Egypt’s history since the fall of the Ptolemaic dynasty in 30 BC has been one of continual invasion and reinvasion. During the nineteenth century, when France and Britain began to take notice of this lucrative and strategically placed Ottoman territory, there was a boom of European interest in ancient Egyptian culture, fed by the ready availability of well-preserved ancient papyri and objects in Egypt. This week, Shivaike Shah talks to Dr Heba Abd el Gawad from University College London and Dr Usama Ali Gad from Ain Shams University about the colonisation of Egyptology and its legacy in the modern museum and university. While western museums highlight what the many Egyptian objects in their possession tell us about the ancient civilisation, those objects’ continued presence reveals more about the modern relationship between Egypt and Europe than their connection in the classical past.

To find out more about this topic, check out the reading list on our website: https://www.khameleonproductions.org/khameleon-classics/classics-and-colonial-presence-in-egypt