Methodologies in Egyptology and Mesopotamian Studies Workshop

Academic Year 2025-2026

Faculty Advisers:
Céline Debourse, cdebourse@fas.harvard.edu
Peter Der Manuelian, peter_manuelian@harvard.edu

Graduate Student Coordinators:
Grace Clements, graceclements@g.harvard.edu
Jake Colloff, jcolloff@g.harvard.edu
Declan Maloney, declanmaloney@g.harvard.edu

The Methodologies in Egyptology and Mesopotamian Studies (MEMS) workshop has two main goals: (1) to focus on the methodologies that are often applied to the study of ancient Egypt, the Near East, and their neighbors, particularly those methodologies that are cross-disciplinary, trending, and/or aid in the conservation/preservation of threatened ancient heritages; and (2) to foster dialogue between scholars of neighboring fields of the NELC department, especially between Assyriologists and Egyptologists, in addition to scholars of the anthropology and Classics departments, among others. Specifically, these methodologies relate to the disciplines and fields of anthropology, archaeology, conservation/preservation, digital humanities, philology, as well as various scientific and statistical analyses and approaches. By focusing on the application of these methodologies, scholars of neighboring fields can better understand one another, develop collaboration, and generate new approaches for their own research.

Meetings include ample time for questions and discussion after the presentation.Those who are interested in attending should contact the MEMS coordinators to be put on the MEMS listserv.

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PAST EVENTS:

Spring 2022:
Feb 14 - Andrew Deloucas, G4: “I mustn’t make plentiful those whom owe me a favor”: Situating Ikūn-Pîša’s Letters in Early Old Babylonian Political and Civic Systems 
Feb 28 - Taha Yurttaş, G3: "Where Image and Word Meet: the Stele of Vultures"

Fall 2021:
Oct 19, 5:15 p.m.: Joe Currie (Committee on the Study of Religion; Ancient Studies):
"Mechanisms for Cultic Change in Achaemenid Uruk and Yehud"