Mohr lecture, we will explore identity and connectivity at the Oryx District. We will consider a community’s shifting world view as it negotiated connections through a tumultuous period, representing a rich local identity while navigating complex affairs with those from within and beyond the borders of ancient Egypt.
