Profane Egyptologists

'Space archaeology'

2011-05-30T15:03:00.000-07:00

For those that may have missed it (which seems impossible by now), Dr Sarah Parcak of the University of Alabama has made a number of 'archaeological discoveries' utilising satellite imagery, including 'More than 1,000 tombs and 3,000 ancient settlements.' This is, of course, hugely significant to our field, and i hope it will bring in more interest, research, funding (makes the archaeological world go round), and ultimately more people into the folds of Egypto...what? 'ology'? 'Mania'? Perhaps too pejorative.

Either way, this is sure to attract attention for a while, and hopefully open up new opportunities both within Egypt for the local populace, and without for the various interest groups involved. It is important to remember, however, that such tools are only that: tools. They can be used constructively or...well, not so positively, and I hope these resources are well-managed. We also need to remember that discovery is not excavation, nor is it interpretation, one of the most fundamental, and fundamentally overlooked, aspects of our field. My hope is that we are not so swept up in scientific advancement that we forget the dangers of the positivistic mindset, so evident in early Egyptology.

Either way, however, this represents a giant leap forward for Egyptology and archaeology everywhere, and I for one am very excited about the possibilities on the horizon...

Bec 3 at the British Museum

2010-09-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

I recently attended the Third British Egyptology Congress at the British Museum, where I presented my first conference paper on this research. I had surprisingly good attendance at my little room, as I was expecting maybe 10 people (collegues/friends) and ended up with a reasonably full room. I take that as an encouraging sign that there are many other Egyptologists out there interested in expanding the horizons of our discipline.

Though I definitely had too much material for the time allowed I think I managed to give a fairly succint overview (three years work in 20 mins is no mean feat!). I would have loved to have had more time to explore some of the groundbreaking work I've encountered in my research (in particular Richard Reidy's Eternal Egypt and Kerry Wisner's 'hwt-hrw' online) but sadly an overview it remained.

I was quizzed at the end by none other than Mark Lehner himself (I hadn't realised he was sitting at the back) who cut straight to the point and asked the very fundamental question of 'give me an actual example of where this research has contributed to Egyptology' (not those exact words, but that was the principle behind it).

So I highlighted the example of taboo, and that when practising ancient ritual certain things become more fundamental to understand. In this case I mentioned the blood taboo asserted by the Kemetic Orthodox Faith, that is the taboo surrounding menstruation and ritual. For HoN this was ported over from African Traditional Religions, and 'filled a gap' in our Egyptological understanding of the subject. Very little research on this topic exists in academic Egyptology. There are a couple of notable examples by Fransden and some interesting notes by Quirke, but by and large it is a topic we do not claim to have a complete comprehension of. However, some fascinating reasearch has been done on this topic by Kemetic reconstructionists, as it is an immediate concern for women looking to participate in regular ritual and not be inhibited by a menstrual cycle. I won't go into details about the research I've encountered here, but it is fair to say I found it very useful, and it introduced me to some sources I would otherwise not have looked at. That alone, for me 'justifies' (not that building bridges should ever need justification) this kind of research.

Now I realise what I'm saying here is that this research highlights our blindnesses, as academics, and encourages us to look at topics from a different perspective. As Jan Assman implies and Jeremy Naydler asserts, we cannot engage in a phenomenological study of Egyptian ritual and remain 'Egyptologists' simply because of the positivist foundational methods of our field. But perhaps we can sidestep such boundaries, albeit briefly, in order to be informed of other perspectives.

So my point is that discussion on such issues, with 'comitted outsiders' (many of whom are actually 'insiders' studying Egypt academically!) encourages debate and makes us look at primary evidence more closely. I did what I could to convince my peers that there is valid research occuring on 'the other side' and I hope that eventually such research will speak for itself. Mine is not an exhaustive study, nor can it be representative of any group in question beyond my own subjective perspectives. It is but a tentative step, the first plank of a bridge I'd very much like to see built.

Richard Reidy

2010-08-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Richard Reidy, author of Eternal Egypt: Ancient Rituals for the Modern World, in San Francisco. We talked about his work, and the progress of Egyptian Reconstruction in general, and it was an evening of fascinating discussion.

I strongly urge anybody who's interested in Egyptian ritual, whether for ritual or academic purposes, to check out his book. A sample can be found on Google books and the book itself is available as a paperback or ebook below and in all good stores.

http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?Book=172324

British Museum Talks

2010-08-31T08:58:00.000-07:00

I'll be speaking on my research at the British Museum on the 12th of September, as part of The Third British Egyptology Congress (BEC3). Tickets are limited, and not cheap, but if you end up coming along please feel free to find me at the con if you have any questions on my research.

Harrison

Third Wave of Questions: Ritual Practice

2010-04-12T05:41:00.000-07:00

The third (and likely final) wave of questions is now open for responses and may be found here (copy and paste please)

https://opinio.ucl.ac.uk/s?s=9647

This wave is shorter than the previous two, being only 8 questions long (12 including data questions), and deals with the specifics of ritual practices and their origins. You may also save and return if you do not wish to complete all questions at once. Thank you for your participation.

Egyptian Symbolism

2009-12-09T07:40:00.001-08:00

I recently attended a meeting of minds at The Petrie Museum of Egyptology, UCL London, where we discussed, amongst other things, the symbolism of ancient Egypt and that of the tarot.

Whilst debates continue as to the origins of tarot, as both a 'deck' and a system of spiritual developement, it was generally felt that they could be a valuable tool through which to explore aspects of Egyptian culture oft neglected in academic institutions, with the hope of bringing previously unknown audiences and unheard voices to the debate.

As such I urge those with an interest in the many themes this opens to the current home of the project;

http://ancientegyptandtarot.blogspot.com/

(also in my 'Following' list below)

Public debate and events to follow in 2010

Paul

Second Wave of Questions; Experiential and Contextual

2009-09-23T07:42:00.000-07:00

After much consideration and some field testing the second set of questions is finally ready to be released. These questions are a response to gaps left in the last set, and crucially, feedback from my participants.

You need not answer the last set of questions (bottom of page) to complete the second, but you are very welcome to complete either, or both.

This set focuses on your experience of Kemetic practice in your own life, and how this process relates to the world around you. Please copy and paste the following link into the address bar to go to the survey.

https://opinio.ucl.ac.uk/s?s=6832

As before, once completed the survey will be automatically emailed to me.

You do not have to disclose any personally identifiable information, though I do request an email address, should I wish to contact you or answer inquiries. This, however, is left at your discretion. See below for details on how your privacy is protected. The work is aimed at adults only. If you are not of the age of consent (or the legal age classified as adult) of your country, state, area etc. then you cannot consent to participate, sorry.

Should you wish to skip a question, simply input the word 'pass' in the text box. This will allow you to complete without answering the question.

You may save and return to the survey (should you wish to finish it later) or even submit multiple versions, should your answers change, or anything pertinent occur to you.

Thank you for your time and participation.

The nature of research

2009-06-29T06:08:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention that some participants have taken offense to the questions asked in my survey. This is actually completely understandable, given that I am an unknown entity, and my intentions must also appear somewhat vague. As such this is a concern that I think needs addressing.

A few seem to be under the impression that I'm attempting to assert that interest in Kemetic religion is a result of exposure to popular culture, in a way which they find, understandably, derogatory. I want to assure you that this is not the case at all, and that my hypothesis is rather the opposite of this.

Rather, I am looking at the ways in which ancient Egyptian religion is utilised in the construction of contemporary identity and community, in the hope that it is not dismissed as the result of, for instance, 'too much Stargate'. There is no intention to draw parallels between Kemetic groups and pop culture fads, as this would be dismissive and insulting, which is not my intention at all. However, I hope that you all understand that in the interest of a thorough approach these questions must be asked, especially if such assumptions are to be countered.

It is not my intent to insult my participants (this would be counter productive after all), but equally I cannot control who gets insulted by the study, especially when sensitive matters, such as faith and politics, are being dealt with.

I hope that participants understand that these questions are meant to inspire well thought answers to my research questions and as such it is very difficult to use neutral language when approaching topics which can be very personal for some people. Other questions are intentionally left 'open' to interpretation as this has proved very successful for many ethnographic practitioners. All the themes have been deemed significant to aspects of the research, but if you feel uncomfortable with any of them, simply skip them.

Every effort is being taken to ensure that my study is fair and comprehensive, and please understand that I'm under as much (if not more) scrutiny as anybody. I have to answer the questions of various boards that I answer to, and as such I'll sometimes have to ask questions which seem provocatory. If these insult, I heartily apologise, but in a way, at least you're giving me the reserch I need to help counter Egyptological insularity.

I'm grateful to you all, individual and community, and hope that our relationship is a fruitful pleasant one,

Very best, with no scary secret agendas,

Paul

Questions: The Survey

2009-06-22T04:28:00.000-07:00

Here is the link for the current survey which pertains to my research. Please copy and paste the following url into the address bar and press enter:

http://opinio.ucl.ac.uk/s?s=6714

Once completed the survey will be automatically emailed to me. You do not have to disclose any personally identifiable information, though I do request an email address, should I wish to contact you. This, however, is left at your discretion. See below for details on how your privacy is protected.

Should you wish to skip a question, simply input the word 'pass' in the text box. This will allow you to complete without answering the question.

You may save and return to the survey (should you wish to finish it later) or even submit multiple versions, should your answers change, or anything pertinent occur to you.

Thank you kindly for your time, your interest and efforts are appreciated.

Introduction - The Research

2009-06-04T07:03:00.001-07:00

This research is an exploration of modern approaches to ancient Egyptian religion. It involves some first hand ethnographic work, in which I ask questions of the modern faithful and practicing. These are constructed in an attempt to better understand the continued appeal of ancient Egyptian religion, and also the ways in which Egyptian religion is being used in the construction of identity, personal empowerment and social interaction. It is a non-judgemental study, and does not seek to undermine any faiths in favour of others.

Below is a disclosure sheet which includes some brief information on the work, my identity, institution, and finally your rights, which include an opt-out at any point. There is currently no need for legal waivers as the data will be anonymous, and I will be the only person to hold any record of our conversations.

If you are still interested in answering some questions you may be assured by your own anonymity in the project. I ask that you provide a web handle or nickname that I might attribute any quotes, should I need to use them in the thesis.

Please see the link above if you are interested in partaking of the study. The link is to an online survey form that you can fill in at your leisure, save and come back to if needs be. Alternatively, you may contact me directly should you have any questions. I hope that you will find the research both interesting and original, and a positive experience to be a part of, should you choose.

What is the project - Legal notes

2009-06-04T06:40:00.000-07:00

This work seeks to address a gap in current Egyptological learning. The project aims to study the survival of Egyptian religion and esoterica, encompassing modern alternative faiths that have a focus or emphasis on Egyptian iconography and religion.

The research attempts to understand the appeal and uses of Egypt as a focus for faith, identity and social interaction. It is the appeal of Egypt itself which is at question, rather than the practices themselves. It is not an exercise in value judgements, and does not set out to discredit alternative religions or their practitioners. The work is aimed at adults only. If you are not of the age of consent of your country, state, area etc. then you cannot consent to participate, sorry.

Who is the research being undertaken by?

The research is undertaken by P. Michael Harrison MA, of University College London, as part of the thesis to be submitted for the title of PhD in Egyptian Archaeology. The college is fully aware of the research and it is sanctioned by the department, The Institute of Archaeology, UCL. I have been involved with the study of Egypt and alternative religions for over ten years, and has undertaken formal training in ethical procedures for research involving ethnographic study.

What are my rights if I choose to participate?

Involvement is voluntary. You have the right to opt in, and opt out, at any stage. If you do opt out then any direct quotes will be removed from the study.

Can I be idenitified from this research?

Only if you want to be. All data will be partially-anonymous. That is to say that, whilst I may have contact details for you I will not ask for personally identifiable information, nor will I present any personally identifiable information in the work. The only exception to this is the use of quotes, for which I may ask permission to use a ‘web handle’ or nickname, so that it may be assigned. I may also ask for group affiliation to be identifiable in some instances, and only with the permission of the host group. If I do not ask for such permissions then you should consider your data non-group affiliated and representative only of your opinions. You are free to deny such permissions, and will not be excluded from the research even if you wish to remain completely anonymous whilst taking part. Your privacy is of highest priority.

What do I have to do?

If you choose to participate in the research I will send you further information regarding the work itself and a survey involving questions related to your faith and practices, and your perceptions of Egypt in general. Except in rare cases, all interviews and surveys will take place over the internet, by email or on your specific faith’s host website, with their permission.

What will I be asked?

You will only be asked for information that the researcher feels is relevant to the study. This may include non-identifiable sensitive information such as religious beliefs, political stance and even ethnicity, but all answers should be considered voluntary.

Where will this research appear?

The research is currently for my own records only. It should be noted that derivatives of the work, such as a completed thesis including original quotes, are occasionally published. Should this occur, no personally identifiable information will be revealed.