What a treat of a day this was!  We learn of life within ancient Egypt, we learn of events outside of the land of Egypt itself – for example trading, expeditions and wars – all from the Egyptian point of view.

However, in this day-long lecture, Aidan took us through several thousand years of interaction between Egypt and their wider world of the neighboring areas; Mesopotamia, Assyria, Palestine, Africa etc; the Hittites, the Libyans, the Nubians and the Mitannis – then moving on to relationships with the various Mediterranean cultures and peoples – from an international perspective.

Using many maps and documents, along with images from museums around the world Aidan gave us his own ‘guided tour’ through several thousands of years of the complex history of Egypt’s relationships with the lands of the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

Aidan discussed the Amarna letters, which uniquely give 2-way information of correspondence between the 18th dynasty pharaohs Amenhotep lll and Akhenaten and their royal contemporaries; of which corresponding, contemporary records exists outside of Egypt.

It was a great day, well spent with Aidan and the Kemet Klub, and once again there was much to learn and much covered – generously provisioned with many scrumptious and delicious cakes provided by the Kemet Klub.  Thank you everyone, a worthwhile day all round.