This research project will investigate how archaeologists involved in British-led excavations in Egypt and Sudan engaged with the antiquities market between 1880 - 1939.

Last updated: 28 July 2022

About the project

The role of archaeologists in the antiquities market in Egypt and Sudan has often been underplayed or ignored, with narratives choosing to focus on the scientific achievements of archaeological 'heroes'. However, it is apparent that many archaeologists were involved in the market, as both buyers and sellers. The movement of objects through the market to museums via archaeologists was complex, and involved both sanctioned excavations and illicit activities, opportunistic sellers and licensed vendors.

This project is the first to focus on how archaeologists involved in British-led excavations in Egypt and Sudan were entangled with the antiquities market and how this impacts what we see today in museums across the world. It will examine how and why archaeologists bought and sold objects, how they viewed these transactions financially and ethically. This will enable museums to share fuller object histories with visitors, highlighting colonial collecting practices, allowing for a more open conversation about archaeological collections from Egypt and Sudan.

The project, which is led by Dr Dan Potter (National Museums Scotland) will initially focus on the activities of a small number of archaeologists, whose work, donations and acquisitions shaped the collections of National Museums Scotland: curator Edwin Ward, collector-for-hire Charles Trick Currelly, and archaeologists/academics John Garstang and William Matthew Flinders Petrie. These men were each involved in excavations in Egypt and/or Sudan during the height of British involvement in the field 1880 - 1939, a period when the public and museums clamoured to see more objects from these ancient places.

It is the hope of the project that by examining these very different individuals, we may gain an insight to how prolific archaeologists were in the antiquities market, if their motivations differed and how their choices impact museum collections to this day. It will not only highlight this untold story but lead the way for future research into archaeological collecting. 

In depth collections and archival research hopes to identify new object histories and track objects over time as they moved from person to person and country to country. The project will also result in greatly improved information that can be shared on public databases and greater numbers of images of objects and archives, so that visitors can see more of the collections which are not on display.

Funders

Arts and Humanities Research Council - Early Career Research, Development and Engagement. Learn more about AHRC's funding of this project.