Worshiping the Ancestors in Egypt’s Tell Edfu

Tell Edfu, in southern Egypt, is an ancient Egyptian city that was occupied for nearly 3,000 years. This lecture explores recent discoveries at Tell Edfu, focusing on an elite residential complex from around 1550 BCE. Among the highlights is a large villa containing a rare and well-preserved example of a domestic shrine dedicated to family ancestors. Nadine Moeller,Professor of Egyptology, Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Yale University, will discuss the objects found in the shrine and their significance in private religious practices of the time. She will also provide an overview of other buildings from the same period—including a food production facility, further enriching our understanding of daily life in early New Kingdom Tell Edfu.

Free admission. Free event parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage. Presented by the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East and the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture.

Photo © Alberto Urcia, Tell Edfu Project