This conference is the first ever international meeting on ancient Egypt at the University of Kent, as well as the opening event of a new interdisciplinary research cluster on ancient Egyptian history and archaeology. 

This title of the event 'Cultural Exchanges in Ancient Egypt' is based on the idea that ancient Egyptian culture has been constantly shaped by complex cultural exchanges with Near Eastern, African and Mediterranean populations.

Such influences have transformed Egypt but at the same time they have allowed Egyptian culture to spread well beyond its geographical boundaries.

This conference will discuss both the causes and effects of cultural exchanges in Egypt from the Dynastic to the late antique period. Exchange has occurred through trade relationships but also wars and invasions; some cultural changes have been drastic while others are more subtle and may still need to be addressed by new research.

Each period of Egyptian history has attestations of exchanges and changes in language, literature, economy, religious beliefs, art and architecture.

Bringing together scholars from different disciplines is the key to appreciate the complexity of such changes; therefore, this conference welcomes an interdisciplinary discussion which encompasses literary as well as archaeological sources.

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The conference organisers:

Dr Csaba La'da, Dr Ada Nifosi, Dr Matthijs Wibier

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