Prosopographia Taurinensia

Documentation, Study and Publication of Objects with Prosopographical Data

Prosopographia Taurinensia

Coordinator: Johannes Auenmüller

Team: Alessandro Girardi

The project aims to study and publish unpublished or little-known inscribed artefacts from the Museo Egizio collection, with particular attention to prosopographical data relating to individuals of the New Kingdom (1539–1077 BCE), with the future goal of creating a prosopographical database integrated into the Museum’s information system.

The project seeks to document, study and publish for the first time unpublished or little-known inscribed objects from the Museo Egizio collection bearing prosopographical data — names, titles, filiations, genealogies — relating to members of the elite of ancient Egypt, with particular focus on the New Kingdom. Among the identified objects are stelae from Hermopolis Magna, two fragmentary statues of viziers, model vessels associated with the mayor of Thebes Sennefer and his wife Senetnay, and a relief fragment of a vizier from the Late Period. In the long term, the project envisages the design and implementation of a prosopographical database integrated into SiME, which will collect all the data gathered from the analysis of the epigraphic objects in the Turin collection.

The study is based on traditional Egyptological methods, supported by advanced imaging techniques. Objects are identified through the systematic analysis of the collection (over 40,000 items), supported by comparison with scholarly literature and online museum databases, and are recorded through complete epigraphic documentation. When the state of preservation compromises the readability of texts and images, non-invasive imaging techniques are employed (RTI, 3D scanning, VIL – Visible Induced Luminescence for the identification of Egyptian blue pigment). The study of individual objects is also accompanied by the collection of all other known epigraphic evidence relating to the individuals mentioned, creating “prosopographical dossiers” that will feed into the future database.

The project has already produced two scientific articles published in the Rivista del Museo Egizio, dedicated respectively to the alabaster vessels of the princess Nebuemtekh (2023) and to the block statue of Neferhebef (2024). Further contributions on unpublished objects are in preparation, including the fragmentary statues of the viziers Amenemipet and Panehsy and two model vessels of Sennefer and Senetnay. By 2030, at least four scientific articles in international journals are planned, as well as the creation of a prosopographical database integrated into the Museum’s information system (SiME), which will systematically collect all individual data documented on the epigraphic artefacts of the Turin collection.

Links

Auenmüller, Johannes, “The ‘Lost’ Calcite Alabaster Vessels of Princess Nbw-m-tḫ in Turin (Cat. 3254 and 3255)”, Rivista del Museo Egizio 7 (2023); https://doi.org/10.29353/rime.2023.4797 https://doi.org/10.29353/rime.2023.4797

Girardi, Alessandro, “A Votive Gift for the God Amun: The Stelophorous Statue of Neferhebef (Turin Cat. 3025)”, Rivista del Museo Egizio 8 (2024); https://doi.org/10.29353/rime.2024.5828

Lecture “Ancient Egyptian viziers at Museo Egizio: personal encounters with the ‘prime ministers’ of the pharaonic state”, held on February 20, 2024: https://www.youtube.com/live/ViziersMuseoEgizio

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Prosopographia Taurinensia

Prosopographia Taurinensia

Visit

Events

Collection and research

Touring exhibitions

Who we are

Fondazione Trasparente

HR and tenders

Press