Wednesday, October 15, 6:00–7:00 pm ET, Advance registration recommended for online and in-person attendance
Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA

Speaker: Lawrence M. Berman is John F. Cogan, Jr. and Mary L. Cornille Chair, Art of Ancient Egypt, Nubia, and the Near East, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Hatshepsut, Amenhotep III, and Akhenaten each ruled Egypt for long periods, leaving a lasting impact on its art, politics, and religion. Though all were powerful leaders, each tells a distinct story. In this lecture, Lawrence M. Berman explores the reigns and legacies of these three remarkable Eighteenth Dynasty pharaohs, considering questions such as: What made them successful—or controversial? How were they viewed in their own time, and how have archaeologists and the public interpreted them since? The talk also examines broader themes—from the power of images and identity to iconoclasm and the writing of history—inviting reflection on who gets to shape history, and why it still matters today.

Free admission. Free event parking at the 52 Oxford Street Garage starting at 4:00 pm. Presented by the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East and the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture.

Head of Amenhotep III. New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, reign of Amenhotep III, 1390–1352 BCE. Quartzite. Museum purchase with funds donated by Miss Anna D. Slocum, 09.288. Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Detail of relief of Akhenaten as a sphinx. New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, reign of Akhenaten, 1349–1336 BCE. Limestone. Egyptian Curator’s Fund, 64.1944. Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Detail of fragment from Hatshepsut’s fallen obelisk at Karnak. New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, reign of Hatshepsut, 1473–1458 BCE. Granite. Gift of heirs of Francis Cabot Lowell, 75.12. Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston