The American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE), The American University in Cairo (AUC), and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) are organizing a joint conference on the veneration of the dead, entitled Exalted Spirits: The Veneration of the Dead in Egypt through the Ages. This three-day conference will cover the veneration of deceased figures in Egypt from the Pharaonic period up to current times, using the diverse evidence available in terms of texts, images, and lived traditions. We invite people to submit papers relating to the following topics: the definition of ancestor veneration; the different types of individuals who were the focus of cults of the dead [ranging from kings, deceased family members, prominent individuals with saintly powers in society—such as Imhotep in ancient Egypt, Saint Anthony in Coptic Egypt and the Ahl al-Bayt (family of the Prophet) in Islamic Egypt—or more informally in local society, such as Heqaib or local saints whose cults are currently celebrated in villages and towns throughout Egypt]; and the rituals, ceremonies and festivals that are associated with venerated deceased figures.
Venue: Ewart Hall, American University in Cairo, Egypt (hybrid under consideration)
