Bloomsbury Summer School (text)

Bloomsbury Summer School

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Fascinated by ancient civilisations?

We offer anyone with any level of knowledge, inspiring short courses on ancient Egypt and other areas of the ancient world.

2025 Course timetable

Monday 14 July to Friday 18 July

PEOPLE, MATERIALS, AND TECHNOLOGY IN ANCIENT EGYPT: RESEARCH FROM URBAN AND DESERT LANDSCAPES (in person and online)

Course Co-Directors: Dr Elizabeth Bloxam (Northeast Normal University), Prof. Emeritus Paul Nicholson (Cardiff University), and Prof. Ian Shaw (University of Liverpool)

To be held in person at UCL Institute of Archaeology (31 - 34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY UK) and livestreamed online.

 

Monday 14 July

10:45* – 11:00
Participants gather in BSS Common Room on 6th floor / Students login to Zoom

11:00 – 11:30
BSS Director’s Welcome Address

11:30 – 13:00
1. Introduction to the Course

Welcome Lunch in BSS Common Room (14:00 Short optional tour of UCL with the Director)

14:30 – 15:45
2. Arts, Crafts and Pyrotechnology (Prof. Emeritus Paul Nicholson)

16:15 – 17:30
3. Understanding the Archaeology of Quarrying and Mining Sites (Dr Elizabeth Bloxam)

17:30
Non-BSS event: Get together with fellow students for dinner at Poppadom Indian Kitchen in the Tavistock Hotel

 

Tuesday 15 July

10:00 – 11:15
4. Technology in Urban Contexts (Prof. Ian Shaw)

11:45 – 13:00
5. Pottery Technology (Prof. Emeritus Paul Nicholson)

14:15 – 15:30
6. Stone Procurement and Logistics (Dr Elizabeth Bloxam)

16:00 – 17:15
7. TBC

17:15 – 18:30

**BSS Social on Common Room balcony

 

Wednesday 16 July

10:00 – 11:15
8. Woodworking (Dr Geoffrey Killen, Independent Scholar)

11:45 – 13:00
9. Faience Technology (Prof. Emeritus Paul Nicholson)

14:15 – 15:30
10. Investigating Quarrying and Mining Landscapes (Dr Elizabeth Bloxam)

16:00 – 17:15
11. Gallery Tour at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology

 

Thursday 17 July

10:00 – 11:15
12. Textiles (Dr Alistair Dickey)

11:45 – 13:00
13. Warfare and Technological Innovation (Prof. Ian Shaw)

14:15 – 15:30
14. The Pyramid Age: A technological and social revolution? (Dr Elizabeth Bloxam)

16:00 – 17:15
15. Copper and Bronze Metallurgy (Dr Frederik Rademakers, British Museum)

 

Friday 18 July

10:00 – 11:15
16. Glass Technology (Prof. Emeritus Paul Nicholson)

11:45 – 13:00
17. Gemstones and Jewellery (Prof. Ian Shaw)

14:15 – 15:30
18. From Grinding Stones to Obelisks: How technological innovation transformed the desert landscape in Aswan (Dr Elizabeth Bloxam)

16:00 – 17:15
19. Q&A

17:15 – 19:00
End-of-Course Drinks Party on BSS Common Room balcony (you are welcome to invite guests)

 

* All times are London UK time; Google Meet waiting room opens 15 minutes prior to the start; ** In-person participants only.

NB: Timetables, once published, are unlikely to change, but remain provisional until the first day of the course.