In focus: Meroitic Sudan in Munich

Within the MUAFS concession, sites datable to the Meroitic Empire are rare and comprise primarily tombs and cemeteries. Settlement sites in the region between Attab and Ferka fall into other periods of Sudan’s history, including the Napatan Empire.

Towns and cities of the Kingdom of Meroe are well known from regions of the country further south – in particular within the island of Meroe, a semi-desert landscape between the Nile and Atbara rivers.

I am delighted that one of the major Meroitic sites, Mouweis, will be the focus of this week’s Sudan archaeology in Munich. Marie Millet from the Louvre Museum will present the recent French excavations at this important city with temples, a palace and production areas. Her research ties in perfectly with the archaeological project of my neighbours here in Munich, the Staatliches Museum für Ägyptische Kunst, and their excavations at the Meroitic site of Naga.

Come and join us on June 27 for Marie Millet’s lecture highlightening recent advances on the archaeology and history of Meroitic Sudan!

Soapbox Science Munich in retrospect

The Soapbox Science event last Saturday in Munich was much fun – and, as far as I can tell, also a great success. Many people were passing by, young and old, Munich citizens as well as tourists, people from very different backgrounds. Amazingly, quite a lot of them stayed for some time – so the concept really worked, people were stopping to hear more about science and in my case about archaeology.

Since so many friends sent me pictures of the event, here are some illustrating my performance. Special thanks go in particular to Veronica Hinterhuber, Sarah Zauner, Maren Goecke-Bauer, Jessica Izak, Jessica Distefano, Elisabeth Gütschow, Mona Dietrich and Tanja Kessler.

Would I recommend the Soapbox Science format in general? The answer is definitely yes – it’s an excellent way to present one’s research to the public and to discuss aspects rarely address in other contexts with such a diverse audience, including gender issues and the role of women in science. And besides it’s something very special to get to talk as a scientist in public places like Odeonsplatz.