Herodotus (2.35) tells us that in ancient Egypt all the customs are contrary to the rest of the world: women trade, while men stay in the house, and the former enjoy far greater freedom than anywhere else. But is this vision of ancient Egyptian society, progressive as it may seem, supported by Egyptian evidence or is it just a creation of the Greek historian? How can we approach the subject of women and the female viewpoint in the past based on textual or iconographic evidence primarily produced by men and thus largely reflecting male perspective? Can material culture help us add nuance to the picture without oversimplifying individual experiences?
We are delighted to announce that the programme of the conference “Women’s Perspectives in the Nile Valley”, which will take place from 25th to 27th June 2025 in Warsaw (Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw), as well as the book of abstracts, is now available (see below).
The event focuses on female experiences and perspectives in ancient Egypt and Nubia, addressing divine, royal, elite, and non-elite spheres. It also explores the history of exploration and the role of women in the study of the ancient Nile Valley.
While the conference was originally planned as an in-person event, due to great interest we have decided to transform it into a hybrid format. If you wish to receive a link to the livestream, please send an email to womensperspectives2025@gmail.com.
We look forward to welcoming you to Warsaw and online!
The Organising Committee
Ewa Józefowicz (Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures PAS)
Marta Kaczanowicz (Faculty of Archaeology UW)
Filip Taterka (Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures PAS)
