Death on the Nile Uncovering the afterlife of ancient Egypt
23 February – 22 May
Make this the year you visit
Death on the Nile Uncovering the afterlife of ancient Egypt 23 February – 22 May Galleries 12 & 13 The first major exhibition for the Fitzwilliam’s 2016 bicentenary celebrations goes beyond the images of mummies, pharaohs and mystery often associated with ancient Egypt. It shows how coffin design developed over 4,000 years, reflecting significant changes both in the status of affluent ancient Egyptians and in the gods that were important to them. Discover how these remarkable objects were constructed and what this information can reveal about the craftsmen who made coffins and the clients who commissioned and bought them. A ‘live’ conservation area in the exhibition will provide visitors with a unique insight into the science used to examine the objects on display. Exhibition eGuides are available for a small fee from the Main Entrance and the exhibition gallery landing.
Support for Death on the Nile has been provided by the Museum’s Bicentenary Business Partners:
TTP Group plc ACE Cultural Tours Hewitsons LLP Marshall of Cambridge Rheebridge Sotheby’s Cover: Gilded face from a coffin Left: Model from the tomb of Khety
Events Programme The exhibition is complemented by a wide-ranging programme of talks, workshops and other special events. All events are at the Fitzwilliam Museum, unless otherwise stated.
Lunchtime Talks 13.15 – 14.00 • Seminar Room Admission is by token, 1 per person, available at the Courtyard Entrance from 12.45 on the day of the talk. Induction loop available.
Death on the Nile: An introduction to the exhibition Wednesday 24 February Helen Strudwick, Egypt 2016 Curator, and Julie Dawson, Head of Conservation
Women's lives in ancient Egypt: What can coffins tell us? Friday 4 March Helen Strudwick, Egypt 2016 Curator
‘Mourning Women’: The science of a painted coffin surface Wednesday 9 March Jennifer Marchant, Conservator of Antiquities
Egyptian blue: Science and symbolism Thursday 17 March Helen Strudwick, Egypt 2016 Curator, and Dr Trevor Emmett, Consultant Geologist
Coffin box of Pakepu (detail)
The coffin of Nespawershefyt: An ancient case for CT scanning Wednesday 13 April Julie Dawson, Head of Conservation, and Dr Tom Turmezei, Wellcome Trust Clinical PhD Fellow, Cambridge University Department of Engineering
Egyptian coffins: Exploring the carpenter’s craft Wednesday 27 April Dr Geoffrey Killen, Specialist in ancient Egyptian woodworking
Death comes as the end: Burial practice in ancient Thebes Wednesday 4 May Nigel Strudwick, Director, Cambridge Theban Tombs Project
Egyptian coffins: Exploring the painter's craft Wednesday 11 May Elsbeth Geldhof, historic paint conservator
Detecting the work of painters and scribes on ancient Egyptian coffins Wednesday 18 May Dr John H. Taylor, Assistant Keeper, Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan, The British Museum
Audio descriptive talk for blind and partially sighted adults Death on the Nile Tuesday 26 April • 15.00 – 15.45 Meet at Courtyard Entrance Uncover the afterlife of ancient Egypt. Free, but booking essential. Tel: 01223 332904 or email: education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk
Conferences Ancient Egyptian coffins: Past – present – future Thursday 7 – Saturday 9 April Judge Business School, University of Cambridge A three-day conference focussing on the development of coffins in antiquity, including technological, iconographic and text-based studies; the post-antiquity history of coffins; and developments in the technical examination and analysis of coffins. Speakers will be specialists in Egyptology, technology and conservation. The registration fee includes all conference materials, lunch, refreshments and a private view of the Death on the Nile exhibition. £90 (£55 concessions and Friends of the Fitzwilliam Museum). Book online: onlinesales.admin.cam.ac.uk
Glanville Lecture Decoding ancient Egyptian coffins: The judgement of the dead and their eternal destiny Saturday 9 April • 17.00 Judge Business School, University of Cambridge The annual Glanville Lecture celebrates the life and work of Professor Stephen Glanville (1900 –1956), a former director of the Fitzwilliam Museum and a notable Egyptologist. This year’s speaker, Dr John H. Taylor (Assistant Keeper, Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan, The British Museum) is one of the world’s foremost scholars on the subject of ancient Egyptian coffins and funerary beliefs and author of many books, including Death and the Afterlife in Ancient Egypt. Free, but places are limited. Book online: onlinesales.admin.cam.ac.uk
Special Events Museums at Night Friday 13 May Open until 21.00 • Free • Drop-in Special after hours opening of the Museum. Drop-in and view the permanent collections and exhibitions when the Shop will be open for late-night shopping and the Café will be serving cocktails and Mediterranean nibbles and platters. As part of Museums at Night we are holding the following free event:
Writing Lives: Death on the Nile with novelist Sophie Hannah Opportunity to view Death on the Nile exhibition: 18.00 Talk and book signing: 18.45 – 19.30 To celebrate the Death on the Nile exhibition and Agatha Christie’s Poirot novel set in Egypt, crime novelist and poet Sophie Hannah will be talking about being given permission by the Christie estate to write a new Poirot murder mystery The Monogram Murders, and her latest novel A Game for all the Family. Free, but booking essential. Tel: 01223 332904 or email: education @fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk We also invite book groups and individuals to read Agatha Christie’s famous Poirot mystery Death on the Nile and join in our online discussion group: dotnfitzbookgroup.wordpress.com Books will be available to buy in the Fitzwilliam shop or to borrow from your local library who have ordered extra stock for our online book group. © Martin Bond
Young People Booking essential, unless otherwise stated. To register your interest tel: 01223 332904 or email: education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk. Places will be confirmed on receipt of payment.
How to make an Egyptian coffin Half day course/demonstration Saturday 12 March • 13.30 – 16.30 • Ages 14+ Education Studio (36) Specialists involved in the examination and experimental re-creation of Egyptian coffins will demonstrate some of the materials, tools and techniques used to construct and decorate these extraordinary objects. Discover the challenges faced by ancient craftsmen and the remarkable skill, creativity and, sometimes, a bit of fudging required to overcome them. £5
ReSource Saturday 19 March • 11.00 – 13.00 • 13 – 18 yrs Education Studio (36) Join artist and designer Lucy Mazur in our art studio for a workshop on Egyptian inspired designs. £5
An amulet in the form of a wedjat eye
Families Family First Saturday Ancient Egypt Saturday 5 March • 14.00 – 16.00 Gallery 33 Drop-in to our Fitz Family Welcome Point and collect drawing materials, activities and trails to use throughout the Museum on the theme of ancient Egypt. Free
Fitz Kit Pick up the new Death on the Nile Fitz Kit and play games and puzzles, which take you on a journey around the exhibition and the Museum. Free. Available at both entrances.
© Martin Bond
Children’s workshops Join in a range of creative workshops for children and families. Access to a world-class collection of art provides inspiration for art-making in the studio. Ages vary by workshop. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult throughout the duration of the workshop. For all events meet in the Courtyard Entrance. Booking essential. To register your interest tel: 01223 332904 or email: education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk. Places will be confirmed on receipt of payment.
Exploring Egypt Saturday 26 March • 10.30 – 12.30 • 5 – 7 yrs Travel back in time to ancient Egypt. Go on a family tour of our special exhibition Death on the Nile, then get creative with clay in the studio. £8 per child
The extraordinary Egyptians Tuesday 29 – Thursday 31 March • 10.30 – 13.00 • 8 – 10 yrs Fitzwilliam Museum & Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology Uncover the histories of this ancient world through an Explore Arts Award. £25 Canopic jars from the tomb E11 at Abydos, about 664–525 BC
Cartonnage mask, about 380–30 BC
Teachers STEAM at the Museum Wednesday 9 March • 14.00 – 17.00 Meet at Courtyard Entrance A practical workshop for teachers interested in exploring how the Fitzwilliam Museum’s collections and research can support inspiring learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM). This workshop will draw upon some of the themes within the Death on the Nile exhibition. Free, but booking essential. Tel: 01223 332904 or email: education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk
Adults Booking essential, unless otherwise stated. To register your interest tel: 01223 332904 or email: education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk. Places will be confirmed on receipt of payment.
How to make an Egyptian coffin Half day course/demonstration Friday 11 March • 13.30 – 16.30 Education Studio (36) Specialists involved in the examination and experimental re-creation of Egyptian coffins will demonstrate some of the materials, tools and techniques used to construct and decorate these extraordinary objects. Discover the challenges faced by ancient craftsmen and the remarkable skill, creativity and, sometimes, a bit of fudging required to overcome them. £10
MUSE Death on the Nile Friday 18 March • 10.15 – 12.00 Education Studio (36) Gain inspiration from our major exhibition and create art using ancient Egyptian colours. £5
Death on the Nile: Writing workshops Saturdays 30 April and 7 May • 13.30 – 15.30 Education Studio (36) Enjoy a special tour of Death on the Nile, and explore some of the themes as a springboard for writing creative poetry and prose on the first Saturday with tutor Helen Taylor. Then return on the following Saturday to refine and share your work with the rest of the group. £16 for both workshops £12 concessions and Friends of the Fitzwilliam Museum
Then and now: How does society deal with death? Tuesday 10 May Opportunity to view Death on the Nile exhibition: 18.00 Panel discussion: 18.45 – 20.00 In today’s society, talking about death is often regarded as the last taboo. This panel discussion will bring together experts in ancient Egyptian funerary practice, with speakers who today support those preparing for death and the bereaved. These include Poppy Mardall, director of Poppy’s Funerals who says: “Our mission is to empower and support people to have the funeral that is right for them.” She will be joined by Helen Bailey, author of the blog planetgrief.com and the book of the blog When BAD Things Happen in GOOD Bikinis, and a representative from the hospice movement. This event forms part of Dying Matters Awareness Week. £6
Model from the tomb of Khety
FREE ADMISSION
Opening Hours
Tuesday – Saturday 10.00 – 17.00 Sundays & Bank Holidays (28 March & 2 May) 12.00 – 17.00 CLOSED: Mondays & Good Friday 25 March
Guided Tours
For more information and to book contact Cambridge Tourist Information Centre. Tel: 01223 457574 or email: tours@cambridge.gov.uk.
Group Visits
For enquiries tel: 01223 332904 or email: education@fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk. All groups must book at least 10 days in advance. Free facilitated visits are available for pre-booked school groups, tours must otherwise be self-guided.
Access
Use Courtyard Entrance for street level access. Fully accessible toilets and lift access to all floors. For large print, Braille information or further access enquiries, tel: 01223 332928 or email: fitzmuseum-access@lists.cam.ac.uk
How to get here By Rail
The nearest railway station is Cambridge (approx. 20 mins walk), with taxis and frequent buses to the city centre. Frequent services from London (Kings Cross 50 minutes non-stop), Stansted Airport (30 mins) and the Midlands: http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search
By Bus
The Uni 4 bus to and from Madingley Road Park & Ride and Addenbrooke’s Hospital stops outside the Museum (Mon–Fri). www.stagecoachbus.com
By Car
The area around the Museum is subject to vehicle restrictions and it is advisable not to travel by car, where possible. Nearest car parks: Grand Arcade off Downing Street, or Queen Anne, Gonville Place. Park and Ride information: www.parkandride.net More visitor information about Cambridge: www.visitcambridge.org The Fitzwilliam Museum, Trumpington Street Cambridge, CB2 1RB Tel: 01223 332900 Email: fitzmuseum-enquiries@lists.cam.ac.uk www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk