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Research in Focus talks
Presenting current research into UCL's Museums and Collections
Join us in the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology for our monthly talk series spotlighting current research into the collections and displays.
The talks will be led by a variety of researchers from UCL and other higher education institutions as well as independent researchers.
2024 Term 1 Talks
Friday 25 October, 1.15–2pm
Wow, that's tiny! Exploring the miniaturisation of material culture in children's burials from Predynastic Egypt (3800-2900 BC)
Speaker: Pablo Barba, UCL Doctoral Candidate in Archaeology
This talk will discuss scaled-down versions of various typical artefacts of the Predynastic Period (pottery, palettes, stone vessels) which were commonly offered in the burials of children. Through the interpretation of these objects as metaphors for the deceased and as items belonging to the realm of childhood, we will attempt to grasp the care and affection towards children expressed by these past communities suffering from high infant mortality.
Please note that this talk will contain references to child mortality, parental bereavement and images of child burial sites.
Friday 15 November, 1.15–2pm
Copper alloy metalwork in the Petrie Museum
Speaker: Dr Martin Odler, University of Newcastle
The Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology houses a plethora of ancient Egyptian and Nubian material culture. In this talk, Dr Martin Odler will focus on the ancient copper alloy tool and weapon blades. Metalwork was often recycled, and the talk will demonstrate how each and every preserved specimen is unique.
Friday 13 December, 1.15–2pm
Beneath the surface: Unveiling Egyptian clay figurines through technological and compositional analysis
Speaker: Dr Hannah Page, University of Padua
This presentation will explore the analysis of Middle Bronze Age clay figurines from Egypt, focusing on those from the archaeological sites of Lahun and Buhen, housed in the Petrie Museum. Using multiple techniques, including portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF), this research investigates the material choices and production techniques of non-elite artisans from 2000–1550 BC. These figurines, though modest in appearance, offer valuable insight into the daily lives of the everyday people who produced them in Ancient Egypt and Nubia. By analysing clay composition and raw material use, Dr Hannah Page will reveal how these objects encapsulate stories of everyday life, creativity, and the cultural values and belief systems of their makers. This work is part of the broader ‘Profiling the Identity of Producers in Egypt and Nubia’ project at the Universities of Padova and Pisa.
Access
Access to the museum, and all public areas within it, is step-free. Further information can be found on the Planning your visit page.
Finding us
The Museum is located in Bloomsbury, in the heart of central London. The nearest tube stations are Euston Square (Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith & City), Goodge Street (Northern Line), Warren Street (Victoria Line), and buses 18, 30, 73, 134 and 205 stop 3-5 minutes away on Euston Road.
Here's the location on Google to help you find your preferred route.
About Research in Focus
UCL’s Museums and Collections encompass artefacts, specimens, artist works and more telling the history of living species in global contexts spanning thousands of years. The Collections are used for teaching, public engagement and research, all of which contribute to our understanding of the world around us. The Research in Focus talk series provides a platform for researchers to share their investigative enquiries through public engagement. We are proud to showcase how knowledge production is supported across varied collections.
Presenting current research into UCL's Museums and Collections
Join us in the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology for our monthly talk series spotlighting current research into the collections and displays.
The talks will be led by a variety of researchers from UCL and other higher education institutions as well as independent researchers.
2024 Term 1 Talks
Friday 25 October, 1.15–2pm
Wow, that's tiny! Exploring the miniaturisation of material culture in children's burials from Predynastic Egypt (3800-2900 BC)
Speaker: Pablo Barba, UCL Doctoral Candidate in Archaeology
This talk will discuss scaled-down versions of various typical artefacts of the Predynastic Period (pottery, palettes, stone vessels) which were commonly offered in the burials of children. Through the interpretation of these objects as metaphors for the deceased and as items belonging to the realm of childhood, we will attempt to grasp the care and affection towards children expressed by these past communities suffering from high infant mortality.
Please note that this talk will contain references to child mortality, parental bereavement and images of child burial sites.
Friday 15 November, 1.15–2pm
Copper alloy metalwork in the Petrie Museum
Speaker: Dr Martin Odler, University of Newcastle
The Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology houses a plethora of ancient Egyptian and Nubian material culture. In this talk, Dr Martin Odler will focus on the ancient copper alloy tool and weapon blades. Metalwork was often recycled, and the talk will demonstrate how each and every preserved specimen is unique.
Friday 13 December, 1.15–2pm
Beneath the surface: Unveiling Egyptian clay figurines through technological and compositional analysis
Speaker: Dr Hannah Page, University of Padua
This presentation will explore the analysis of Middle Bronze Age clay figurines from Egypt, focusing on those from the archaeological sites of Lahun and Buhen, housed in the Petrie Museum. Using multiple techniques, including portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF), this research investigates the material choices and production techniques of non-elite artisans from 2000–1550 BC. These figurines, though modest in appearance, offer valuable insight into the daily lives of the everyday people who produced them in Ancient Egypt and Nubia. By analysing clay composition and raw material use, Dr Hannah Page will reveal how these objects encapsulate stories of everyday life, creativity, and the cultural values and belief systems of their makers. This work is part of the broader ‘Profiling the Identity of Producers in Egypt and Nubia’ project at the Universities of Padova and Pisa.
Access
Access to the museum, and all public areas within it, is step-free. Further information can be found on the Planning your visit page.
Finding us
The Museum is located in Bloomsbury, in the heart of central London. The nearest tube stations are Euston Square (Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith & City), Goodge Street (Northern Line), Warren Street (Victoria Line), and buses 18, 30, 73, 134 and 205 stop 3-5 minutes away on Euston Road.
Here's the location on Google to help you find your preferred route.
About Research in Focus
UCL’s Museums and Collections encompass artefacts, specimens, artist works and more telling the history of living species in global contexts spanning thousands of years. The Collections are used for teaching, public engagement and research, all of which contribute to our understanding of the world around us. The Research in Focus talk series provides a platform for researchers to share their investigative enquiries through public engagement. We are proud to showcase how knowledge production is supported across varied collections.
Friday, October 25, 2024 - 13:15 to Friday, December 13, 2024 - 14:00
The Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology Event Petrie Museum