Textile and animal skin research on the et-Tereif mummies. Three cases out of one thousands

This lecture will present the interdisciplinary research that is currently conducted in collaboration with the British Museum at the University of Copenhagen – Centre for Textile Research, by the team of the Fashioning Sudan project (ERC 101039416).

Abstract

Archaeological sites along the Fourth Cataract of the Nile have been excavated during the 2000s as part of an international rescue effort coordinated by the Sudanese National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums. Near and on Mis Island, at et-Tereif, cemeteries dated to the Medieval period (c. 6th to 15th century CE) have been excavated by a team of the Sudan Archaeological Research Society. Thanks to hyper-arid conditions, archaeologists discovered many well-preserved human inhumations, whose remains are now housed in the British Museum. the deceased were not interred alone but wrapped in textiles and animal skins. These artefacts have been preserved in situ around the bodies thanks to the passive conservation approach developed at the British Museum by Barbara Wills. Within the folds of these fragile items, a whole array of new information emerges, documenting daily practices such as clothing and craft, and showing how bodies were cared for in death. 

Together, Elsa Yvanez, Lucy Skinner, Laura Vinas Caron, and Magdalena Wozniak are using different methods to study the wrappings found around three naturally mummified bodies, to learn more about them as individual people and reveal various aspects of their society.

CTR meetings and lectures Autumn 2024

Every other Wednesday at CTR, we have administrative meetings running through the semester, followed by a scientific presentation, either by a CTR member or an invited scholar. We kindly invite everyone interested to join these lectures.

Lecture, ca. 14:00-14:45

The weekly lecture will start at 14:00 and will be followed by a free discussion amongst all participants. Please see the program below. You are more than welcome to join us in person at CTR, University of Copenhagen South Campus, room 11B-1-05.

If dates are still open for lectures in the calendar, you are more than welcome to write to us with suggestions for speakers.

Zoom Link

You can join us via Zoom in case you are not able to attend the event in person. In that case, simply follow this link.

We expect everybody to turn on the camera and have your name as the “name tag”. It will be possible to join the discussion but until personally addressed, we ask all participants to be muted.

Meeting 15:00-16:00

The second hour, 15:00-16:00, is mainly reserved for CTR members, yet if anyone would like to join, they are welcome. The meeting consists of general administrative and CTR-related news and information as well as “News around the table”, where everyone gives a short update on their projects. Anyone participating in the meeting is expected to join this, also if you are not a member of CTR.