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interviewwith CHRIS NAUNTON
Redazione
EGITTOLOGIA
Chris Naunton, Egyptologist and Di-
rector (CEO) of the Egypt Explora-
tion Society, a UK charity dedicated
to exploring ancient Egyptian sites
& monuments and to creating a la-
sting record of the remains. I also
work with several other organisations
which are involved in related work.
The International Congress of Egyp-
tologists, which took place in Flo-
rence, has finished just few weeks
ago. What are your impressions on
this event in general and what is, in
your opinion, the state of interna-
tional Egyptology studies?
I think the event was wonderful. It
was extremely well-attended and
full of excellent papers covering the
full range of activities and concerns
within our subject. It felt like a very
busy event and by the end I was ex-
hausted, but that’s how events like this should be: comprehensive events like this one are very rare and mine was
a happy exhaustion – a sign that I had had the opportunity to meet and share a lot of very exciting ideas with
a lot of people, and with old and new friends, which had set in train a lot of thoughts during the week which I
would carry back to London with me!
I think academic Egyptology is generally in a good state. There are an awful lot of very talented people in our
subject, with fascinating ideas and approaches, certainly enough to keep me excited by everything that is hap-
pening. That is not to say that there are not challenges however, some of which I’ve spoken about already, in-
cluding the ever-present pressures on funding, the need to ensure we can continue to present our research in so
a to make it accessible to a variety of audiences both now and in the future i.e. to embrace and make the most
of the digital revolution and not to get left behind. The biggest challenge I think remains ensuring the survival
of ancient Egypt’s sites and monuments (in situ and in museums and storerooms), and the accurate scientific
records of them (archives and libraries) for posterity. I see opportunities for us to share ideas and pool resources
a little more effectively in future, and most of my ideas for the International Association in some way relate to
this thought.
During the Congress, you have been elected as the President of the International Association of Egyptologists.
Did you expect it? What is the role of this Association and its impact in the life of an Egyptologist?
Chris Naunton