24 mei 2023 | The female figurines of the Greco-Roman Period

In this lecture, Khaled Ismail will discuss the nude female figurines of the Greco-Roman Period, focussing on an unpublished collection of figurines which were recently moved to the Grand Egypt Museum at Giza. Some of these figurines resemble the Egyptian traditional types of figurines, while most of them are made from terracotta and unfired clay and are formed in the Hellenistic style. This collection of figurines has been found in various contexts. Most of them were discovered in temples and domestic buildings, whereas some others were buried in tombs. A few examples were even found in military camps and forts.

During this talk, Khaled will examine the main purposes of these figurines in their different contexts (ritual, daily life, and funerary) or in other words, to ascertain what the relationship is between these female figurines and their find-spots. Who were the women depicted and who dedicated those figurines? What is the meaning of the female figurines for the different archaeological contexts in which they are found and what are their ritual purposes?