Egypt's Dispersed Heritage: views from Egypt

The ARHC-funded Artefacts of Excavation project revealed the expansive legacy of British fieldwork in Egypt and its distribution of archaeological finds to around 350 museums, in 27 countries, across 5 continents. No other area of world archaeology has a material legacy on this scale and 'ancient Egypt' remains one of the most popular types of museum exhibit worldwide. Yet that colonial history of dispersal is little known in Egypt itself and Egyptians have largely been disenfranchised from it. In Western museums, Egypt is rarely a specific modern country. If it is, it is generally seen as a place from where objects are taken, rather than a place populated with living communities also engaged and interested in these finds. Little attention has been given to the impact of these colonial legacies on modern Egyptian communities and how they feel about this history today. The removal and export of ancient Egyptian objects from Egypt by foreign archaeological missions, and the continued disenfranchisement of local communities from the production of the country's ancient history, has led to negative perceptions of archaeology and museums hosting Egyptian collections. There is, however, a demonstrable interest and demand in Egypt for better information about how artefacts excavated by foreign countries were exported and where they are now. This impact project is to ensure that Egyptians benefit from our UK-based findings on the dispersal of their heritage, to foster and increase capacity for international dialogue and knowledge exchange about these collections and histories, and to transform and empower Egyptian narratives around them. At the same time we wish to transform awareness in the UK of modern Egyptian interest in its heritage.

Our programme of dissemination, cultural events, artistic responses and museum exhibitions - co-developed with community partners - will increase understanding in Egypt about the conditions of export and what happened to artefacts once they had left the country. To achieve this we will translate and make accessible our key findings into Egyptian Arabic and tailor it for specific audiences. These audiences include the Ministry of Antiquities and Ministry of Tourism officials, museum curators, university staff and students, as well as school children, families, the general public and lower economic status communities. Moreover, these activities will provide a more participatory platform for Egyptians themselves to articulate their own thoughts and responses to this history. This will include a professional museum manual published by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Egypt, press briefings for journalists and specially commissioned education packs for Egyptian schools (through Egyptian charity EducateMe). It will encompass social media activity, through Q&A live sessions, blogs and online comic narratives. Partnerships with Egyptian cultural NGOs, including El Sawy Culture Wheel, Mahatat for Contemporary Art and Tawasol, will allow us co-develop innovative creative responses to reach and enfranchise those audiences that might not traditionally visit museums. These cultural events, in turn, will help to inspire independent Egyptian artists who we will commission to produce small artistic works that can accompany a mobile temporary exhibition that will be designed for easy installation and transport in Egypt and the UK. The latter will challenge assumptions regarding modern Egypt by partnering these Egyptian artists with UK Museums (the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, National Museums Scotland and Liverpool World Museum), which will provide them with the opportunity to travel to the UK to exhibit and share their works.

We have identified 3 areas through which engagement would be achieved:

(1) Communities of Practice: professional heritage practitioners, such as curators, antiquities inspectors, and tour guides for whom we would offer guidance on accessing information about Egyptian antiquities now in foreign countries and possibilities for linking that to contemporary heritage discourses in Egypt;
(2) Communities of Interest: journalists and visual artists through which information can be interpreted and disseminated for targeted audiences;
(3) Communities of Place: NGOs and museums located within particular cultural hubs that are well-placed to engage a range of established local audiences.

We have co-developed a programme with our partners to share information, develop people-centred engagements and transform dialogues around Egyptian antiquities in foreign museums. Beneficiaries will be:

- Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities: Knowledge exchange workshops and provision of published information in Arabic will provide a context and guide to identifying material that left legally, facilitating the formation of clearer policies and practices.
- Egyptian university staff & students: Knowledge exchange workshops and published information in Arabic will inform new curriculum design to allow for the development of local knowledge economies and increase capacity to engage confidently with Egyptian heritage in a global context, enhancing opportunities for staff and students.
- Egyptian museum professionals: Knowledge exchange workshops, published information in Arabic and opportunities to participate in creative exhibitions will facilitate engagement with collections abroad, helping to make connections between material in Egypt and material in foreign institutions.
- Egyptian tourism sector: Workshops will provide opportunities to make international connections more easily, broadening and developing tour guide narratives around sites and artefacts.
- Egyptian primary & preparatory state education learners & teachers: Learning outputs can inspire young learners to see themselves as part of a global community beyond the limited resources of their surroundings. Training through EducateMe Professional development programme will help teachers develop alternative classes transforming how history is taught within Egyptian state school
- Egyptian heritage reporters & activists: Baseline information and knowledge exchange through our workshops will build journalist capacity.
- Emerging Egyptian street performers & visual artists: Site visits and activities will complement current efforts to embed Egyptian heritage within contemporary art. Responses will promote the unique performative and street art genre within Egypt at an international level allowing artists to gain from having their work showcased through our UK/Egypt partners
- Socially & economically marginalised groups in Cairo: Through Tawasol a marginalised youth can be encouraged to seek employment or training in tourism, heritage, performing art sectors. Female handicraft artists can benefit economically by having new inspiration and opportunity to develop their products
- Egyptian general public: Exhibitions, events and accessible information in Arabic on collections abroad, in a diverse range of media, will facilitate public expression in their preferred modes of expression (online / street events).
- UK museum sector & general public: By introducing Egyptian voices and Egyptian artistic installations we will challenge assumptions around relationship between ancient and modern Egypt, offering opportunities for UK museums to partner with Egyptians. Two UK workshops will form a means of sharing our experience with academics/museum professionals.
- Project partners: Opportunity to work with an international research institution (new for Egyptian partners) and form partnerships around archaeological research
- Project team: learn new ways of making research relevant