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Abstracts Sally-Ann Ashton Petrie Museum, London Alexandria is traditionally viewed as an artistic as well as intellectual centre in Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt; there is, however, little archaeological evidence to support this. The role played by Memphis during these two periods if often underestimated, although the archaeological record suggests that both the sacred and domestic areas of the city were of considerable importance particularly during the Ptolemaic period when it enjoyed two periods of royal residency under Ptolemy I and Ptolemy V. This paper will consider the excavated material from Petrie's seasons at Memphis, currently held in the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology which include terracottas and faience objects, a first century AD faience factory and plaster moulds associated with the production of both forms of representation and the manufacturing of bronze. The question of the role that was played by Memphis in the production of Ptolemaic and Roman material culture will be reassessed and the close association between stone and bronze sculptural and terracotta representations; and ceramic and faience vessels in the Greek, Roman and Egyptian styles will be explored. The results of a survey of the archaeological evidence suggests that Memphis in the Ptolemaic and early Roman periods was an active production centre with links between the forms of artistic media to the religious activities in the city offering a more accurate representation of Egypt in the Ptolemaic and early Roman Imperial periods. | Back to Abstracts | Back to the Timetable | |