STANTON SHARP TEACHING SYMPOSIUM

Saturday, February 9, 2008

8:30 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.

Sponsored by the Clements Dept. of History

Southern Methodist University

1:45-3:15 p.m.            SESSION III

"Egypt in the Age of Tutankhamen"

  Professor Melissa Dowling

  101 Dallas Hall

Tutankhamen ruled over Egypt at the height of its civilization and was buried with treasure worthy of his status as pharaoh of the greatest kingdom the world had ever known. When Howard Carter discovered his tomb in 1922, modern understanding of Egyptian history, especially religious ritual and the daily life of the ruling classes, was revolutionized. This workshop offers an introduction to the life and times of Tutankhamen, providing a brief survey of New Kingdom Egyptian history and a detailed discussion of the boy-king's career as pharaoh, ending with current research on the mummy's body and new theories on the causes of his death. Many of the objects from Tutankhamen's tomb will be coming to the Dallas Museum of Art in 2008, so this workshop will be structured to provide a guide to the exhibit.

Professor Dowling is an Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor and the Director of Classical Studies. She teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in the history of the Ancient Near East and Egypt and is currently writing a book on the Roman cult of the Egyptian goddess Isis.