Tutankhamun's Leather:
Evidence from the Tomb
Saturday, November 20, 2021, at noon (eastern US time)
The topic
Egypt’s extreme dryness favors the preservation of soft animal tissues such as skin, which archaeologists occasionally find in the form of leather. The condition of ancient leather artifacts is often severely compromised, though, making conservation and study particularly challenging. Such was the case with the items that were found in the tomb of King Tutankhamun, KV 62.
This lecture will discuss the use of leather in ancient Egypt, with a focus on the New Kingdom, and will then explore the various leather objects and related animal products found in KV 62.
Insights into the importance of leather as a prized material, and the craftsmanship of the leatherworkers, will be presented through several case studies.
Email us at arce.dc.news at gmail for a link to register for this event.
Sandal in situ | Photo by Harry Burton, courtesy of the Griffith Institute, Oxford University
The speaker
Dr. André J. Veldmeijer studied archaeology at Leiden University in the Netherlands and received his Ph.D. in vertebrate paleontology from Utrecht University, also in the Netherlands. His main interest is the material culture of ancient Egypt and Nubia, with a focus on technology.
Dr. Veldmeijer has collaborated with various missions in Egypt since 1995 and has worked in museum collections all over the world. He is the director of two ongoing international research projects: The Ancient Egyptian Leatherwork and Footwear Projects, including the Egyptian Museum Chariot Project, and the Tutankhamun’s Sticks and Staves Project (with Salima Ikram). He is also the manager of the Munro Archive Project. For more information about his work, check out this website.
