Research in Focus talks: Beneath the surface: Unveiling Egyptian clay figurines

The talks will be led by a variety of researchers from UCL and other higher education institutions as well as independent researchers.

Talk: 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. See planning your visit.