In Part 2 of a two-part episode, Kara and multiple Emmy-nominated Executive Producer and novelist Neil Laird continue their conversation about their experiences making television documentaries about the ancient world, how things get done behind the scenes, whether or not romanticizing the past is a bad thing, and what the future may hold for documentary programs. About Neil Laird Neil Laird is a multiple Emmy and BAFTA-nominated creator and Executive Producer on long-running series such as Brain Games, Mysteries of the Abandoned, Border Wars, Through the Wormhole With Morgan Freeman, What on E ..read more

In Part 1 of a two-part episode, Kara and multiple Emmy-nominated Executive Producer and novelist Neil Laird talk about their experiences making television documentaries about the ancient world, how things get done behind the scenes, and what the future may hold for documentary programs. Secrets of Egypt's Lost Queen Out of Egypt Digging for the Truth About Neil Laird Neil Laird is a multiple Emmy and BAFTA-nominated creator and Executive Producer on long-running series such as Brain Games, Mysteries of the Abandoned, Border Wars, Through the Wormhole With Morgan Freeman, What on Earth?, How I ..read more

This week Kara and Amber discuss color (also known as polychromy) in ancient Mediterranean art and how it is studied and understood today. What role did color play in ancient art? How does polychromy affect the way modern audiences view ancient art? What are the origins of the aesthetic preference for plain white marble sculpture in Western art? The Color of Life exhibition (Getty Villa) Kelsey Museum (University of Michigan) resources on color in ancient art Bibliography for color in ancient art The Metropolitan Museum of Art resources on color in ancient art Seated statue of Hatshepsut (Metr ..read more

In this episode Kara and Amber talk about the veneration of ancestor kings in the late 20th-21st Dynasties. During this period the coffins of ancestor kings were manipulated, buried, and reburied in caches like that of Theban Tomb 320 (also known as Deir el Bahri 320). Who was reburying and caching these royal ancestors together and why? Using the coffin of Thutmose III as a case study, they discuss the interplay of the religious, political, and economic factors behind these royal caches. Kara’s forthcoming book, Recycling for Death: Coffin Reuse and the Theban Royal Caches More about Theban T ..read more

CW// self harm and suicide In this episode Kara and Amber discuss the death of Cleopatra VII and whether or not we should trust the ancient Roman accounts regarding the circumstances of her death. Did she really commit suicide, as Roman historians tell us? Or were the accounts of her death by suicide part of a cunning Roman propaganda campaign? Read more about the death of Cleopatra and the ancient sources on it here and here. Listen to our other episodes on Cleopatra: Episode 57 | Reception, Ownership, and Race: Netflix’s ”Queen Cleopatra” Episode 60 | Part II: Reception, Ownership, and Race ..read more

EPISODE 81 | This episode is a recording of a live zoom Q&A with our listeners. Thank you to everyone who attended and submitted questions! Show notes * Byblos * Baal and Seth * Prof. Dani Candelora – Her research focuses on interactions between Egypt and West Asia. * Prof. Marian Feldman, Diplomacy by Design * Amarna Letter 23 – A Goddess Travels to Egypt * 1 3 - 1 7 Thus Sauska of Nineveh (goddess statue), mistress of all lands: "I wish to go to Egypt, a country that I love, and then return." Now I herewith send her, and she is on her way." (Moran 1992) * Hathor and the Myth of the Heave ..read more

EPISODE 80 | In this episode, Jordan and Kara interview Malayna Evans, author of Neferura, about the inspiration behind the story, her writing process, and how her knowledge of Egyptology factored into the choices she made as she was writing the book. About the author Malayna Evans was raised in Utah and spent her childhood climbing mountains and reading Sci-Fi. She moved to Chicago in her early twenties where she earned an M.A. in the ancient history of the Mediterranean, an M.A. in the ancient history of the Near East, and a Ph.D. in ancient Egyptian history. She enjoys sharing her passion f ..read more

EPISODE 79 | In this episode Kara and Jordan answer this month’s listener questions. They discuss which ancient Egyptians they would like to see a tv show about, colonialism in the ancient world, extreme climate events in ancient Egypt, and more. Get full access to Ancient/Now at ancientnow.substack.com/subscribe ..read more

EPISODE 78 | In this episode Kara and Jordan talk with archaeobotanist and Assistant Professor of Archaeology Claire Malleson (American University in Beirut) about agriculture in ancient Egypt. What can archaeologists learn about the way ancient Egyptians lived from botanical remains? What are the traditional narratives about agriculture in ancient Egypt and how is our understanding of it changing? How was the profession of farming seen in ancient Egypt? Scorpion macehead (Ashmolean Museum) The Satire of the Trades “Tiger nut” - Cyperus esculentus and Cyperus rotundus About Professor Claire Ma ..read more

In this episode Kara and Jordan are joined by Drs. Danielle Candelora and Nadia Ben-Marzouk, who discuss their experience co-editing Ancient Egyptian Society: Challenging Assumptions, Exploring Approaches, what inspired the book, and how they wanted it to differ from other studies of ancient Egyptian society. Get the book here: Ancient Egyptian Society: Challenging Assumptions, Exploring Approaches Danielle Candelora is Assistant Professor of Ancient Mediterranean History at SUNY Cortland and co-director of excavations at South Karnak. She received her PhD in Egyptology from UCLA. Her research ..read more