The topic

Recent geo-archaeological research has shown that temple sites of the riverine landscape of the Nile Delta were embedded in rich waterscapes formed by the lakes, streams, and canals of the natural local hydro-geography.

Examining a variety of geophysical, archaeological, textual, and pictorial evidence from the fourth millennium BCE to the end of the pharaonic period, the lecture will show that such geographical features were transformed into essential elements of the sacred landscape of temples through human action on two levels: by physical activities such as the reshaping of water courses and digging out of lakes, and by intellectual processes such as the creating of local mythologies focusing on the interaction between the divinities and the sacred waters surrounding their temples.

Of special importance is the famous temple of Bastet at Bubastis, which provides a perfect case study. There we see a rich textual record of the mythological concepts of its feline goddess as well as new and exciting insights into the appearance of the sacred waterscapes of her divine dwelling and its use during religious festivals.

Email us at arce.dc.news at gmail dot com for a link to register for this event.

Our events typically last an hour—50 minutes for the lecture, 10 minutes for Q+A.

The speaker