Saturday, Oct. 17
International Archaeology Day Event!
3:30 pm EST
In-person only at the Penn Museum, Classroom L2
No registration required

Speaker: Dr. Sameh Iskander, Co-Director of the New York University mission to the temple of Ramesses II in Abydos

Title: New Insights into the Ancient Landscape of Abydos and the Early Town of Abydos

Abstract:
In this lecture, I will share our recent archaeological findings at Abydos, conducted under the auspices of New York University-ISAW. Our work has uncovered significant insights into the ancient landscape of Abydos, spanning several key periods during the Late Old Kingdom, Ramessides, and Late Antiquity.
One of our noteworthy findings is a massive mud brick enclosure wall dated to the Late Old Kingdom, which runs under parts of the temples of Ramesses II and Ramesses IV and extends further north. This wall includes a well-preserved limestone gateway. Excavations within this enclosure space revealed two mud brick houses dating to the late Sixth Dynasty. Additionally, in a separate area within this enclosure to the south, we unearthed a large number of kilns, all dated also to the same period. These findings provide compelling evidence of an early Sixth Dynasty town situated on the edge of the Abydos floodplain.
Elsewhere to the south, we conducted comprehensive excavations and restorations of the entire precinct surrounding Ramesses II’s temple. Our research revealed that the temple precinct was occupied almost continuously from the time of its construction in the thirteenth century B.C. until the eighth century A.D. providing fascinating insights into the subsequent historical periods. I’ll also briefly review the restoration work at the temple of Ramesses IV.
Dated to a much later period, we uncovered a late 5th-century A.D. mud brick church that showcases early Coptic architectural style, adding another layer to site’s long history data and its evolving landscape through the ages.

Speaker Bio:
Dr. Sameh Iskander is a Research Associate and co-Director of the New York University-Institute for the Study of the Ancient World Expedition to the Temple of Ramses II in Abydos. He is the co-author of three books (with Dr. Ogden Goelet) entitled The Temple of Ramesses II in Abydos Volumes 1, 2 and 3 (Lockwood Press 2015, 2021, and 2022). He is also the editor of two books entitled Archeological Discoveries at the Temple of Ramesses II in Abydos, Volumes 1 and 2 (Lockwood Press 2025, and 2026).

Dr. Iskander received his PhD from New York University in Ancient Egyptian History and culture. His main research and publications are primarily concerned with the archeology and history of the ancient Egyptian Ramesside Period. More recently, he also focused on the history and archeology of the ancient Egyptian settlements during the Late Old Kingdom and First Intermediate Period. Dr. Iskander is also a civil engineer, with a BS from Cairo University, Egypt and MS in engineering from the New York University-Polytechnic Institute.

******************
Lectures are FREE to ARCE Members, $7 for University of Pennsylvania Museum Members and UPenn Staff and Faculty, $5 for Students with ID, and $10 for the general public.
Light refreshments served starting at 3pm.

******************
The American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE) is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1948 by a consortium of educational and cultural institutions to support research on all aspects of Egyptian history and culture, foster broader knowledge among the general public, and strengthen American-Egyptian cultural ties. The ARCE Pennsylvania Chapter (ARCE-PA) is the local branch of the national institution. We host monthly events including scholarly lectures, Egyptian-themed workshops, social events, and guided tours of the Penn Museum’s Egyptian galleries. For more information or to learn about the perks of membership, please send an e-mail to info@arce-pa.org, or visit our website at www.arce-pa.org.