STARS OF EGYPTOLOGY

Dr Emily Teeter is known to many for her numerous appearances in history documentaries over the years. Known as the research associate and curator at the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, she also served as a consultant for the Seattle Art Museum. In addition, Dr Teeter has written a wide range of books and and articles.

Dr Teeter received her PhD in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. We are proud to present a rare interview with someone I have admired for many years, so read and enjoy!

When did you first become interested in Egyptology?

When I was a kid, I went through the dinosaur/mummy phase. I had pretty much forgotten about it, but as an adult, my aunt reminded me I had an Egyptian Museum set up for the neighborhood kids. I suspect that was the result of seeing the original Tut show (the UNESCO tour) at the Seattle Art Museum. My mother was a docent and snuck me in because, as I recall, kids were not allowed. It is among the most vivid of my childhood memories. I still remember the gloves and the ankh-shaped candleholder.

What motivated you to become a professional Egyptologist, rather than an interested amateur?

In high school and college I was interested in history. I’ve always loved the challenge of research—to learn more and how historical facts connect. I knew I wanted to go to graduate school, and I wanted an academic career—not necessarily to teach, but to research and learn more.

What qualifications do you have?

I have a very good work ethic. I work hard. I read a lot. I think about what I read and try to make connections between the materials. As for academic credentials, I received a BA in history from the University of Washington in Seattle, and then I immediately went to the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute, which at the time was the center of the discipline. I received my PhD from the UC with a thesis on the presentation of Maat, which was more of an examination of the short, repetitive inscriptions that narrative offering scenes. I was able to show that there was a shift in their grammar in the Third Intermediate Period, which signaled a change in theology. The study was motivated by an interest in the nexus between religion and political ideology in ancient Egypt.

What type of character do you think a good Egyptologist should have? 

To be inquisitive. To ask questions, and to question the evidence and prior research, which is not much different than other academic fields. As for personal character, people in the field should be kind and helpful. This field is small and can be very competitive, and people should be respectful of their colleagues and help them rather than block them, which I’m afraid to say, does sometimes happen.

Your career at the Oriental Institute is a distinguished one. Can you explain a bit about what you did/do and what lessons you learned in that position?

My entire career at the Oriental Institute was spent in the museum, which was the place I wanted to be. I never envisioned myself as a professor. Early on, I taught some classes at the University of Washington and enjoyed it, and always enjoyed offering adult education classes later on, but my interest is in the artifacts and what they can tell us about the ancient Egyptians, and also research on Egyptian culture and life.

I loved doing installations of Egyptian material, and I am fortunate that I have been involved in a number of permanent ones throughout the US. I always enjoyed the very many temporary exhibits I have curated or consulted for too—coming up with a topic and a concept. All of this stems from my interest in interpreting ancient Egypt for the pubic—distilling the research down into something meaningful for the general interested audience. I also loved working collaboratively with the museum staff, the designers, conservators, registrars, and preparators, to make it all come together. Also in the museum world, you develop a very wide network of colleagues throughout the world who are working with their own collections. I loved corresponding about our respective objects, making those connections, and visiting other museums to see what their curators were doing. There is so much creativity in the museum world.

Among the most important lessons I learned working in museums was to be responsive. Don’t make people wait for answers and information. Appeal to, and satisfy the interest of the general public and the press. Be an advocate for the field, because it needs outside support. Also, check your work and ask for help when you need it, which sometimes can be hard to do. But it is important. Another lesson I learned: editors are your friends.

Do you have an upcoming project/ book in the pipeline, so to speak?

Yes, I have been asked to prepare a second edition of my Religion and Ritual in Ancient Egypt for Cambridge University Press. I really enjoyed writing that book, and now almost ten years later, I can go back, take a look at it and see what more can be said, what can be improved, and what be deleted to make it more useful and interesting. In addition to that, I continue to work on material excavated by the Oriental Institute at Medinet Habu, especially the stelae originally from, or at least commissioned by, people from Deir el Medina.  I have been giving thought to doing another volume of Medinet Habu material. It is important to get the finds from the site published. I am also the editor of The Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt. That part-time job takes a lot of my time, but I am enjoying it.

What advice would you give young people who want to become Egyptologists?

Read, read, read. Go to museums to acquaint yourself with the material culture. Learn to read (at least) French and German which are essential for academic research. Join a group devoted to Egypt, like the American Research Center in Egypt that has local chapters where you can meet and talk with others who are interested in Egypt. Volunteer at your local museum, even if there are no Egyptian objects in the collection. If you are able—go to Egypt to experience the scale, the colors, and materials, and the modern culture.

Thank you for a great interview! It is important to remember that hard work defines most success. Click on the links below for books you might like to read and enjoy the Oriental Institute lecture!

Religion and Ritual in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt: Treasures from the Collection of the Oriental Institute (Oriental Institute Museum Publications) Paperback – October 30, 2003