Join us for the next event in the Oriental Institute Barrington’s White House Curious Mind Series for Foy Scalf, The Oriental Institute at 100: “Book of The Dead: Un-reading the Ancient Egyptian Scrolls” on Sunday, April 7, 3:00pm – 4:30pm. General admission is $20.TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE
Egyptologist Foy Scalf, PhD, Head of Research Archives and Head of the Integrated Database Project “The ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead” is a complex composition spanning a history of nearly two thousand years. What was this sacred text and what prompted its long life?
Popular conceptions of the Book of the Dead often derive from Victorian Era misunderstandings and the legacy of the vocabulary we use to discuss ancient literary works. By reorienting these approaches, we are able to gain a better understanding of how this text was produced and how it was used. In this talk, Foy Scalf will offer new insights into the ancient Egyptian culture that produced and used the Book of the Dead by looking at who were the people reading these massive scrolls and what exactly they were doing with them. Egyptologist Foy Scalf (PhD, University of Chicago) specializes in the textual culture of ancient Egypt, with particular interest in ancient religious literature. His has published on Egyptian language and linguistics, religion and philosophy, as well as textual transmission and knowledge production. In 2017, he curated a special exhibit at the Oriental Institute Museum on “The Book of the Dead: Becoming God in Ancient Egypt” and edited the accompanying catalog—a fully illustrated guide the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead. TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE
The next event in the Oriental Institute Barrington’s White House Curious Mind Series is brought to you by Kiersten Neumann, From Persepolis to Chicago: Achaemenid Art and Architecture on Sunday, April 14, 3:00 – 4:30pm. TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE
See all upcoming events at Barrington’s White House here.
Barrington’s White House is a unique, historic venue located in the heart of downtown Barrington at 145 West Main Street. This meticulously restored 1898 mansion hosts cultural and community events, and is also available for rental for weddings, corporate meetings, non-profit fundraisers and family celebrations. Visit the web site or call 224-512-4292 for your private tour.