2019 Patrons' Awards announced

Thanks to donations from our Patron supporters, the Society will be supporting the research projects of two UK-based PhD students over the next year. This year, applications were invited to support research trips, conference attendance, or fieldwork experience. The two successful candidates demonstrated the impact of their work in short videos and a 500-word case for support and were chosen by EES representatives and Patrons in November 2019. 

Megan Clarke (University of Liverpool) is considering the iconography, identity, archaeological context, function, and modern reception of ancient Egyptian paddle dolls for her PhD research. To complete this task, the Award will assist in Megan’s international travel to museum collections outside of the UK in order to complete a study of paddle dolls from across the globe. Megan’s research could make a real difference to the way in which material culture of the Middle Kingdom, and more specifically of figurine types from this period, is viewed. Previous studies have failed to incorporate all the data and make vital cross comparisons across the archaeological record, resulting in an obscured picture with no clear conclusions or research breakthroughs. The 2019 Patrons’ Award will provide the means to complete this corpus.

Amanda Ford Spora (University College London) will use the Award to explore relationships between people and objects of ancient Sudan and Egypt using digitally produced replicas by ThinkSee3D. Funds will be used to donate a set of replica shabtis of the Napatan Period to the National Corporation of Antiquities and Museums (NCAM) in Sudan to enable engagement and education. Remaining funds will assist with an exhibition to be held at the Petrie Museum of Egyptian and Sudanese Archaeology (UCL), particularly for generating bilingual (Arabic and English) text throughout the exhibition, on related signage, in the exhibition booklet, and as digital content on the Petrie Museum App.

We wish them both the best of luck for their research trips, from which we will be hearing soon. Stay tuned!

How can you support work like this?

There are several ways for you to support ongoing research in Egyptology through the Egypt Exploration Society. You might consider joining our Patron Giving Circle, which directly funds the Patrons' Awards, or you might consider donating to our Research Fund. This fund is specifically set up to support research (including excavation, survey, museum/archive-based, etc).