STARS OF EGYPTOLOGY
Arguably the most famous Egyptologist in the world, Bob Brier is nicknamed ”Mr Mummy” for a project which made history. That’s right! The first person in two thousand years to mummify a human cadaver in the Egyptian style, it put him on the map. But there is much more to one of the world’s top mummy experts and Egyptologists, as you will find out in the interview. And for those of you wishing to become Egyptologists, there are helpful tips below.
When did you first develop your interest in ancient Egypt?
My real interest in Egyptology began after my formal education. I was in my twenties, playing in a basketball tournament when I injured both my knees. This required surgery and long periods with my legs in casts. I always liked languages and someone gave me a copy of Sir Alan Gardiner’s Egyptian Grammar to amuse myself with. So, for eight hours a day I taught myself hieroglyphs and really loved it. When the casts came off, I could translate a bit and soon my university asked me to teach a course in Middle Egyptian in the Foreign Language Department. I did and one class was so into it that they convinced me to take them on a study tour to Egypt. That was 1974, and we had a great time. From then on I knew that Egyptology was for me.
What qualifications do you hold?
I like to say I have no qualifications, at least not formal ones. I have a degree in English and a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Science, and also attended medical school, which is how I became interested in mummies.
My understanding is that you won the Fulbright Scholarship not once, but twice. Is that correct?
Yes, I was lucky enough to be awarded two Fulbrights – one to Israel and one to Turkey.
Where do you teach? How did you manage to become both the Head of Philosophy and Head of Egyptology at your university?
For forty years I taught at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University. I was Chairman of the Philosophy Department, but also taught Egyptological subjects in other departments – Middle Egyptian in foreign Languages, etc. Now I am a Senior Research Fellow there. (I just do research.) I currently teach at the Webb Institute, which is an amazing school for young people who want to be naval architects. I teach Egyptology there, which is one of their few electives.
You are famously dubbed ”Mr Mummy” for being the first person to mummify a cadaver in the Egyptian style in over two thousand years. Can you explain a bit about what led you commence this project? Why do you think people remember this fact about you?
I am not sure if I really am ”Mr. Mummy”. When I performed the mummification, National Geographic did a television special on it and titled it “Mr. Mummy.” We have never been sure if the “Mr. Mummy” referred to me or to the mummy. If it were me, I suspect they would have said “Dr. Mummy.” Anyway, that’s how the title came about.
The project began when I was writing my book “Egyptian Mummies.” I tried to visualise a mummification in detail. It was then that I realized that there were many, many things we didn’t know about the process and also that much of what was being said was wrong. How much natron does it take? If the idea is to dehydrate the body quickly, do you drain the blood? Can you get a liver, the largest internal organ, out through a three -inch incision? At that point I felt the only way to answer many of these questions was to do a mummification.
I think people remember this project because of the National Geographic TV special. You don’t usually see anatomical procedures on TV, and it stuck with people. Nat. Geo. did a very good job with the documentary. It was one of their “Best Documentaries of the Decade” and people remember it. I was very fortunate in that project to be working with my friend and colleague Ronn Wade. He was Director of the State Anatomy Board at Maryland and did the hardest part. I took out the brain, internal organs, etc., but the most difficult part was removing the lungs while leaving the heart intact – all through a three-inch incision while working blind. I have big hands which made it even more difficult. Ronn took over and did it perfectly. I think that for television purposes it was easier to present it as one person’s quest for knowledge. I could never have done it without Ronn and I don’t think he ever got all the credit he deserves.
https://clinical-anatomy.org/Ronald_S._Wade
”The Teaching Company” lecture series on ancient Egypt is still watched by enthusiastic audiences worldwide. Can you explain a bit about this project?
My Teaching Company lecture series “History of Ancient Egypt” started with a Tutankhamen lecture I gave at the Smithsonian twenty years ago. Someone from the company heard the lecture and about a week later I received a call from the president of the company, Tom Rollins, asking if he could come to New York to talk about my doing a course for them. We decided to do the forty-eight part lecture series and it has been quite successful. It was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. We scheduled the taping well in advance, and when the time came around I was going to have to be in Egypt a couple of weeks after we began, so I had to tape six lectures each day!
Because Egyptian history doesn’t change much, the course is still as relevant today as it was twenty years ago and still sells about the same! One of the wonderful spin-offs of doing the series is that many of the Egyptian guides used it as part of their training. I realised this when one day when I was guiding a group at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. I always start with the Sneferu Stela in the courtyard. It is important history, but there is never anyone there. This time a local guide had his group there and was explaining it just the way I had it in my lecture. Soon I saw more and more guides there, and thought that was just great.
About ten years ago I was asked to give a lecture to the Egyptian Guides Syndicate (Union) in Luxor. Some of the guides started reciting things I said in the lectures! It was very rewarding to hear, and a benefit of doing the series I had never imagined.
Your wife, Pat Remler once said it was important for you to constantly have new projects. Would you say this is true of your character?
It does seem as if I always have new projects. While mummies are my specialty, I like to step out of my comfort zone once in a while. I learn new things and that is always exciting, like when I worked with Jean-Pierre Houdin on the Great Pyramid internal ramp theory. That was great fun and I learned a lot. Right now, I am working on the Cheops Boat; the one in the museum next to the Great Pyramid. We don’t really know what it was used for, so at the Webb Institute we tested a seven-foot model in their tank used to test ship designs before they are built. We learned a lot and are now discussing the possibility of building a full-scale replica and putting it on the Nile.
Do you have a favourite book on ancient Egypt?
I have several “favourite books”. Thirty years ago, when a new book on Egyptology came out it was a big deal. Now you can’t keep up with the literature, so we are very lucky to have so much to select from. Right now I am rereading Harry James’ biography of Howard Carter. It’s more than a biography, it is practically a history of Egyptology. Harry was one of the Great Ones. His specialty was translation, but he seemed to know everything. He also made wonderful jams and gave them to his friends. We all miss him. But I digress. You ask about books. Another wonderful book is Dieter Arnold’s “Building in Egypt.” It’s an encyclopedia that is readable! It is amazing how much Dieter knows about the nuts and bolts of building.
A really fun read that not many people know about is Joseph Lindon Smith’s “Tombs, Temples & Ancient Art.” He was present at many of the great discoveries and gives wonderful accounts. They are not always accurate, but make great reading. One last favourite is “The Healing Hand” by Guido Manjo. A masterful work on ancient medicine, specifically wound treatment, that is not as well known as it deserves.
Finally, how important is it for young budding Egyptologists to gain qualifications?
I think for budding Egyptologists it is very important to get a good education, not just in Egyptology. Learn languages. Sure, ancient Egyptian, but also French and German, so you can read other scholars’ works. Greek won’t hurt either. A broad education is always helpful.
Bob Brier’s books are available on Amazon. I highly recommend ”The History of Ancient Egypt” DVD courses from The Teaching Company.
The History of Ancient Egypt ( https://www.amazon.com/The-History-of-Ancient-Egypt/dp/B00DTO53ME/ )
