News from New York's Egyptological Seminar

     The Egyptological Seminar of New York held its first meeting of the new academic year today and there was plenty of news that will interest any of you who are in the New York area.

     First, there will be a special exhibit on Egyptian obelisks at the Metropolitan Museum starting in December 2013. This exhibit is being tied to the restoration and preservation of the Central Park obelisk which is about to get underway.

     Secondly, there will be a special exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum  in early 2015 dedicated to Middle Kingdom Egypt.

     Also, Dr. Kei Yamamoto gave an interesting talk on Middle Kingdom stelae. Of special interest were his thoughts on the small mud brick chapels at Abydos and the sets of stelae that they held. He also showed a surprising Middle Kingdom stele with a carving of a small girl sitting on the lap of her nurse. I have not seen a depiction of such a private and charming moment like this in Egyptian art other than in the Amarna period.

     The next meetings of the Seminar will take place at the Metropolitan Museum on October 25 (the topic will be Theodore Davis) and on November 22 (Excavations at Malkata).