Profane Humanities Podcast

In this episode I'm joined by my pal, director Chris Kemble as we discuss various Egyptology-based things that surround Egypt-centred films and horror film in particular, including curses, labyrinthine pyramid structures, the Egyptian gods, space archaeology and much, much more. Strap in because this is a big old candid ride through the pile of stones that is The Pyramid from 2014.

Welcome back! In this episode, I'm giving you guys a free preview of my latest course over on the Listenable platform, All About pyramids!  "Have you ever marvelled at the grandeur of the pyramids of Egypt? Ever wondered just how a civilization using the most basic tools created them? In this course, you'll discover the origins of the mysterious and enduring pyramids of Egypt. We'll see how pyramid technology evolves, from the pit graves of the first pharaohs to the mighty Great Pyramid of Giza. We'll examine construction techniques, and challenge outlandish theories. By the end of this course, you'll have a thorough understanding of not only why the pyramids were built, but how this amazing civilization accomplished them by resourcefulness and persistence."  If you enjoy this episode and want to hear more of the course, please consider supporting the channel by using our affiliate link, and signing up here - there's a seven day free trail and it's $7.50/month thereafter. I have three courses up on here, with more in the works, so be assured, there will be plenty more archaeology and Egyptology in the future!  https://frstre.com/go/?a=76205-87a7d9&s=1094140-66a3a5&p_affiliate.referral_code=paulharrison2   And there is more to come, fear not! The next episode is a review of the not-so blockbuster, Egyptian themed horror movie... PYRAMID!  (which has been in my edit queue for a while, I admit, sorry Chris!) So please do tune in for that ...coming soon.    As ever, thanks for listening! 

Welcome everyone and happy new year! This is the first episode of 2021, and as such I’ve decided to try something different! A couple of you fine folks, including I believe one of my patrons, the fantastic Kemetic artist Setken, expressed interest in me divulging more of the story of Egyptian stele 666 and the founding of one of the first Egyptian revival religious movements of the modern era, the Temple, or Church of Thelema. So I’m pleased to say that’s the story I’ll be exploring today. This is a new format that I’m experimenting with – I’m hoping to do more, though I’ve found they take substantially longer to write and record these than hosting interviews! (So ...expect more interviews!)    Crowley is a figure who looms large in my youth – in my earliest explorations of magic, and in particular Egyptian magic, he’s the figure that most folk pointed me towards. Back then (early 90s) there was no real Internet to speak of, so knowledge was traded through conversation ('conversations' were like podcasts, but not recorded for upload) and books. It was a very different, somewhat piecemeal approach to discovering a new subject, where generally the effort outweighed the rewards – through my various readings in paganism, ceremonial magick and Egyptian esoterica, I stumbled upon the Book of the Law and Thelema, and took an interest in both, though I was never a member or practitioner thereof. This episode is kind of a summation of things I learned back then, and I hope you find it as fascinating as I do.   This is the story of how the so-called wickedest man in the world started a movement, some consider a religion, in the early 20th century  - it was based on ancient Egyptian gods and a book dictated by a holy spirit, or so it was claimed. It was a book that would confound readers for decades, inspire volumes of study despite strict guidance against such practice, and even, some claim, predicted a century of war, which would be proven correct by the two biggest conflicts the world had ever seen. This is the story of Aleister Crowley, stele 666, an Egyptian priest called Ankh af na Khonsu, and the Aeon of Horus. This is the story of The Book of The Law.   Please share, like, & all that jazz, and support the show on Liberapay if you like what you hear! https://liberapay.com/DocHarrison/

After a brief absence for editing, I'm pleased to announce the return of the Yuletide special! Welcome back long-time listeners, and welcome to shiny new listeners who have come for this week’s wonderful guest, Simon Merrells! Simon is often known for his stellar turn as Marcus Crassus, the man who defeated Spartacus, and the titular character's antagonist in the hit tv show. Spartacus shot Merrells to international fame, and he has since put in turns on The Tomorrow People, Dominion, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow ,12 Monkeys, and Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s Good Omens!! Simon recently starred opposite Tom Cullen and MARK HAMMILL, yes, Luke Skywalker/the Joker himself,  as the Templar Knight, Tancrede, in History’s Knightfall, and shares a wee bit (as much as he's allowed to at any rate) about the forthcoming Lord of the Rings/Tolkien-based tv show!  His career spans more titles than I can fit into an intro, but I will mention that I met Simon when he was playing the lead in a short film I was working on called The Leap, a sci fi dystopia directed by Karel van Bellingen. It's a great film, and worth 20 mins of your time!  https://youtu.be/GoJb30Une-A We also cover some serious ground on Spartacus and Knightfall, and I have to say I was seriously impressed with Simon’s curiosity and knowledge on the ancient world. It highlights his dedication and focus not just as an actor but as a person of intelligence and insight. But he’s also a bloody good laugh so settle in for some history-spanning stories and behind the scenes frolics with my Yuletide special guest, Simon Merrells.   Thanks go out to Simon for his time, and The Leap family, we are overdue a reunion! Simon can be found  @SMerrells on Twitter https://www.instagram.com/simonmerrells/   If you want to support the show, give it a like and a follow on the socials and just help spread the word, and if you really want to help out the show click the link and chuck in a buck on Liberapay, my patron platform of choice (for now, more news on this soon).  https://liberapay.com/DocHarrison/   In the meantime, have a happy and safe holidays…remember no kissing under the mistletoe this year, and I’ll hopefully see you all on the other side when this dog of a year is over, in 2021. But for now, happy holidays wherever you are, and a happy new year. I’ve been Paul Harrison. Good night and good luck.

Welcome back long-time listeners, and welcome to shiny new listeners who have come for this week’s wonderful guest, Simon Merrells! Simon is often known for his stellar turn as Marcus Crassus, the man who defeated Spartacus, and the titular character's antagonist in the hit tv show. Spartacus shot Merrells to international fame, and he has since put in turns on The Tomorrow People, Dominion, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow ,12 Monkeys, and Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s Good Omens!! Simon recently starred opposite Tom Cullen and MARK HAMMILL, yes, Luke Skywalker/the Joker himself,  as the Templar Knight, Tancrede, in History’s Knightfall, and drops us an exclusive (as much as he's allowed to at any rate) about the forthcoming Lord of the Rings/Tolkien-based tv show from Amazon!  His career spans more titles than I can fit into an intro, but I will mention that I met Simon when he was playing the lead in a short film I was working on called The Leap, a sci fi dystopia directed by Karel van Bellingen. It's a great film, and worth 20 mins of your time!  https://youtu.be/GoJb30Une-A We also cover some serious ground on Spartacus and Knightfall, and I have to say I was seriously impressed with Simon’s curiosity and knowledge on the ancient world. It highlights his dedication and focus not just as an actor but as a person of intelligence and insight. But he’s also a bloody good laugh so settle in for some history-spanning stories and behind the scenes frolics with my Yuletide special guest, Simon Merrells.   Thanks go out to Simon for his time, and The Leap family, we are overdue a reunion! Simon can be found  @SMerrells on Twitter https://www.instagram.com/simonmerrells/   If you want to support the show, give it a like and a follow on the socials and just help spread the word, and if you really want to help out the show click the link and chuck in a buck on Liberapay, my patron platform of choice (for now, more news on this soon).  https://liberapay.com/DocHarrison/   In the meantime, have a happy and safe holidays…remember no kissing under the mistletoe this year, and I’ll hopefully see you all on the other side when this dog of a year is over, in 2021. But for now, happy holidays wherever you are, and a happy new year. I’ve been Paul Harrison. Good night and good luck.

Dr Chris Naunton is back, and The Golden Age of Egyptology Part 2 is here!  Danger! Why did early travellers to Egypt choose to 'take on the appearance of Turks'? How inhospitable was Egypt in the 19th Century? Which tombs found in the golden age have since been lost and who decided to remove some of the most beautiful friezes?  Why did Akhenaten cause Egyptologists to fall out and what's with the purchase of slave girls??? Find out this and more in part two of what proved to be a fascinating discussion with Egyptologist Dr Chris Naunton!   @chrisnaunton www.chrisnaunton.com

Welcome back all! Thanks for joining us! Today it’s the sequel I’ve been looking forward to recording for a while now – I’m joined by the charming and witty Chris Naunton to discuss his newest release, Egyptologists Notebooks, and the so called Golden Age of Egyptology – but was it all that golden? Stay tuned to find out! Chris Naunton is former director of the Egypt Exploration Society. He’s appeared on the BBC and channel five hosting shows covering Flinders Petrie (the founding father of scientific Egyptology) and Tutankhamun, and numerous other shows including Egypt's Unexplained Files! (alongside yours truly!) He’s currently the Director of the Robert Anderson Research Charitable Trust (RARCT), a London-based charity that provides support to visiting academics, and he’s the President of the International Association of Egyptologists ….and on top of all of that-  he’s written two fascinating books, the first Searching for the Lost Tombs of Egypt we discussed last year, so be sure to go check that episode out! The second, Egyptologist's Notebooks, we’ll be digging right into today AND in the following episode, yes, this is a two-parter. So for those of you who’ve been hankering for a deep dive into the world of early exploration, adventure and ground-breaking Egyptology, well, you’re in for a treat!   Chris can be found at  chrisnaunton.com and @chrisnaunton on twitter & instagram   I also have a quick announcement if you’ll indulge me. Like many people producing these shows, it’s beginning to dominate my life and I’m hitting the point where I need the show to support itself. I'd love nothing more than to grow this channel up from more than a hobby I squeeze in between work gigs - I have SO MANY great guests lined up that I can't fit in yet because I don't have time between scrabbling to try keep food on my cat's table (everything is hers, as cat-owners will attest). But I can't do it without you. So if you feel like you can support the show and chuck in a buck (or five, I mean, you do you!) then I'd be much obliged, forever grateful, and I might even give you a shout out – however, not one to do things the obvious or easy way, I’m not setting up a Patreon. If you support the podcast, you get the podcast. Even if you don’t support the podcast ...you still get the podcast! But possibly not for terribly much longer. SO if you want to do that, head on over to liberapay which is my current crowd-fund/patron platform of choice and any support will be hugely appreciated. And that can be found @docharrison https://liberapay.com/DocHarrison/ - please be advised, they do take recurring payments up front, so don't be caught out by that - I wouldn't want anyone coming back feeling they'd been unfairly charged!  This is an evolving experiment. I may move to a different platform if demand for extras is strong, but I don't really want to lock any features behind a paywall, so bear with me whilst I try this out...and hopefully this will stay viable for a long time to come!    Thanks for reading/listening, and stay safe out there. Dr P. 

It's that time of year again, my favourite holiday, and we're getting spooky on this ship! Today I'm joined by The Curator of the Stygian Chronicles. Stygian Chronicles is a horror fiction audio project that takes original and classic stories and treats them to a lavish full audio production, including original voice acting (some by yours truly in a future episode, in fact) and soundscapes and effects. The result is an audio story with 10x the production of an audio book that rivals the classic radio dramas of a bygone age.    In this episode we touch on the cornerstones of horror, what makes it tick, and what it means to humans through history. We'll look at gothic and victorian horror, ancient myth, fin de siècle horrow, mummy movies and stories, Hammer Horror, Stoker, Lovecraft and unwrap some unspeakable horror!!  So wrap up in your blanket, stick a torch under your face, and prepare to share some stories... and Happy Halloween!!    If you enjoy the Stygian Chronicles you can find them at @stygiancurator on Twitter, @thestygianchronicles on Insta and https://www.patreon.com/thestygianchronicles/posts on Patreon.

Greetings one and all, and welcome if you’re new here! I’m Dr Paul Harrison and it’s that time again, where I get to interview one of my heroes, and as you can hear from that intro sting, today it’s the wonderful, the talented, and until very recently the elusive…Jonell Elliott!   Though most of you will know Jonell for her amazing work on Tomb Raider’s 4 through 6,   - Jonell’s voiceover credits include are vast and include Tv and radio commercials for Johnson & Johnson, Felix, Amex, McDonald’s, Sony, Nescafé, Wella, Loyld’s, NatWest, Sure, Oil of Olay and many more!   She’s A regular voice on BBC 1 and 2, ITV, Channel 5, UK TV, Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, History Channel and Sky TV.   Jonell has voiced many Cartoon roles in Angelina Ballerina, Miffy, Yo Gabba Gabba, Lazy Lucy, Planet Grabo and The Slow Norris.   You might have heard her on documentaries such as Too much Too Young on ITV or Sports programmes on Transworld.   Her acting credits include parts in Grange Hill (BBC), Family Affairs( Channel 5), Second Sight (ITV), Beer Goggles (Channel 4) and (Feature Film), Welcome to the Punch.   And if that wasn’t enough… she’s also been a presenter, including work for, Alien Wars (Sky),The Great Big British Quiz (Channel 5) and The Psychic Channel (Sky)   This interview is made as a compliment to the interview with Jonell by our pal and all around great chap Chris from Raidercast, so please go and check his interview out for all the bits I don’t cover here. I also want to give a shout out and thanks to Chris for helping promote this episode and being so open to collaboration. I feel that in competition we all suffer and there are always losers…in collaboration, everyone wins.   Tomb Raider needs no introduction, but this part of the original classic tomb raider series is near and dear to my heart – I’ll let Jonell break the series down for you, but needless to say, it begins in Egypt with the release of 1999s tomb raider the last revelation. Lara Croft dies (sorry spoilers for a 21 year old game) and we see her memorialised in Chronicles and resurrected in The Angel of Darkness. As Jonell will mention, this feels like a trilogy all its own within the classic Lara universe and it’s a personal favourite for  me. In 1999 Egyptomania was riding high with the release of the mummy and the explosion of alternative archaeology! And whilst this may or may not surprise some of my peers, I was really into that at the time! It was before I’d gone to study Egyptology and I would devour anything with Egypt on it, and Tomb raider was no exception. In fact until the last reboot I’d prided myself on finishing every game at lease once. So for everyone who’s joining from the TR fan community…I assure you you’re among friends here. But enough of my rambling, you’re here to hear the scoop from Lara herself, so without further ado, it is my honour and pleasure to introduce to you, Jonell Elliot.

Welcome back everyone!    I had the honour of sitting down for a fascinating conversation with Josh Guerrero for this episode. Josh is the host of the All Around Adventure podcast, and is also a former US Marine, and Peace Corps volunteer, who spent two years helping train teachers in a remote village in Gambia, and nowadays, he's an archaeologist, too!    This will hopefully be part one of two or three, time allowing, as Josh and I plan to have more conversations about his archaeological work and expeditions in the future, but first I wanted to dig into his past in the Marine Corps and Peace Corps, so buckle up for a trip to basic training and welcome Josh to the show!    You can find Josh at the following places - and I encourage you to check out his work, it's really fascinating!  Website: https://www.allaroundadventure.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allaroundadventure/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllAroundAdventure/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AllAroundAdvent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCYkoekFIZpI3L4UWdH-xIw 15 Questions with an Archeologist: https://15questionswithanarcheologist.libsyn.com/ Also of note, OPERATION DUAL TREK, in Josh's own words,  "I’m preparing for Operation: Dual Trek. A 1,000 mile walking expedition in South America that I plan to undertake next year. This will be to raise money for American Veterans Archaeological Recovery (AVAR). A non-profit organization that helps American Veterans through field archaeology."  We talk about this on the show in brief, but check out his page here  https://www.allaroundadventure.com/my-upcoming-expedition-operation-dual-trek/ for more details and links to his sponsor page. Josh is self-funding his trip and all proceeds go directly to the charity, helping veterans through archaeology... anybody who's been on a dig knows how good the camaraderie and joy of discovery can be, and I think this is a great way to help people in need of that.  Also, after hearing about Josh's misadventures with water in Gambia, it made me think of charities like WaterAid who strive to bring fresh, safe drinking water to remote places around the world. This literally could save thousands of lives a year, so please consider helping them out if you can.  https://www.wateraid.org/uk/   Ok, that's it from me, hope you enjoy the episode, and thanks again for tuning in. Our new release schedule is the third Thursday of every month so stay tuned for more and remember to like, rate, and subscribe! P 

Welcome everyone and welcome BACK!   As you can see, I was blessed with an interview with Shelley Blond the original voice of Lara Croft this week, for which I’m eternally grateful. This week’s guest certainly bought out my inner fanboy! Shelley Blond is an actor and voice actor whose work includes west end stage productions and many a household name tv show, including Cold Feet, Peep Show, and feature films such as Snow White: the Sequel. She’s been a voice you’ve likely heard on Heart FM, ITV, Disney and Nat Geo, among many others, but perhaps the role most archaeologists and historians know her best for, is that of the original voice of Lara Croft...Tomb Raider.   The original tomb raider game was a hit on a scale hard to relate to our younger listeners out there. The first game of its kind, nobody, including the creators knew how people would react to a 3D third person exploration action adventure game. We take this genre for granted now, a quarter century later, but this was something never seen before, and it was a gamble. Tomb Raider sits at the threshold of where video games stopped being juvenile entertainment and began being conceived of as ‘cinematic’. The interaction, the musical score, and the performances made this game something modern audiences now take for granted – they made it an immersive experience. The 1st Tomb Raider game sold a million copies in its first quarter and went on to sell seven million worldwide, receiving critical acclaim and setting the standard for modern gaming as we know it. It went on to become one of the most influential games of all time and served as a template for the many action adventure exploration games to follow, driving 3D graphics technology as it did so. The series holds six official Guinness world records and Lara herself has become a world-wide icon. The character of Lara Croft has sometimes found herself at the centre of controversy – one of the first female protagonists in gaming, she was largely embraced by an -at that time – majority male gaming audience. However, Lara also sat at a sometimes uncomfortable point between sex icon and strong independent feminist protagonist, and it’s a conversation, since the reboot of the franchise, that fans and pundits are still having. At the genesis of this maelstrom of mainstream media attention was a young actress who had no notion of what she was getting herself into, or that she’d become forever linked to a cultural icon who rivals the likes of Indiana Jones and James Bond. I had the opportunity to speak with Shelley about her experiences as and with Lara Croft, so please welcome to the show, actor Shelley Blond.   As always, thank you for listening, and if you enjoyed that be sure to check out Shelley’s work on the mini documentary the History and Geography in Tomb Raider, you can find that over on YouTube here:  https://youtu.be/9xvPPsq_ou0   The Tomb Raider Suite, mentioned in this episode by Shelley, was composed by Nathan McCree, and performed by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra (conducted by Robert Ziegler). You can find more information, and limited edition cd's here (no affiliation):    https://www.tombraidersuite.com/   Last, but certainly not least, Shelley Blond can be found on twitter @BlondShelley  and is represented by @yaketyyakvoices   And be sure to check in next month for more explorations of historical, archaeological and environmental culture. I’ve been Dr Paul Harrison. Thanks for listening.

How did Egyptian mummies become entwined with fairy tale princesses? What was an Egyptian queen doing in King Arthur's court? What Do Egyptologists Wallis Budge & Battiscombe Gunn, have in common with Occultists Aleister Crowley & Florence Farr? And where do Lovecraft, Freud, and Cleopatra fit in? Answers to this, and more in this weeks episode!  Dr Eleanor Dobson is lecturer in nineteenth century literature at the university of Birmingham, with a particular focus on the reception of ancient Egypt. She was instrumental in the foundation of the Tea with the sphinx annual conference, and author of several fascinating papers (which I encourage you to find online), and the upcoming book, Ancient Egypt in the Modern Imagination: Art, Literature and Culture. We sat down over Skype to talk about the inspirations behind some major horror and mummy fiction, as well as some unexpected social connections between some famous and infamous Egyptologists and occultists of the 19th century! So, if you like your Budge with a slice of Crowley, or your Yeats with a slice of Lovecraft, you’ve come to the right place!   As ever, if you enjoy the show please give it a like and share and help the audience grow and be sure to check out the work of our guests.   Where to find Dr Dobson Twitter @EllieCDobson Academia.edu (profile & papers) https://bham.academia.edu/EleanorDobson By Eleanor Dobson https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Silver-Bullets-Classic-Werewolf-Stories/dp/0712352201/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=silver+bullets&qid=1573730909&sr=8-2 https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1526141884/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3 https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07FFBDLKR/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1 Forthcoming book https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/ancient-egypt-in-the-modern-imagination-9781788313391/   Works Mentioned   Stoker https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Jewel-Seven-Stars-Complete-Published/dp/143828747X/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Jewel+of+Seven+Stars&qid=1573731043&sr=8-2 Hammer https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Mummys-Tomb-Doubleplay-Blu-ray/dp/B0753P27VH/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=blood+from+the+mummy%27s+tomb&qid=1573731182&sr=8-1 Conan Doyle https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Lot-Penguin-Little-Black-Classics/dp/0241251567/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=lot+no.+249&qid=1573731079&sr=8-3 https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Ring-Thoth-Arthur-Conan-Doyle/dp/149740830X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=ring+of+thoth&qid=1573731132&sr=8-1   Ziska https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Ziska-Problem-Wicked-Marie-Corelli/dp/1519647697/ref=smi_www_rco2_go_smi_g8682124849?_encoding=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0&ie=UTF8   Florence Farr https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Magical-Writings-Florence-Farr-Golden/dp/1926982029/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=florence+farr&qid=1573730532&sr=8-2 https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Egyptian-Magic-Florence-Farr/dp/116256220X/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=florence+farr&qid=1573730592&sr=8-3   Crowley https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Book-Law-Aleister-Crowley/dp/1983524638/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=crowley&qid=1573730643&sr=8-1   https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Thelema-Introduction-Philosophy-Aleister-Crowley/dp/0738751049/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=thelema&qid=1573730679&sr=8-1   Lost in a Pyramid https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Pyramid-Andrew-Smith/dp/0712356177/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=lost+in+a+pyramid&qid=1573730793&sr=8-1 Lovecraft https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Under-Pyramids-Fantasy-Horror-Classics-ebook/dp/B01DNYFY0K/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=horror+under+the+pyramid&qid=1573730866&sr=8-1   *note these are not affiliate links but charity links for Action Duchenne Uk. Purchases result in a donation to the registered charity by Amazon. Thank you. 

Is there anything left to find in the sands of Egypt??? YES! And this man knows how and (potentially) where!!  Dr Chris Naunton is an Egyptologist, broadcaster and author. In addition to being the former director of the Egypt Exploration Society, he’s appeared on the BBC and Channel Five, hosting shows covering Flinders Petrie (the founding father of scientific Egyptology) and Tutankhamun, among numerous other subject relating to ancient Egypt. He’s currently the Director of the Robert Anderson Research Charitable Trust (RARCT), a London-based charity that provides support to visiting academics, and President of the International Association of Egyptologists ….and on top of all of that-  he’s written a fascinating, and I mean that sincerely, fantastically interesting book Searching for the Lost Tombs of Egypt! Which takes us on an historical and modern tour of the potential sites of the final resting places of some of the most famous ancient Pharaohs and personalities from history. It really is my great pleasure to introduce Dr Chris Naunton! https://chrisnaunton.com/ https://twitter.com/chrisnaunton (@chrisnaunton) https://www.facebook.com/chrisnauntonofficial Searching for the Lost Tombs of Egypt - https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/0500051992/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_OonUCb8SRKJF7 via @AmazonUK The EES (Egypt Exploration Society) https://www.ees.ac.uk/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psusennes_I https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Montet Kingsley Amis https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/books/the-egyptologists/GOR004177032?keyword=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwODlBRDuARIsAMy_28Un15-lYA6FWCSrwNU3HfhGEUy8UixknnURrvmMU2h3BSTm71aBef4aAg7REALw_wcB Also, I should give a big shout out and thank you to the Egypt Exploration Society for accommodating Chris and I at very short notice, and allowing us a space to record this interview – there is some background noise and the occasional phone, but overall I’m extremely happy how this turned out, so thank you guys, it is much appreciated – please check out the EES and their research and membership scheme, they have a fantastic library in central London and it’s really an oasis of calm in the busy centre of town!  As I mentioned in the podcast, I had a dozen other questions that I wanted to ask Chris, but unfortunately there simply wasn’t time, however, he’s promised to come back for round 2, so we’ll be revisiting Chris hopefully soon after he’s returned from the next round of Egyptian exploration! Speaking of, if you fancy heading to Egypt with Dr Chris, he runs annual tours, so check out is website www.chrisnaunton.com for more details, and I urge you to pick up his book Searching for the Lost Tombs of Egypt, it reads like a novel, and it really is a fun exploration of the some of the most fascinating and enduring aspects of the field. Thanks so much for tuning in, and have a great Easter holiday everyone! – oh and before I forget, Chris and I both appear on the brand new show Egypt’s Unexplained Files over on Discovery Science Channel, it debuted last Sunday and should be running for the next couple of months, so please check that out and let me know how it goes because I don’t carry the channel and I never get to see these shows! Thanks all! 

“If Archaeologists won’t talk to (people) someone else will (…) we’ve been duped into thinking we need to struggle to tell our story…” Today’s guest should be a familiar face to anyone who’s watched archaeological media online. Marc Barkman-Astles is the creator and face of Archaeosoup, a Youtube channel he established way back in the almost prehistoric-vlogger days of 2010. In his twelve-year career as a professional archaeologist, Marc has produced more than fifteen hundred videos, and amounted an impressive 3.5 million views. In addition to all this he’s also grown a pretty epic beard. But what are some of the challenges and realities tackled by the public faces of archaeology today, particularly in an environment that’s increasingly politically divisive and inundated with rhetoric and pseudoarchaeology? Marc shares some experiences and insights from his impressive career so far, from the praise, to death threats(!) and highlights the necessity, alongside the potential pitfalls (and metaphorical rolling boulders) that public archaeologists face in the era of modern discourse. So, settle in as we dig into the work of Mark Barkman-Astles, aka Mr Soup!    Check out Marc's work and impressive video back-catalogue at Archaeosoup!  https://www.youtube.com/user/Archaeos0up   The Questions of Doom Series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KnxyK7PbWQ&list=PLFF23C48290E7D35A   Are you a subject expert who wants to present more, but hate the nerve-wracking prospect? Need to get on camera or microphone but have no formal training? Check out the only professional presenting course tailored for subject experts, communicators and thought-leaders! Presenting Skills for Science, Humanities, and Business is a course designed and recorded by Dr Paul Harrison, which caters specifically for experts who need to present their work in a confident, cogent and charismatic way. For details and a special listener discount just visit  https://www.udemy.com/dr-paul-harrisons-close-up-presenting/?couponCode=PROFANE Here you can check out the intro videos and see if it's for you, with no obligation, and if you do sign up, you can be assured with our risk-free 30 day money back guarantee! So there's nothing to lose. Coupon discount is applied on the link, please see Udemy for terms and conditions. 

Dreams! Nightmares! Demons! What were the role of these concepts in ancient Egypt? The Answers may surprise you... Dr Kasia Szpakowska is an Associate Professor of Egyptology at Swansea University, and Director of The Ancient Egyptian Demonology Project for The Leverhulme Trust. Kasia’s research is especially fascinating for me, as it focuses on Ancient Egyptian private religious practices, so not necessarily the practices of the elites, though it does include them…but the practices of everyday Egyptians. She is also a leading expert and author of several volumes on dreams, demons and the archaeology of magic in ancient Egypt and her work provides unique insights into the mindset of the ancient Egyptian in ways we cannot accomplish just by looking at artefacts. Now I should point out that when we mention magic in the context of ancient Egypt, it wasn’t seen as something occult or weird in ancient Egyptian culture. Magic was as much a part of daily life and religion as any other practice or response to their often frightening and dangerous world. It’s not until much later, with the advent of monotheism that we see a separation of magic from religion and the subsequent fall from grace of magic into something either false, as in trickery, or ungodly and unholy. We also touch on something that I’ve become much more aware of in my life of late which is narcolepsy and what seem to be ancient Egyptian spells which may have been responses to this condition. If you or anyone you know is suffering from sleep paralysis (as terrifyingly portrayed in the recent Netflix show, the Haunting of Hill House) or thinks you may have narcolepsy symptoms, I’ve included a link in the show notes to Narcolepsy UK, a leading UK charity where you can get more information on this condition. But returning to the headline of the show, which is dreams, and indeed nightmares and demons from ancient Egypt, I know that academic papers and books can be difficult to get a hold of when you’re not at University and Kasia has very kindly made many of her papers available for FREE on a website called academia.edu. As ever, you can find links in the show notes at Podbean on Facebook and on iTunes and YouTube.  And if you dig this episode, be sure to check out the Demon Things website, and the DemonBase Catalogue where you can search these bizarre and fascinating entities and learn more about them! So without further ado, ladies and germs, Kasia Spakowska.   Check out the Demon Things Project Website! http://www.demonthings.com/ And some FREE papers on the subject! https://swansea.academia.edu/KasiaSzpakowska/Papers Recommended papers: Szpakowska, K. "Through the Looking Glass: Dreams and Nightmares in Pharaonic Egypt." In Dreams: A Reader on the Religious, Cultural, and Psychological Dimensions of Dreaming, edited by K. Bulkeley, 29-43. New York: Palgrave, 2001. ———. "The Ungrateful Dead: A Dimension of Dreams in Pharaonic Egypt." In Proceedings of the Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations Graduate Students' Annual Symposia 1998–2000, edited by C. Rocheleau, 97–109. Toronto: Benben Publications for Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations Graduate Students' Association, 2001. ———. "Feet of Fury: Demon Warrior Dancers of the New Kingdom." In Rich and Great. Studies in Honour of Anthony J. Spalinger on the Occasion of his 70th Feast of Thoth, edited by R. Landgráfová and J. Mynářová, 313-23. Prague: Charles University in Prague, 2016. ———. "Death and Demons." Ancient History 14 (2018): 18-20. ———. "Demons, Pharaonic Egypt." In Encyclopedia of Ancient History, edited by R. Bagnall, K. Brodersen, C. Champion, A. Erskine and S. Huebner, 2023-25. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. ———. "Demons in the Dark: Nightmares and other Nocturnal Enemies of Ancient Egypt." In Ancient Egyptian Theology and Demonology: Studies on the Boundaries between the Divine and Demonic in Egyptian Magic, edited by P. Kousoulis, 63-76. Leuven: Peeters, 2011. ———. Daily Life in Ancient Egypt: Recreating Lahun. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2008. ———. "Demons in Ancient Egypt." Religion Compass 3, no. 5 (2009): 799-805. ———. "Nightmares in Ancient Egypt." In Le cauchemar dans l’Antiquité: Actes des journées d'étude de l'UMR 7044 (15-16 Novembre 2007, Strasbourg), edited by J.-M. Husser and A. Mouton. Études d'archéologie et d'histoire ancienne, 21-39. Paris: de Boccard, 2010. ———. "Religion in Pharaonic Society." In A companion to Ancient Egypt, edited by A. B. Lloyd. Blackwell companions to the ancient world, 507-25. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. ———. "The Open Portal: Dreams and Divine Power in Pharaonic Egypt." In Prayer, Magic, and the Stars in the Ancient and Late Antique World, edited by S. B. Noegel, J. T. Walker and B. M. Wheeler. Magic in History Series, 111-24. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2003.   Here’s a link to Kasia’s books Daily Life in Ancient Egypt: Recreating Lahun  by Kasia Szpakowska Link: http://amzn.eu/d/jaNf33I   Through A Glass Darkly: Magic, Dreams and Prophecy in Ancient Egypt  by Kasia Szpakowska Link: http://amzn.eu/d/7ufEMHP   And last but not least – Support for people with or partners and family of people with Narcolepsy https://www.narcolepsy.org.uk/     Need to get on camera or microphone but have no formal training? Check out the only professional presenting course tailored for subject experts, communicators and thought-leaders.  https://www.udemy.com/dr-paul-harrisons-close-up-presenting/?couponCode=PROFANE

Hello everyone and welcome to profane Egyptologists, the show where we discuss Egypt’s past in the present!   Today I’m joined once more by my friend, the award-winning horror film-maker Chris Kemble, as we discuss 2017s remake of the Universal film, The Mummy! This is part TWO of a two-part episode where we’ll dig into both the Egyptology and film-history that this movie taps into. As a specialist in the horror genre Chris is uniquely positioned to give insight into this film, and as a non-Egyptologist he asks many questions I might not consider. I hope you enjoy this format, feel free to send me feedback on twitter (@doc_harrison), and please, if you like the show, subscribe on iTunes and rate and review, as that really helps us spread the word and raise the show’s profile! Now buckle up for part 2 of our Halloween special as we explore the world of …The Mummy…    Where to find Chris Kemble If you want to check out Chris’s work in the horror genre, some of his films are listed here https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5187440/     Books mentioned   Consuming Ancient Egypt (eds. Rice & MacDonald) UCL Press 2003. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=jZ3oAp9OEXEC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false   Lot No. 249 (Penguin Little Black Classics) by Arthur Conan Doyle https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/0241251567/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_pXDXBbP66Y1HH  via @AmazonUK   The Ring of Thoth (Fantasy and Horror Classics) Kindle Edition by Arthur Conan Doyle https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Ring-Thoth-Fantasy-Horror-Classics-ebook/dp/B00CFNB5QI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1539693711&sr=1-1&keywords=ring+of+thoth   She (Oxford World’s Classics) H. Rider Haggard https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/embed?asin=B00846QWEU&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_JhGXBbW539Z37   The Jewel of Seven Stars by Bram Stoker Link: http://amzn.eu/d/4CxMTGd     Movies Mentioned   The Mummy (2017) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2345759/?ref_=nv_sr_1   The Mummy (1999) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120616/?ref_=nv_sr_2   The Mummy (1959) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053085/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_9   The Mummy (1932) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023245/?ref_=nv_sr_8   Blood from the Mummy's Tomb Link: http://amzn.eu/d/5ALt1JZ     Characters   Imhotep The Mummy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imhotep_(The_Mummy)   Imhotep (Historical) https://www.ancient.eu/imhotep/   Kharis The Mummy https://comicvine.gamespot.com/kharis/4005-91856/   Ahmanet The Mummy http://villains.wikia.com/wiki/Ahmanet   Amunet The Goddess https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amunet   Nick Morton https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2345759/characters/nm0000129   Dr Jenny Halsey http://mummy.wikia.com/wiki/Jenny_Halsey   Rick O’Connell http://mummy.wikia.com/wiki/Richard_%22Rick%22_O%27Connell   Evelyn Carnahan (O’Connell) http://mummy.wikia.com/wiki/Evelyn_O%27Connell   As ever, if you enjoyed the show, subscribe on iTunes, give us a rating and check us out for the latest news @doc_harrison and as profaneegyptologists on Instagram. Thanks for listening!

Welcome to part 1 of this 2-part Halloween Special focused on those classic staples of the horror genre...MUMMIES!! Today I’m joined by my friend, the award-winning film-maker Chris Kemble, as we discuss 2017s remake of the Universal film, The Mummy, and dive into it's legacy on film and in literature.  This is part one of a two-part episode where we’ll dig into both the Egyptology and film-lore that this movie taps into. As a specialist in the horror genre Chris is uniquely positioned to give insight into this film, and as a non-Egyptologist he asks many questions I might not consider! I hope you enjoy this format, feel free to send me feedback on twitter (@doc_harrison), and please, if you like the show, subscribe on iTunes and rate and review, as that really helps us spread the word and raise the show’s profile! Now buckle up for our Halloween specials as we explore the world of …The Mummy…    Where to find Chris Kemble If you want to check out Chris’s work in the horror genre, some of his films are listed here https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5187440/     Books mentioned   Consuming Ancient Egypt (eds. Rice & MacDonald) UCL Press 2003. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=jZ3oAp9OEXEC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false   Lot No. 249 (Penguin Little Black Classics) by Arthur Conan Doyle https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/0241251567/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_pXDXBbP66Y1HH  via @AmazonUK   The Ring of Thoth (Fantasy and Horror Classics) Kindle Edition by Arthur Conan Doyle https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Ring-Thoth-Fantasy-Horror-Classics-ebook/dp/B00CFNB5QI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1539693711&sr=1-1&keywords=ring+of+thoth   She (Oxford World’s Classics) H. Rider Haggard https://read.amazon.co.uk/kp/embed?asin=B00846QWEU&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_JhGXBbW539Z37   Movies Mentioned   The Mummy (2017) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2345759/?ref_=nv_sr_1   The Mummy (1999) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120616/?ref_=nv_sr_2   The Mummy (1959) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053085/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_9   The Mummy (1932) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023245/?ref_=nv_sr_8   Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/?ref_=nv_sr_1   Characters   Imhotep The Mummy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imhotep_(The_Mummy)   Imhotep (Historical) https://www.ancient.eu/imhotep/   Kharis The Mummy https://comicvine.gamespot.com/kharis/4005-91856/   Ahmanet The Mummy http://villains.wikia.com/wiki/Ahmanet   Amunet The Goddess https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amunet   Nick Morton https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2345759/characters/nm0000129   Dr Jenny Halsey http://mummy.wikia.com/wiki/Jenny_Halsey   Rick O’Connell http://mummy.wikia.com/wiki/Richard_%22Rick%22_O%27Connell   Evelyn Carnahan (O’Connell) http://mummy.wikia.com/wiki/Evelyn_O%27Connell   As ever, if you enjoyed the show, subscribe on iTunes, give us a rating and check us out for the latest news on Twitter @doc_harrison and as profaneegyptologists on Instagram. Thanks for listening!      

Today we re-join the Temple of Ra and Kemetic Temple of San José for the second part of this interview with key figures and authors of the contemporary Kemetic Reconstructionist movement in the West. Be sure to check out part 1 if you haven’t yet. A very valuable point is raised in this interview regarding phenomenological and performative archaeology – given a reliance of shared resources, and given the focus on academic resources in Kemeticism, why is it not valued in the same was as corresponding fields of archaeology which use the same techniques to reconstruct ancient worlds? I have my own theories on this (as expressed in my book, Profane Egyptologists), and we explore this a little in conversation. A lot of it has to do with perceptions, status, and fear of ‘infection’ from the ‘fringe/other’ which has been a stifling factor in building bridges and having conversations. And that, dear listeners, lays at the very heart of the premise of this show! This episode was recorded on location in San Francisco back in spring 2018. I first encountered the Temple of Ra through one of its founders, Richard Reidy, who was a participant in my phd ethnography, and so generous with his time and knowledge that we later became friends. Sadly, Richard passed away in 2015 but his legacy lives on in the form of a number of Egyptian Kemetic Temples in the USA and two books on Ancient Egyptian Ritual practices. Here’s part two I hope you enjoy it. As ever, references from the show can be found in the show notes. Be sure to like, review and subscribe.     Richard Reidy’s Eternal Egypt  https://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?Book=172324 Everlasting Egypt (Published posthumously by temple members)  https://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001114114     Kemetic Orthodoxy (“KO”) /House of Netjer http://www.kemet.org/ https://www.netjer.org/forums/   Performative Archaeology (Tale of Sinuhé) at the British Museum http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/research_projects/all_current_projects/the_ramesseum_papyri/performance_tale_of_sinuhe.aspx    Erik Hornung The One and the Many   Geraldine Pinch   Wisdom Literature – Instructions/Teaching of Ptahhotep https://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-static/digitalegypt/literature/ptahhotep.html   Lichtheim Lichtheim, Miriam 1996. Didactic literature. In Loprieno, Antonio (ed.), Ancient Egyptian Literature, 243-262. Leiden; New York; Köln: E. J. Brill Simpson, William Kelly. The Literature of Ancient Egypt: An Anthology of Stories, Instructions, Stelae, Autobiographies, and Poetry. New Haven, US: Yale University Press, 2003. Accessed January 28, 2017   James Allan (Grammar) Middle Egyptian https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Middle_Egyptian.html?id=gMxfheT1XQIC&redir_esc=y   Kerry Wisner https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1?ie=UTF8&text=Kerry+Wisner&search-alias=books-uk&field-author=Kerry+Wisner&sort=relevancerank   (Note, I interviewed Mr Wisner for Profane Egyptologists, but have since lost contact. If anybody knows what happened to him, please feel free to reach out).   Tamara Siuda’s literature https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=tamara+siuda+books&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgFuLSz9U3MDKrNKg0UEJia0llJ1vpJ-XnZ-snlpZk5BdZgdjFCvl5OZUA98xt0TYAAAA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwil6Lb4wdvcAhWmx4UKHXUeDJIQMSgAMB56BAgJEDM&biw=1744&bih=859   Kemetic Temple of Ra and San José http://kemetictemple.org/Kemetic_Temple/Welcome.html   Imperishable Stars by Matt https://imperishablestars.com/ (check out the fascinating work on vocalization of the Pharaonic language!)

Today’s episode was recorded on location in San Francisco back in spring 2018, where I met with members of the Kemetic Temple of San José and the Temple of Ra. I first encountered the Temple of Ra through one of its founders, Richard Reidy, who was a participant In my phd research, and so generous with his time and knowledge that we later became friends. Sadly, Richard passed away in 2015 but his legacy lives on in the form of a number of Egyptian Kemetic Temples in the USA and two books on Ancient Egyptian Ritual practices. But what is Kemeticism? To put it extremely simply, Kemeticism is the revival and or reconstruction of ancient Egyptian religion and practices in the modern age. It crosses multiple boundaries, of geography, ethnicity and culture, but one thing they all tend to have in common is a reverence for the ancient Egyptian deities, and desire to uphold Ma’at - that’s the principle of truth, harmony, justice and order named for the goddess Ma’at of ancient Egypt, or Kemet. Kemeticism comes from the word Kemet which is the ancient name for Egypt, often translated as ‘Black Land’. We’ll get into the implications of that nomenclature another time, as that deserves several episodes, but for now, relax, grab a cup of your favourite bevvy, and settle in for this two-part interview with members of these Kemetic Temples. Enjoy!     Kemetic Temple of Ra and San José   http://kemetictemple.org/Kemetic_Temple/Welcome.html   Kemetic Orthodoxy (“KO”) /House of Netjer http://www.kemet.org/ https://www.netjer.org/forums/   Ma’at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maat   Per Akhet Temple https://www.facebook.com/denverkemetictemple/   Pantheacon https://pantheacon.com/wordpress/   Richard Reidy’s Eternal Egypt  https://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?Book=172324 Richard Reidy's Everlasting Egypt: Kemetic Rituals for the Gods (published posthumously by temple members) http://amzn.eu/d/3KURl03   Daily Offering Ritual http://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums-static/digitalegypt/religion/dailycult.html   Beer in ancient Egypt https://blog.britishmuseum.org/a-sip-of-history-ancient-egyptian-beer/   The Pyramid Texts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_Texts   Sekhmet Statuary (Also See Setken’s reference to a similar Sekhmet experience/awakening, and a reference to the same phenomenon by Richard Reidy in Profane Egyptologists). http://www.chrysler.org/our-collection/collection-highlights/ancient-worlds/   Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (not to be conflated with Greek Political Far-Right group of same name) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermetic_Order_of_the_Golden_Dawn     Thelema https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelema  

Today’s guest will be familiar to anybody who’s a fan of Kemetic art or who happens to have seen the luscious artwork that graces the cover of my book Profane Egyptologists (shameless plug!) Setken describes his paintings as “Nouveau Kemetic”, “Neo Kemetic”, and “Neo Pharaonic”, as these terms speak to the ancient Egyptian themes that his work centres upon, and his contemporary, and I must say quite striking take on Egyptian themes. This is the second part of this two-part interview, so be sure to head over and check out part one, which deals with Setken’s background and how he arrived at his Kemetic subjects. Or alternatively, dive into this episode, which focuses on the artwork almost exclusively. Links to paintings we discuss are available in the show notes.  I should mention that this was the very first remote ie skype interview that I attempted, and there were a couple of technical glitches. This resulted in my voice having to be cleaned and amplified digitally, so I apologise both to you, the listener and most deeply to Setken, for the audio quality on my side, but thankfully this did not affect Setken’s voice quality. Enjoy!    Where to find Setken Website - www.setken.com Facebook page - @The Art Of Setken Twitter - @wingedphysique Insta - @setken     A collection of Setken’s Recent Art https://www.setken.com/recent-works   Why do testicles freeze in cold weather? https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/questions/why-do-male-private-parts-shrink-cold-weather   ‘Cleopatra’s Needles’ (ancient Egyptian Obelisks) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra%27s_Needle   Setken Painting: This Has All Happened Before and This Will All Happen Again http://setkenblog.blogspot.com/2015/09/this-has-all-happened-before-and-this.html   Kemetic Orthodoxy http://www.kemet.org/about   Setken Painting: Triple Sekhmet http://setkenblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/triple-sekhmet.html   Her Bak https://www.innertraditions.com/her-bak.html   Setken Painting: Material Immortality http://setkenblog.blogspot.com/2015/05/material-immortality.html   The Temple of Set https://www.xeper.org/   E.A Wallis Budge. The Gods of the Egyptians. Note chapter ‘miscellaneous gods’. https://archive.org/stream/godsofegyptianso02budg/godsofegyptianso02budg_djvu.txt   Jeremy Naydler’s Shamanic Wisdom in the Pyramid Texts https://www.innertraditions.com/author/jeremy-naydler/   Setken Painting Downloading Netjer (Approx 27 mins) http://setkenblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/downloading-netjer.html   Fetish Models https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fetish_model   Memorial I, II, and III: a triptych honouring the tomb of David Syme by Walter Butler http://setkenblog.blogspot.com/2018/02/memorial-i-ii-and-iii-triptych.html More on David Syme https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10331867.2003.10525174   Trajan’s Kiosk Philae https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trajan%27s_Kiosk   The Book of What is in the Underworld https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amduat    

Today’s guest will be familiar to anybody who’s a fan of Kemetic art or who happens to have seen the luscious artwork that graces the cover of my book, Profane Egyptologists (shameless plug!). Setken describes his paintings as “Nouveau Kemetic”, “Neo Kemetic”, and “Neo Pharaonic”, as these terms speak to the ancient Egyptian themes that his work centres upon, and his contemporary, and I must say quite striking take on those themes. But Setken wasn’t always an artist. Faced with a crossroads having been accepted into both the Centre For the Performing Arts (now the Helpmann Academy) as an actor, and simultaneously accepted into the Stanley Street School Of Art (now the South Australian School Of Art) as a visual artist setken chose the former, and began on the road to professional acting. But en route he also became Mr Fitness Australia champion, a personal trainer, and even a male striptease performer, before the realisation of a lifelong dream resulted in a trip to Egypt and the reemergence of his artistic urges. I’ve been a fan of Setken’s art for many years, which is why I chose it for the book cover, but his path to becoming an artist has been deeply varied and interesting. As a side note, I should mention that this was the very first remote skype interview that I attempted, and there were a couple of technical glitches. This resulted in my voice having to be cleaned and amplified digitally, so I apologise both to you, the listener and most deeply to Setken, for the audio quality on my side, but thankfully this did not affect Setken’s voice quality. So settle in for this two-parter as we explore the theatre of cruelty, shamanic initiations, and Kemetic art.   Where to find Setken Website - www.setken.com Facebook page - @The Art Of Setken Twitter - @wingedphysique Insta - @setken   Artwork https://www.setken.com   Antonin Artaud and the Theatre of Cruelty https://www.bl.uk/20th-century-literature/articles/antonin-artaud-and-the-theatre-of-cruelty   Charles Muses and The Lion Path https://www.scribd.com/doc/251335048/Charles-Muses-Lion-Path-Musaios   Schwaller deLubicz  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._A._Schwaller_de_Lubicz    

This week’s guest is a growing voice in historical fiction. Emily Holleman is the author of two books, Cleopatra’s Shadows and The Drowning King, both set in ancient Egypt during the reign of the last Ptolemaic rulers. However, her career was not always geared in that direction. With an interest in the systems and motivations behind peoples’ influences, perceptions and behaviours, Emily took a major in sociology before becoming an editor at high profile political news site Salon.com.  In her prose she shines a light on the ancient world which is both captivating and unflinching, painting a picture of Ptolemaic Egypt which could make even Game of Thrones look tame, and indeed her historical fiction has been called "the Game of Thrones of ancient Egypt…" . As a fan of her work, I’ve been looking forward to this interview for a very long time, and I encourage anybody with an interest in historical fiction to check out her work. Links are included below for your convenience.    Where to find Emily -  https://emilyholleman.com/ @emilyholleman    Cleopatra's Shadows http://a.co/0q5EaJ1   The Drowning King http://a.co/2PjdH0F    The Odyssey translated by Emily Wilson http://amzn.eu/9i5p11D    D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths by Ingri d'Aulaire et al. http://a.co/bPRrQcO   Ptolemaic Egypt https://www.ancient.eu/Ptolemaic_Dynasty/   Recommended/further reading  Antony and Cleopatra by Adrian Goldsworthy http://amzn.eu/4khI0Bv