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Hello! Dr Chris Naunton here. I’m an Egyptologist, writer and broadcaster.

Now that the world seems to be emerging from the pandemic I’m back out on the road giving lectures in person, while also continuing the series of online talks that began during lockdown. More on that kind of thing here.

My NEW book for children, Cleopatra Tells All! has just been published (June 2022). For more info or to order a copy please go here.

Cleo, it seems, was inspired to tell her story by her distinguished predecessor, Tutankhamun who published his own memoir, King Tutankhamun Tells All! in 2021. More about that here.

Egyptologists’ Notebooks, ‘A celebration of Egyptologists’ intimate diaries and journals, brilliantly capturing the excitement of the golden age of Egyptology’
 was published in October 2020. More on that one here.

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My first book, Searching for the Lost Tombs of Egypt was published by Thames & Hudson in October 2018. For more information or to get a copy please go here.

Lost Tombs Covers COMPOSITE 200dpi

I do quite a lot of TV work (more here) and have several other projects on the go; with any luck most of them will eventually make their way onto the ‘Books’, ‘TV’ and ‘Lectures’ pages here.

I’m also Director of the Robert Anderson Research Charitable Trust (RARCT), a London-based charity that provides support to visiting academics – more on this sort of thing here. Lastly, in 2020 I was appointed President of the Thames Valley Ancient Egypt Society (TVAES), one of the largest such groups in the UK with a very busy programme of lectures and short courses.

Any questions, just let me know. Thanks for reading 🙂

155 thoughts on “Home”

  1. Kevin Martin Pemrick

    Chris just watched your special on TUT on PBS and you were fantastic and the story compelling. Thanks so much. Keep up the good work.

    Reply
      2. Anugya Sinha

        Sir, i saw your documentary on the last Pharoah of Egypt Tut recently and i have a great interest in the ancient Egyptian history. I really want to know more about the ancient history. So sir how can i get access to your latest book? Please let me know sir.

    2. Jose

      Hi Dr. Naunton.
      Watching “Tut’s Treasures. Hidden Secrets” on National Geographic. Great documentary and comments about Tut. I also like Professor Salima Ikram’s approach to old Egyptian history. Thanks. –

      Reply
  2. Naomi

    Dr Chris please please let the world know that all ancient eygtians were black
    Most pharaohs were black women who were goddess
    Let the world know the truth
    Once the truth is out the world will be a better place
    The bible book of Daniel states there exists a God in the heavens who is a revealer of all secrets

    Reply

    1. Hi Naomi, I’m not sure you’re quite right! I get a lot of questions like this and am hoping to find time to write something to explain my thoughts but for now, I replied as follows to another similar question recently: The question of skin colour is certainly complex … The ancient Egyptians generally depicted themselves as having reddish-brown-coloured skin, and those of other cultures with different colour skins e.g. the Kushites a group of foreigners from the area to the south of Egypt in modern-day Sudan were depicted by the Egyptians as having had much darker brown skin. Ancient Egypt was certainly a multi-ethnic society, by the First Millennium BCE at the latest, but in any case ethnicity is not the only factor in determining skin colour. … There are numerous factors involved in making up any given individual’s cultural and ethnic identity and that this probably held true for the ancient Egyptians as now. So, I myself would usually be considered ‘White British’ according to the classifications most commonly in use here, but I would also consider myself to be a Londoner, English, European, Anglican Christian (by background and upbringing but a non-believer) with (probably) a bit of Celtic Scots and Irish in the mix, and probably a bit of Scandinavian going further back through my family history. Equally, Haremakhet, Chief Priest of Amun in Thebes in the early 7th Century BC was Kushite i.e. foreign by birth and probably had darker skin than your average Egyptian, but his name was Egyptian, he worshipped Egyptian gods, worked in an Egyptian temple, wrote his name in hieroglyphs and was buried according to Egyptian traditions close to the Valley of the Kings. I hope this helps!

      Reply
      1. Nabila Riskalla

        My name is Nabila, I’m an American Christian Egyptian, born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, moved to the US in 1981.. I fully agree with you Dr, Naunton about the ethnicity in Egypt, a multi coloured background. I myself is what you call olive coloured, Mediterranean look, people approach me speaking in Spanish, thinking I’m Hispanic. My sister in law is a full blown blonde, a very dear and close friend is very dark skinned. This is Egypt, and I believe our ancestors had the same mix. Just came across your page, will definitely be a big follower of all your work:)

    2. Loretta

      Dear Naomi,

      It is very nice to meet you. I am certainly no egyptologist but I do study ancient history extensively. All tough I do agree very much with Dr. Naunton, I also agree with you that there were some black Egyptians. A discovery further south has found a dynasty of Egyptians that ruled for a short time and they were believed to be of black descent.

      You sound very proud to be of black descent yourself and I greatly condone that! We should all be so proud of where we come from. I have however, brought up your question with some others and I believe it is of great importance to point out that if you truly believe all Egyptians are black, than you must also consider the fact that (as per the bible) those of black descent were also the first known Slave owners. I personally do not believe in any type of slavery, nor has it been in my family background. I am of similar descent as Dr. Naunton and I am very proud to have many siblings (in law) as well as nieces and nephews of black descent. I find this message important to say because I am Canadian and slavery is becoming a very hot topic here as people are forgetting that we were not part of the states and we helped give slaves a place of refuge along with a normal life, as possible as could be done. I think it important to know we must consider all areas of our ethnic background and have a proper understanding of it prior to fighting for it. What I mean by that is….by right fighting that all ancient Egyptians are black, you are also saying that those of black descent are also the first known slave owners.

      Please understand Naiomi, I mean no negative intent, I am speaking from a historical point of view. I apologize if any of what I had said has been interpreted as an insult as that is the furthest thing on my mind.

      Kindest regards,
      Loretta

      Reply
    3. john o'connell

      i am quietly confident, that i know
      the location of the ptolemac
      necropalis.
      one to one (none open forum )
      comunication would be prefered
      if you could assure this?

      Reply
    4. Nick Rolfe

      Hi, I am researching for a book, what should I read concerning Egyptian writings on Ramses II and his if any connection to Moses? Thanks, Nick Rolfe

      Reply

      1. Hi Nick, for the possibility that Ramesses II was pharaoh of the Exodus narrative, two titles spring to mind, as follows:

        On the Reliability of the Old Testament by K. A. Kitchen
        and
        Israel in Egypt: The Evidence for the Authenticity of the Exodus Tradition by James K. Hoffmeier

        for other writings concerning Ramesses II you might want to try:

        Pharaoh Triumphant: The Life and Times of Ramesses II by K. A. Kitchen

        I hope this is of use. Good luck with your research!

        Best wishes, Chris N

  3. Beckie Drury

    Hi Chris 🙂 I’m a bit mad on ancient Egypt, particularly Tutankhamun. I recently saw a documentary (not one of yours) which proposed the theory that Tut’s tomb was used as a hiding place for a lot of Akhenaten’s treasures, purely to clear him out of Egypt after the changes he had made. Including the idea that some of the artefacts had been amended to make it look like they were made for Tut. What do you think of this?

    Reply

    1. Hi Beckie, it’s very clear now that many of the things in Tut’s tomb were originally made for others including Nefertiti and possibly others. There was a very concerted effort to expunge Akhenaten’s name from the records and the destruction / repurposing of his burial equipment seems to have been part of this. Whether re-use for Tut was part of this or not isn’t clear but the availability of material a hurry – Tut died unexpectedly it seems – was probably a part of it. I hope that helps! Chris N PS Further reading of you’re interested: Reeves, ‘Akhenaten’ and Dodson ‘Amarna Sunset’ both available inexpensively online!

      Reply

    1. hi Beckie, I contributed to a film about Cleopatra also for Channel 5 which has yet to be aired but I’ve got no transmission date yet – I’ll be sure to post the info as soon as I get it!

      Reply
      1. Julie Joyner

        I enjoy the work you are doing and I am certainly interested in your scollarship and I am going to read your new book. My son has autism and he absolutely loves egyptology . I do too.

  6. Ernesia

    Hi Chris – I hope you’ve not already answered this question! Do you know when/if the possible hidden chambers behind King Tuts’ tumb, will be excavated? Also – are you aware of any upcoming “extensive” digs in the Valley of The Kings?

    Reply

    1. No plans for excavation yet; I gather the next step will be a second radar survey to confirm the results of the first. I understand negotiations may be underway to undertake a some tests that would penetrate the surface of the wall but obviously the Ministry of Antiquities could not consider anything even minimally destructive without being absolutely sure the justification is there. Meanwhile, there might be something to be gained from keeping the suspense and excitement levels up 🙂

      Reply
  7. Charlie

    Hi Chris !! My question is What did you study at university? I was thinking of going to study ancient history ( undergraduate degree) after my gap year but I’m a bit nervous because people are telling me that there is an extensive amount of reading involved and as someone who struggles with literacy I’m kind of second guessing myself. I love everything to do with history and would love to study it at uni but I don’t know if I’m throwing myself into the deep end. What advice would you have for someone interested in studying ancient history and would you recommend it? Thanks for the help I really appreciate it!!!

    Reply

    1. Hi Charlie,

      I studied Ancient History and Archaeology (AHA) at the University Birmingham for my undergraduate degree and then went on to do an MPhil and PhD in Egyptology. I don’t know that there is more reading to do in subjects like these than you would need to do for any other arts / humanities degree so I hope this wouldn’t put you off! I would certainly recommend studying AHA etc at degree level if you have a passion for it – I think you’d find it very rewarding. The only note of caution would be that there are very few jobs in the field but that’s not to say that a degree in the subject wouldn’t provide you with a wide range of transferable skills and that lost of graduates in the field don’t go on to be very successful in a wide variety of jobs. I’d say you should definitely investigate further and if you have any question about how your literacy might affect things you should raise this with the admissions tutor at the universities you are interested in. I can definitely recommend Birmingham (but I am biased… http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk/mentor/christopher-naunton/)! Chris N

      Reply
      1. Charlie

        Thank you very much Chris for replying!!! I really appreciate it!!!! And funny enough, I’m from Ireland but was looking at university’s in Birmingham as I will be relocating there in the summer!!

  8. Abigail

    Hi Chris Naunton! The other day I watched some programmes that I had recorded which you were involved in. I have been starting to think of what I would like to be when I am older. I would like to be an Egyptologist like you. 🙂 Thanks for inspiring me! Yours faithfully, Abigail (absterno1) 🙂

    Reply
    1. Victoria

      Your job it’s just fantastic!! I love ancient Egypt, I think that is the most interesting, beautiful and wonderful civilization!! I’m from Nicaragua. Greetings.

      Reply
  9. Sarah Gregory

    Hi Chris

    I am a great admirer of your work. In the little spare time I have, I enjoy studying Egyptology and am hoping the complete the certificate in the future.

    Best regards
    Sarah

    Reply
  10. Jocelyn

    Hello Chris, I have watch many programs that you have been envolved in I really enjoy Egyptian history I recently saw the secrets of egypts lost city was really interesting good job. Anyways my question is I saw another program suggesting that the bust of Nefertiti is a fake or that it might have not been found at the site it was said to be found at and that she didn’t even resemble the great beauty the busts portrays. I would like to know what are your thoughts on this subject?

    Reply

    1. Hi Jocelyn, Being a mischievous sort, I like the idea that the Berlin bust of Nefertiti is a fake and I think this is worth thinking about. There is no piece quite like, and one of the reasons it’s so extraordinary is that the queen’s face has much a modern feel to it, which feels somewhat out of step with much of Egyptian sculpture particularly from this period. There certainly was something of a conspiracy around the discovery and the reasons it came to leave Egypt which would surely never have been allowed had the representatives of the Egyptian authorities really known what it was – anything of national significance was retained by the Egyptian Museum, Cairo at that time and this piece surely would have met that criterion. However, I understand recent analysis of the pigments on the surface of the bust suggest they are ancient which would seem to end the debate. It’s a very unusual piece but probably genuinely ancient!

      Reply
      1. Jocelyn

        Yes there is a very modern look which led me to believe that possibly it could not be genuine. Fake or not its beautiful work. Has there been any other art besides this bust that capture Nefertiti likeness? I thought a lot of art or record of her were destroyed. Thanks for the reply.

  11. Mike

    Hi Chris. My name is Mike.
    I wanted to know what the Egyptians believed in tems of origins. Did they beliee in evolution?

    Reply
  13. jayanti

    hi chris! greetings from india 🙂
    all of them have probably asked the question on tut’s basic life and death..i wanted to ask whether you believe in the curse given to the tomb….that of whosoever opens it…death will come to him/her….

    also are you planning to come to india…..i would request you to..please come here and unsolved the mysteries of the vast history of here’s culture……everyone is anxious to get them unsolved..and i find only you to open it..

    jayanti 🙂

    Reply

    1. hi Jayanti! I’m afraid I don’t believe in the curse 🙂 It’s just coincidence I think that some terrible things seemed to the people involved shortly after the tomb was opened. Howard Carter was unaffected and although I have spent a lot of time in the tomb myself (even after dark…) I seem to be OK so far! I would LOVE to visit India one day!! If you know of any way for me to visit to give a talk or to investigate Indian archaeology I would be very pleased to hear about it! Best wishes, Chris

      Reply
  14. Elizabeth Casey

    Just watching king tuts tomb the lost chambers so interesting love anything about egyptian archeology went to Egypt 10 years ago and visited the Cairo museum could of stayed there all day but were on a limited coach time loved it so amazing. X x

    Reply
  15. David Spaulding

    Hi, Chris. Are there any recent books or articles on the current theories regarding King Tut and Nefertiti (like the potential for a hidden burial chamber) that you recommend?

    Thanks
    David

    Reply
  16. David Hood

    Hello Dr. Naunton,
    (Love your work: bet they all say that!? LOL)…I’m wondering if—post Mubarak—the previous Egyptian Director of Antiquities was moved on & how things are going in that whole department, generally speaking. Hope that’s not too political a question for you 🙂
    Do we know, on another tack, whether the rumour of a second chamber…Nefertit?—in Tutenkhamun’s tomb has been verified/advanced, yet? Cheers David Hood

    Reply

  17. dear chris if Nefertiti was the mother of Tutankhamon, why would he have a wet nurse, foster mother from such an early age? Akhenaten had a sister Sitamun could she be his mother instead,just a thought anyway really enjoy your programmes, best wishes sue.

    Reply
  18. sandro basile

    Hello Cris

    Thanks for the amazing work you do. i see documentary that you have been envolved. I love egyptians history and you give a lot of good knowledge in that programs, it feels wonderfull to see how a young man like you can bring more and more passion in that ancient history. greetings from zurich (ch).

    Reply
  19. souhila medhar

    السلام عليكم
    bonjour,
    j’ai vu le filme documentaire de Toutankhamon; et vraiment c’est un chef-d’oeuvre.bonne continuation.

    Reply
  20. souhila medhar

    السلام عليكم
    bonsoir,
    je voudrais seulement savoir pour réussir dans l’archéologie ,et participer à des fouilles dans le monde et réaliser mes rêves d’être une archéologue qui aide les autres archéologues pour réaliser leurs rêves, comment je peux faire?
    merci

    Reply

    1. Dear Souhila, it is not easy to get involved in archaeological projects and usually one has simply to write to a lot of letters / e-mails to project directors asking if they have any places available (this is how I did when I was a student!). You should try to think about the skills that you have and why you might be useful to a project director – making sure your CV is in good shape is a good idea! In the UK the Council for British Archaeology offers advice on how to get involved: http://new.archaeologyuk.org/cba-volunteering/ I suggest you look for similar organisations in other countries in which you would like to work to see what’s available. Good luck!

      Reply
      1. souhila medhar

        السلام عليكم
        bonsoir,
        merci beaucoup pou vos conseils ils m’ont remonter le morales, je vais faire ça, terminer inchalah ce que j’ai dans les mains(le sujets de ma recherche ) pour que je puisse être libre pour démarrer en bonne voie. inchalah je vais être à la hauteur et réaliser mes butes.merci beaucoup et bonne continuation.

  22. sjastro

    Hello Chris,

    Leaving aside Manetho’s history of Egypt which was probably written to satisfy Greek curiosity of the time, were the ancient Egyptians interested in recording their history?

    Apart from the king lists that existed, correct me if I am wrong, but it would appear an Egyptian Pharaoh in the New Kingdom knew little about his Old Kingdom counterparts.
    For example Thutmose’s IV Stele found at the foot of the Sphinx indicates that he was probably unaware of the identity of the Pharaoh represented by the Sphinx.

    In the late period Herodotus had to invent a story about the Pharaohs who built the pyramids at Giza, as it appears the Egyptians no longer knew their identities.

    Thanks in advance.

    Reply

    1. I think the kinglists show clearly that the Egyptians were very aware of their own history. The relative accuracy of the 19th dynasty lists e.g. at Abydos is quite staggering when you consider how far distant in time the earliest kings were already by that point (almost 2,000 years!). Manetho and Herodotus would also have drawn on Egyptian sources – neither is as accurate as we might like them to have been but much of what they recorded had at least some basis in reality. Consider how much, in 2017, our records tell us of what was going on in our own countries 2,000+ years ago – the Egyptians’ records compare very well! Of course much detail will have been lost, but an incredible amount was retained. It was also commonplace for pharaohs to make reference to their ancestors and their achievements, and many were celebrated long after their own lifetimes. The phenomenon of archaising also shows that craftsmen e.g. in the Late Period must have been aware of, and indeed probably studied, much older monuments. So, were the Egyptians’ interested in recording their history – yes, I think they were, very much so!

      Reply
      1. sjastro

        Thank you for your detailed response Chris.

        On a different subject I recently saw “Egyptian Vice”.
        I thoroughly enjoyed it despite the fact it seemed a bit over the top and had a sensationalist element about ti.

        Poor King Djer being singled out for all intents and purposes as a mass murderer of his subordinates when human sacrifice was a common activity with other 1st dynasty pharaohs seemed decidedly “unfair”, as were the specific characterizations made of other pharaohs in the program.

        Were these characterizations based on evidence or largely hyperbole?
        Could one really claim that Amenhotep II was a pure psychopath or Ramesses III a deviant?

        Kind Regards.

  23. Marc Dupraw

    Greetings,
    Just viewed a show on the Smithsonian network regarding the Tomb Of Tutankhamun, in which you were extensively interviewed. I have personally viewed Nefertiti’s Bust in Berlin, which peaked my interest in that particular episode. Very good show and now I’m very interested in reading your book. I look forward to it’s release.

    Where might I educate myself further on the progress of research of the tomb?
    And do you ever speak in the United Stares?

    Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Dear Marc, thank you for your kind words! There is no single definitive source of news about the latest research in KV 62 but Al-Ahram (here) and Luxor Times (here) are both good sources of news on archaeology in Egypt generally. I have spoken in the US in the past; I have no plans to do so at present but if/when that changes I’ll post the details here and on social networks etc.

      Reply
  24. David Glassco

    Chris,

    Please come to the US and speak. I’ve seen a few of your programs, and I’m hooked.
    I’m especially interested in information on Hatshepsut.
    Thanks,
    David G.

    Reply

    1. Hi David, very kind of to suggest it! I would love to come to the US to speak and hope I’ll get the opportunity to do so soon. Of course if I do I’ll let you know! Best wishes, Chris

      Reply

    1. Well, I don’t want to give the entire story away until the book is published but a couple of films I have been involved in including ‘Cleopatra’s Lost Tomb’ (http://www.channel4.com/programmes/cleopatras-lost-tomb), and ‘King Tut’s Tomb: the hidden chamber’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbA9589FTvc&list=PLTfrAEfzmXU-E4Ex6fS1QWFfswcntLHZi&index=7) might give you a few clues… I’ll also be speaking about various of the tombs involved in Chesterfield (17 June 2017), Lincoln (6 Jan 2018), Sutton (13 Jan), Sussex (21 July) and Taunton (10 November) should it be of interest!

      Reply
      1. Wendy Fraser

        Hi,
        Thanks for your reply. I did watch all of the links you supplied and found out that we both went to the same university: Birmingham. I did theology. How useful have ancient languages been to you in your career? I didn’t choose the ancient languages back then because I was rubbish at Greek and had no school background in it. Yet, I have since seen a play which threw me back to the possibility of studying biblical Hebrew, then found myself a tutor and completed Weingreen’s grammar with him, plus the creation texts from Genesis. I cannot describe to you the sense of achievement I feel. We then began ancient myths and religions in English such as Gilgamesh and Enuma Elish and now I’ve been accepted to at SOAS to study Akkadian. My tutor has accompanied me to Egypt twice in the last year to the valley of the kings and Saqqara, the pyramids at Giza and there are hieroglyphs on everything that the Egyptian guide can decipher.. I was amazed.

  26. David Glassco

    Hi Chris,

    I watch so many of the programs on Egypt that I think I am confused.
    Currently, what is the thought on Tut’s mother? I watched a program that you were in where someone believes Nefertiti was his father’s cousin and Tut’s mother.
    Just curious about the latest vs common belief.

    Thanks,
    David Glassco

    Reply

  27. Hi David, there is no clear answer to this at present and you will find lots of different theories circulating in print and on TV. I have written something on the subject for my ‘Missing Tombs’ but it’s embargoed until the book is out (sometime in 2018)!

    Reply

    1. As far as I know no new evidence has come to light recently. In fact that suits me as I’m about to submit the manuscript for a book which includes a discussion of the possible location of the tomb and I’d prefer there not to be any more movement before the book comes out!!

      Reply

      1. Hello Chris,
        We saw yesterday your documentary about the treasures of Tutankhamun. In the different discussions above, you speak of 3 parts for this presentation, except us (in France) had only 2. Is a third part planned in France? Thank you for your reply.
        Have a good day
        Yours sincerely,

      2. Dear Camille, three episodes were made for the US, UK and Australia but I think the series may have been edited down to two episodes for France 5. If there is another one to come I will let you know but I think you have already seen everything!

  30. Fasrina

    Hi chris.

    i love egyptian history and the world history. Just want to know several question from u : 1)about being an arheologist and reserch is still needed and progress for fresh grad and youngster whom interest in this sector ? 2) is this line only available in privet sector ? Im be glad if u can publish a book for how to be a history reserchers since this sector still in minority and not many people explore , hope this answer can clarified my worriness to get a job after im done my grades …

    Best regards ,
    Fasrina

    Reply
  31. Joe Soto

    Hi Chris !
    I’m watching Tut’s treasures on Nat Geo the show is amazing such insight ! You are my hero I can’t wait to see and read your published articles.
    Big Fan

    Reply
  32. Terrie Sellers

    Hello Dr.
    At what age did you sort of get an itch for Egypt? How long did it take for all your extensive schooling and such. I am asking because I have always wanted to become an Egyptologists in one form or another. Now as a young divorced mother , I feel like I can do anything, be anywhere. And tips you could give me.

    Reply

    1. Hi Terrie, I can’t put my finger on the exact moment that I became interested but I was certainly very keen on the 1992 TV series, The Face of Tutankhamun presented by Christopher Frayling. I would have been 13 or 14 at that time. I was interested in plenty of other things at the time but went to university to study Ancient history and Archaeology straight after school and there, after a year or so, I decided to focus on Egyptology. I did a Master’s after my first degree, then later a PhD while I was working for the Egypt Exploration Society. One never really stops learning – these days I’m finding out new (to me) things while writing books and helping to make films for TV – and I’ve always expected that at some point my luck will run out and I’ll have to go and get a proper job but I’ve managed to survive so far (20 ish years). There’s no standard route into finding a job in the subject but you can probably expect to need at last a PhD to give yourself a good chance of making a living from the subject, and that means probably a minimum of 7-8 ish years’ study. You have to be pretty determined, and also to understand that even then there are no guarantees that you’ll find work – I’ve been very lucky. I think the best way to approach it is one step at a time – register for a certificate course or a degree and always make sure you’re doing it because you enjoy it – if that stops at any point (and some of us do start to wonder when, for example, drawing pot sherds or trying to figure out if the hieroglyphs should be read as a perfective or relative form…) then ask yourself if there might be something else you’d rather do! Good luck!

      Reply
  33. Tania Edwards

    Hello Chris,

    I love Egypt very much and have been lucky enough to visit on a few occasions. I am particularly interested in Belzoni and Howard Carter.

    I have a lot of books about Carter and enjoy looking at the Tutankhamun photographs and reading the journals and diaries on the website of the Griffith Institute.

    I noticed that in 2012 Carter’s remaining family sold off a lot of letters, notes, papers etc at Bonham’s – https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20137/lot/39/

    I’ve since found out that the collection has been broken up and sold at various auctions and on ebay. This really upset me as I think it should have been kept together. The story of the discovery of Tutankhamun is fascinating in itself, yet the letters of the man who found it also help us to learn about the small realities of life at that time. These papers and journals would have made a wonderful contribution to the other items already in the care of the Griffith Institute.

    I started a Justgiving page to try and raise money to enable me to search the auctions and buy back as much of Carter’s papers as I could and donate it to the Griffith Institute. I admit it’s an uphill struggle but I am determined to try.

    If you could help in anyway or know anyone who would like to help I would appreciate it very much if you visit:
    https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tania-edwards

    or visit my Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/groups/howardcarter/

    Thank you very much
    Tania

    Reply
  34. Ed Schreiner

    Just watched the episode for the great fine of Psamtik I. Fascinating to watch and must have been a super find for you to witness.

    Reply

    1. Thanks Ed, really glad you enjoyed it! It was fun to make and yes, amazing to see the statue fragments. Wonderful news too: I gather the excavators have now found fragments of the – very beautiful – face… I’ll try to post an image if I can!

      Reply
  35. Graham

    Hey Chris. I have been a resident in El Luxor and worked for the EDC in Port Said, Alexandria. Over the year the bedouins have me the name, Karam El Sayedey owing to my love of Alah, Almighty God and Isa and Miriam. I am a Carmelite Brother secular the RC order which kept peace with Saladin and Albert of Jerusalem. I studied the works if the great Egyptologust and author Christian Jacq and understand his passion and vision in the endeavour if Zahee Hawass and proofs ge he finds in Jacq research. Especially if the hidden God you cannot see and Hawass hidden chambers. I have read some if your words and documentaries and can see your very own passion in your adaptation for the general public to witness. I often am in El Luxor and sail on the Nile in my Garabia usually every three months and have made friends at the Achti Resort Hotel previously Sheraton Luxor and I am a member of the British Museum. My hobby mostly takes me through the 18,19 Dynasty but gave studied old kingdom tombs showing the famine of the old kingdom. My interest shows me a clear vision of all religions belonging to the new kingdom and its progression into the three religions with origins in Abraham and Moses. I started my research hobby over 30 years ago which has provided me with a huge enduring depth of the two Lands of Kemet, the lives and humanity if the great Egyptians.

    Reply
  36. Bajul Shah

    Hi Chris,

    I am fascinated by the ancient Egyptians and everything that they achieved. I have watched many documentaries on ancient Egypt (including your recent excellent documentary on Psamtek I and the re-assessment of the power of the Saiti dynasty) and my wife and I were lucky enough to visit the Valley of the Kings some years ago and see the beautiful decorations in some of the tombs there. One question always puzzles me – what light sources did the Egyptians use in the underground tombs when decorating them? As I understand it, there is no evidence of wax or soot on the walls or the floors of the tombs, and therefore it seems unlikely that they used candles. So how did they see in the underground tombs? Do archaeologists know? Many thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Bajul, Glad you enjoyed the Psamtek film and others like it! In short, the Egyptians used oil lamps to illuminate the tombs while they were being cut and decorated etc. We have depictions of them from tomb scenes, and mentions of them or parts of them (wicks etc) from texts. It’s not a very well known aspect of ancient Egyptian civilisation but my good friend and colleague Dr Meghan Strong wrote and entire PhD thesis on artificial illumination of tombs and other spaces: https://www.arch.cam.ac.uk/directory/mes66 Best wishes, Chris

      Reply

  37. Dear Dr. Naunton, do you know if, where or when the next Mummy Congress will take place? I am fascinated by all things Ancient Egyptian. Check out my own fictional contribution: ‘SCARAB’ online. Looking forward to adding your books to my collection. Your programs are always very informative and interesting.
    Arrett

    Reply

  38. Dear Dr. Naunton, do you know if, where or when the next Mummy Congress will take place? I am fascinated by all things Ancient Egyptian. Check out my own fictional contribution: ‘SCARAB’ online. Looking forward to adding your books to my collection. Your programs are always very informative and interesting.
    Arrett

    Reply

  39. Dear Chris
    https://www.ucl.ac.uk/3dpetriemuseum/stories/excavation-and-rediscovery/petries-life
    I have been thinking after seeing that you have been re-enacting some of Petrie’s poses for camera: surely the above photo cannot but indicate you to be Petrie in a previous transmigration?
    Well, you never know! In things Egyptian, stranger things have happened: two men were talking on the bus opposite me one day (in London in the days of the bendy buses) and I thought to myself, that man looks EXACTLY like one of those extraordinarily lifelike coffin faces from Roman Egypt. And it turned out, when I listened, he was speaking Arabic. I said to him, “You’re not from Egypt, are you?” and he said, “Yes, from Gezira”. After some deliberation, I finally couldn’t bring myself to explain to him the connection. I’ll leave that to him to find out for himself when he ‘comes forth into the Light’. & my knowledge, I now realise, is insufficient on this point: unlike in Orthodox Judaism and in early Christianity, did the Ancient Eqyptians believe in the transmigration of the Soul?

    with many thanks and good wishes

    Reply

    1. Hi John, Although the Egyptians had quite a well-developed idea of what we call the ‘soul’ and had their own words for it – the ‘ka’, ‘ba’ and ‘akh’ are all thought to represent the spirit or soul of the deceased individual – they had no belief in the possibility that the soul could be manifested again in a different individual as far as I know. Thanks for your question!

      Reply
  40. Mark Friesland

    Dr. Naunton, What is the significance of the crook and flail in ancient Egyptian imagery? They seem to be agricultural symbols but are used in depictions of Osiris and on some Egyptian coffins. Also, given the irregularities of the mummification and burial of King Tutankhamun, were canopic jars found in his tomb? If so, were they like other canopic jars (from other tombs) or somehow different)?

    Reply
  41. David Glassco

    Hi Chris, I’ve been reading different books and searching the internet to answer this question : how many female pharaohs/kings were there in Egypt? There are various answers with most being 6-8. Is there any official thought?
    Thanks
    David

    Reply

    1. hi David, No there are no hard /fast rules about such things – you won’t find a definitive answer as to how many female pharaohs there were, or indeed how many male pharaohs. Our evidence shows that it wasn’t always the case that there was only one pharaoh at a time – sometimes pharaoh adopted another as a ‘co-regent’ who might or might not then have succeeded them; sometimes there were two or more rival pharaohs in different parts of the country (in which case which do you choose – one, the other, both or neither?); in other cases there are pharaohs whose existence is disputed – some might argue the evidence represents a pharaoh otherwise unattested, others that this individual was really another pharaoh using a variant name, others that they were never truly the legitimate pharaoh etc etc. In the case of the female pharaohs there are some whose existence as pharaoh is very well-attested the best known being Hatshepsut (although she herself was a usurper whose reign falls within that of her step-son Tuthmosis III who was too young at his accession to rule in his own right and took over from Hatshepsut on her death). Cleopatra was also pharaoh but at a time when it had become common for multiple members of the royal family to take the title alongside (and often in opposition to) one another – she ruled alongside her brother and sister, and later her son. There are female pharaohs whose existence is disputed e.g. Nitocris of the Sixth Dynasty or Neferneferuaten (= probably Nefertiti) of the Eighteenth whose existence and gender (female) have only recently been recognised. Long and complicated answer but that’s Egyptology for you!

      Reply
  42. Tia

    Hi Chris,
    This might be a different question then you usual get but what do you need to do to become an Egyptologist? I’ve always been involve and fascinated in Egypt since I was young, it’s only hit me now that this is what I want to do but I don’t know where to start!
    Thank you

    Reply

    1. Dear Tia, The short answer is that you will probably need to do lots of studying! the majority of paid work in Egyptology is to an extent academic in nature and generally undertaken by specialists who have spent many years studying. Most Egyptologists nowadays have a PhD in the subject (or something closely related like archaeology). In order to get to the point where you can even think about doing a PhD you would need at least an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject. And even that is a very significant undertaking! My suggestion therefore would be to do some reading and perhaps take some classes or a certificate in Egyptology (online courses are offered, for example, here: http://www.egyptologyonline.manchester.ac.uk/) and take it from there – you might find that studying at that level satisfies your wish to be involved in the subject but if not keep going! I hope that answers your question? Good luck!

      Reply
  44. Anugya Sinha

    Sir i am actually really interested in the ancient Egyptian history and i want to gain knowledge about the Egyptian history from its beginning. So sir please let me know how can i get access to that

    Reply
  45. Jean-Marc LEROUX

    Bonjour Chris / Hello Chris,
    Sorry, I speak and write broken English, so I will continu in my own language.
    Je tenais à vous remercier pour le reportage concernant Toutankhamon. Ce dernier est passé à la télévision sur “RMC Découverte” en français.
    J’ai adoré les investigations et les expériences réalisés ainsi que les commentaires. Un documentaire très intéressant. Un immense merci à vous et à votre équipe pour ce magnifique reportage. J’espère en découvrir d’autres car vous avez un regard neuf sur l’Égypte et c’est génial. Avez-vous une liste ou historique de toutes vos réalisations (incluant vos livres et films documentaires) par ordre chronologique ?
    Par ailleurs, j’ai pu lire que vous aviez écrit des livres si je ne me trompe pas. Sont-ils disponibles en langue française ?
    Je vous remercie pour votre réponse et du temps que vous aurez pris à me consacré pour votre réponse car je sais que votre temps est précieux.

    Reply

    1. Thanks for your kind comments Jean-Marc! I’m glad you enjoyed the film, it was a pleasure to make. I don’t have a complete list of everything I have done but this website is intended to provide the basics! This page gives details of most of the films I have been in: https://chrisnaunton.com/tv/ There are more films coming soon! I have only written one book (although there will be at least one more!): Search for the Lost tombs of Egypt (https://amzn.to/2uRWddF) which is only available in English at the moment – the publisher is working on getting it translating into other languages at the moment and I hope French will be among them!

      Reply
      1. Jean-Marc LEROUX

        Bonjour Chris / Hello Chris,
        Merci beaucoup pour votre réponse. J’ai bien hâte de lire votre livre en version française.
        Thanks a lot for your answer. I really impatient to read your book in French language. I hope I didn’t make too much mistake in my own translation. Sorry for my broken English.

  46. Hi Chris,

    I am looking at your tours for 2020 and had a question.
    Is there one that will visit Hatshepsut’s Temple?
    Very interested in seeing it.
    Are you speaking anywhere in the US?
    Many thanks,
    David Glassco

    Reply

    1. Dear David, The only tour I’m due to do myself in 2020 is the ‘Long Cruise’ (Aswan to Cairo) which will pass through Luxor and will probably visit Hatshepsut although I’m not 100% certain of that as I haven’t seen the full itinerary yet. In any case though, that trip is sold out. There may be others run by the company I do most of my travel work with, Ancient World Tours. More info here: https://www.ancient.co.uk/ And do contact them – they are very helpful and will know what’s being planned for 2020 and beyond which might give you more options! All the best, Chris N

      Reply
  47. C Jordan Cooper

    Good day Dr Chris,

    I enjoy watching your TV broadcasts. It perked my interest enough to google you. I started reading the comments and I am even more impressed with your work and knowledge.

    On the race issue you were so plesent open to input and well spoken. I recently discovered my 50% native american and 50% Scandinavian was the most incorrect thing I grew up believing. I did a DNA test and discovered my Grandmother who was a registered native is not.

    The people asking about and wondering about heritage can easily and for about $100 US can trace thier roots. I was very shocked at my eastern European/Irish/Scadanavian decent.

    I guess my post is more directed at others questioning Egyptian heritage.

    I did want to thank you for your work and pleasant demeanor.

    Reply
  48. MrAlex

    Chris

    Just wanting to ask by any chance are you aware of the latest news on Mamdouh El Damaty who has a unpublished report which showed more evidence of Tut’s tomb having a secret enclosure, do you know if the report will be released to the public, is there any updates since February since Mamdouh El Damaty’s team presented their research to the Supreme Council of Antiquities and also if the SCA allows a small hole to be drilled into the area where the hidden chambers are located, if it is discovered the hidden chambers are there, will the entrance or excavation into the hidden chambers be televised?

    Reply

    1. I’m sorry, I’m not privy to any insider info here. The Ministry of Antiquities is no doubt aware of all the latest research and will continue its investigations in the Valley. I’m sure that if any discovery is made we will all hear about it soon enough!

      Reply
  50. BuddevUtej

    Hello Dr.Chris Naunton.
    I am interested to do apprenticeship under your organization or you.Can that be possible? If so how?

    Reply

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