Classical Studies and Ancient History

Next week's research seminar - all welcome!
Please note that this will be the final research seminar for semester 1

Nota bene! Next week (May 12th) we will be holding a professional development session for postgrads instead of a research seminar. Tuesday research seminars will resume on May 19th.

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Next week's seminar - all welcome!

Seminars resume on Tuesday! All welcome

Welcome to a new semester of research seminars held by Classics and Ancient History here at the University of Auckland. We are very pleased to feature an international guest and former graduate student of our department, Reuben G. Hutchinson-Wong (University of Birmingham), in Week 2.

An investment in place: added burials, time, and assemblage theory at Qubbet al-Hawā

In ancient Egypt, tombs usually functioned as the final resting place for a named individual. However, many tombs often received one or more newly deceased persons, many of whom are now nameless. Adjusting tombs for new burials marked continuous transformations of the tomb and reflected community involvement in the maintenance of these burial spaces and (re)invigoration of mortuary cults. In this paper, I examine the interplay between place and time through practices of added burial and mortuary cult within a joint assemblage: QH109 and QH110, two tombs that date to the late Old Kingdom and early First Intermediate Period, respectively. Using Deleuze and Guattari’s (1987) assemblage theory, I consider place and time as emergent and relational, arising from ongoing combinations of material and immaterial elements. QH109 and QH110 offer insight into different communities’ ongoing connection to place that arose from how time manifested for the ancient Egyptians. Iterative post-mortem interactions bundled added burial and mortuary cult together with time and place formation enabling communities to continually (re)articulate themselves. These practices reflected local choices and understandings. An assemblage theory approach shows that the tomb was never static or completed but rather reflected generative and relational connections for local communities and their emergent sense of place.

Location: Arts 1/Hums room 209 (Building 206-209) and on Zoom (please email Maxine Lewis for link)

Time: Tuesday 10th of March 2026 @ 4:00pm

After the talk you are welcome to join us for the reception, to be held in the Level 5 tearoom of the Humanities building.

Next week, we will have our final seminar of the year, with Assoc. Prof. Rebecca Phillipps and Dr. Josh Emmitt speaking on 'Making legacy data: The archiving of the URU Fayum Project'. Poster attached.
The talk will be at the usual time, 4-5pm in Arts 1/Hums room 203 (Building 206-203) and on Zoom. Reception on level 5 after.
all welcome!

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This week's seminar - hope to see you there!