14.9.2020 at 17:00
https://helsinki.zoom.us/j/64099674456
Meeting ID: 640 9967 4456
Melanie Wasmuth (University of Helsinki): The impact of Alexander historiography on contemporary sources: the case of Petosiris.
Alexander historiography strongly affects the interpretation of ancient contemporary sources, i.e. of evidence dating from the later 4th c. BCE. I demonstrate this for a case study from Egypt, namely the tomb of Petosiris, which is situated in Tuna el-Gebel, the cemetery of the ancient Egyptian town of Khemenu/Khmun, better known under its Greek name Hermopolis Magna. The large, well-preserved temple tomb amalgamates Egyptian, Greek, and Persian features and has consequently attracted a lot of attention. Its unique overall design inherently leaves a lot of leeway regarding its interpretation. I will present my research on the socio-historical function of the tomb's decoration design and discuss how one's position in Alexander historiography impacts the research results.
Melanie Wasmuth is a Docent in Egyptology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies. She is a postdoctoral researcher and vice-teamleader at the Centre of Excellence in Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the University of Helsinki.