iinstructions and topics for Travel Report #2 – your visit to ancient Egypt
Goals:
An opportunity for a more in-depth exploration of some aspect of ancient Egypt
Experience in conducting research using different kinds of primary sources (= ancient sources =
artifacts, archaeology, written documents) in addition to secondary sources (= modern
scholarship)
An exercise in organizing your thoughts and supporting your discussion and ideas with evidence
Learning how to cite your sources and write a proper bibliography (please use the Chicago Style.
Guide will be posted on Brightspace. You may use in-text citations or footnotes).
– word count does not include in text citations/footnotes or bibliography
FORMAT OPTIONS: Report (divided up using headings) or essay (continuous narrative)
Length: 1000-1500 words
– word count does not include in text citations/footnotes or bibliography
– you do not need to include a title page
– please include photos or plans with captions (title, web-address/source), or web-links to supporting
images or plans
– if doing topic #1, please include a list of artifacts.
Topics will be attached on a word file below choose one of the 6 topics i have in the word file.
Also i will attach links of sources in a file called links down below to help as sources.
– See the Other Sources file on Brightspace for suggested sources for some topics.
– Patrick Power library e-resources, journal databases – search the Novanet system
– museum and academic publication web-sites (see ‘’museum links†and “other sources†on
Brightspace), archaeological web-sites, popular archaeology magazines, archaeological or historical
society web pages -> check their references (suggested reading, references…)
– Wikipedia or on-line encyclopedias. Use WITH CAUTION (see below). These are good starting points.
They should not be your main sources of information. DO NOT USE if there are no footnotes and/or
bibliography
– always check footnotes and bibliographies in publications (including Wikipedia or equivalent) for ideas
for expanding your research.
Topics
NOTE: Chronological range = Early Dynastic through New Kingdom (before ca. 1050 BCE)
Please choose ONE of the following 6 topics:
1. Artifact analysis:
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Choose a period to focus on: Old Kingdom or Middle Kingdom or New Kingdom
Choose a theme to focus on: military; ships and transportation; a profession (e.g. scribe ?); food
and food production; amulets; mummies; clothing and textiles (e.g. Tutankamun’s underpants)
o DosomegeneralresearchonyourthemeforthecontextinancientEgyptianhistory
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Choose 4 artifacts from your museum(s) and research that you feel are good
examples/evidence in support of your theme. Discuss your theme based on the evidence from
your 4 artifacts and the information gained from general research.
Include the object information in a separate list of objects at the end of your paper. Follow the
guidelines for the artifact analysis (Week 4 – Class Discussion assignment). Not included in the
word count.
Recommended museum to start with: Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York
2. You are the vizier-architect/overseer of building projects for pharaoh: choose Imhotep (Djoser’s
architect/vizier for the step-pyramid complex) or Hemiunu (Khufu’s vizier/overseer of the pyramid
complex at Giza). Write a proposal for the construction of your pharaoh’s funerary complex. Include
your plans for the pyramid, burial chamber, and subsidiary buildings, materials and other resources
required (who, what, where, how), labour force (incl. craftsmen, overseers, labourers), and plans for
how you will construct the pyramid (technology, engineering, finances).
3. Life in an Egyptian workmen’s village: archaeological and textual evidence from Deir el-Medina. An
exploration of the site of Deir el Medina (archaeological evidence, who, what, where, when, why) +
some aspect of village life (choose: family life, a profession, medicine, religion, or law)
4. You are a member of a noble family in the New Kingdom period of ancient Egypt and your father
has just died. How, where, and with what will you bury his mortal remains? (funerary practices and
tombs of the nobles)
5. Explore the phenomenon of “Egyptomania†– What is it? Why is it?
6. Reconstruct the life and career of one of the following ancient Egyptians (who, what, where, when,
why re: their jobs, stories, and the social-historical context, the literary and/or archaeological
evidence):
Inspector Merer (4th Dynasty: see his log book found at Wadi al Jarf, port used to bring stone to Giza for
Khufu’s pyramid)
1. Weni (6th Dynasty: see his autobiography and titles – life of an official/favour of
pharaoh/social- historical context)
2. Sinuhe (12th Dynasty: his story, what we can learn from his tale + thoughts on why he
ran away from Egypt)
3. Wah (12th Dynasty: scribe, manager of the storehouse for Meketre)
4. Hatnofer (an 18th Dynasty housemistress)
5. Nefertiti (18th Dynasty: wife of Akhenaten)
6. Khonsu (19th Dynasty: The Servant in the Place of Truth = artisan for the royal tombs,
Deir el
Medina)
Check list and distribution of points (total /15)
10 points – the report
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Quality and breadth of your research (primary sources, a range of secondary sources,
appropriateness of the sources/evidence). Should have at least 3 secondary sources. Unlimited
primary sources.
Quality of your discussion
o organization,accuracyofcontent,contextandexamples,howwellyousupportyour
statements with evidence, ability to employ critical analysis of the evidence and
interpretations
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Clarity, grammar and syntax
3 points – citations and bibliography
• Citations
o Chicagostyle,intext(Mathisen,2021:56-57)orfootnote o Nocitations=anFonthereport
• Bibliography
o allsources(primaryandsecondary)consulted,correctuseofChicagoformat
2 points – other
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List of Illustrations (any report for which you include images)
Length and format
Did you proofread?
Travel report sources links:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/mummy/ikram.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gFY7ST-Tws
http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/mummies/home.html
https://blog.britishmuseum.org/giving-a-voice-to-ancient-egyptian-poetry/
https://www.pequotlibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Egyptomania_Exhibition-Guidecompressed.pdf
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/ancient-egypt-shipping-mining-farming-economypyramids-180956619/
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/591471
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