Loved the opportunity to look aound and have a guide to point out the special items and something about their context.
- Stunning bead net dress, one of only two surviving in the world! Courtesy of the Petrie Museum - University College London
- Flinders Petrie. Courtesy of the Petrie Museum, University College London.
- Linen tunic or dress from Tarkhan, Dynasty 1, c. 2800BC. Courtesy of the Petrie Museum, University College London.
Flinders Petrie and the Exploration of Egypt
- Small group - limited to just 12 guests
- A thorough introduction to the museum and its wonderful collection
- Plethora of artefacts: pottery, mummy portraits, coffins, reliefs...
- A rare chance to handle ancient Egyptian artefacts
- See the Tarkhan Dress, a linen garment from 2800 BC
Guide Lecturers
Introduction
The Petrie Museum is one of the greatest collections of Egyptian and Sudanese archaeology in the world, housing more than 80,000 objects, and yet remarkably few people are even aware of its existence. The museum tells the story of the Nile Valley from prehistory to the rise of the pharaohs through the emergence of Islam. It is unique in its extensive collection of small everyday objects providing insight into daily life in Ancient Egypt, displayed in a fascinating ‘cabinet of curiosity’ style.
The important collection of ancient clothing includes the oldest linen tunic and one of only two surviving beadnet dresses in the world. Much of the collection comes from documented excavations conducted by William Matthew Flinders Petrie, the father of modern scientific archaeology. The fact that there is the chance to handle artefacts of such antiquity makes this a very special experience.
Lucia Gahlin teaches Egyptology for the Universities of Bristol and Exeter and is an Honorary Research Associate of the Institute of Archaeology at University College London. She is affiliated with the Petrie Museum and has excavated at Tell el-Amarna in Middle Egypt.