The archaeology of death in ancient Egypt

This unit charts the developments in Egyptian culture from 3050 BCE to 1650 BCE (the Old and Middle Kingdoms), using a wide range of material evidence and exploring modern theories to understand the processes involved. It focuses especially on how the ancient Egyptians engaged with death and how this helped shape their world view, including their expectations for the afterlife and the importance of preparing for this. We examine the phenomenon of the pyramids as the architectural manifestation of beliefs in the afterlife of the king, as well as the tombs of royal dependants and workers.