On June 15th, Huw Twiston Davies, lecturer in Egyptology at Manchester University, took us on a journey back to Ancient Egypt. He conjured up for us a land filled with dancing, noise and music, as he traced musical scenes on tomb walls and explained the significance of harpists and accompanying songs from their earliest days to the New Kingdom.
We were shown a fascinating parade of illustrations accompanying the song texts: harpists at banquets, sacrificial ceremonies and rituals or playing for the tomb owners and their wives. Exactly how these songs were used is not clear, but there was a poignant contrast between those songs that suggest that life is finite and should be enjoyed, and those offering prayers and hope of a journey to an abundant afterlife. As an audience we didn’t quite manage to sing with the dead, but gained an interesting insight into how historians can begin to piece together ancient cultures from the random and incomplete evidence that survives.
To add to the novelty, the lecture was delivered from a grassy sward in the upper room of The Cooper Gallery which had been transformed into a green and lush wood, teeming with creatures and children’s drawings to celebrate the work of Barnsley artist and illustrator Brian Wildsmith.
The Transmission of the Book of the Dead in New Kingdom Tombs at Saqqara by Huw Twiston Davies is published in August 2024.
Great Review of Huw’s presentation, sums it up perfectly.