Orange County ARCE (American Research Center Egypt)

07/20/2026

Hi Everyone! We've MOVED! You can find our new page here https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61592110165013

Make sure to follow us on Instagram, too!

Our new social media pages will have all the up to date information about our monthly lectures, special events, and exciting Egypt announcements!

The Orange County Chapter of the American Research Center in Egypt
Your premier source for Egyptology in Southern California
Not a member? Join today and select ARCE-OC as your chapter affiliation - https://arce.org/

09/13/2025

Sign up to view our lecture online!

PURCHASE ONSITE TICKETS SATURDAY | SEPTEMBER 13 | 1:30 – 3:30 PM NORMA KERSHAW AUDITORIUM | LECTURE Presented by Dr. Stuart Tyson Smith, Professor of Anthropology at the University of California,...

07/12/2025

Please join us for our Lecture Saturday, July 12!
SATURDAY | JULY 12 | 1:30 – 3:30 PM
NORMA KERSHAW AUDITORIUM | LECTURE

Dr. Kate Liszka, a Professor of History and the Pamela and Benson Harer Fellow specializing in Egyptology at California State University, San Bernardino will present.
Topic: Who’s Getting Amethyst in Ancient Egypt?

Discover how ancient Egypt’s obsession with amethyst—once more precious than gold—sparked royal expeditions, secret trade routes, and desert intrigue. This lecture uncovers how the prized gemstone shaped power, prestige, and resistance during the Middle Kingdom.

4,000 years ago, amethyst was extremely rare and precious. Throughout most of the Middle Kingdom (c. 2000-1700 BCE), the pharaoh commissioned expeditions of over 1,000 people to mine amethyst at Wadi el-Hudi and Dihmit South. Soldiers guarded the workers constantly. Bureaucrats tracked every piece of raw amethyst. Prospectors sought out veins of amethyst nearby. Donkey caravans of raw amethyst were sent to the pharaoh’s treasury and turned into breathtaking jewelry. The pharaoh then gifted these objects of prestige to his family, courtiers, and international allies. However, the pharaoh’s expeditions did not control a monopoly over amethyst mining. Other groups of people including pastoral nomads and Nubians mined amethyst directly. Site 21 was mined frequently by various groups of desert Nubians. Their amethyst entered an informal economy and made their way into the tombs of non-elites. Amethyst was so important it was worth sneaking around the Egyptian state to acquire it.

Ticketed Onsite Event: Free for Bowers and ARCE Members | General $15

Recorded Online Screening: Free for Bowers and ARCE Members | General $10 | Online version will be emailed to ticketholders one week after the onsite event.
https://www.bowers.org/index.php/programs/talks/arce-who’s-getting-amethyst-in-ancient-egypt

PURCHASE TICKETS SATURDAY | JULY 12 | 1:30 – 3:30 PM NORMA KERSHAW AUDITORIUM | LECTURE Presented by Dr. Kate Liszka, a Professor of History and the Pamela and Benson Harer Fellow specializing in...

05/28/2025

We hope you can join us for our next lecture!

Saturday, June, 7, 2025, 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM PST
Dr. Luiza Osorio G. Silva (University of California, Irvine)

Topic: "Beyond Royal Sources: Contextualizing Middle Kingdom Kingship"

Sponsored by: Eleanor Migues and Robin Pasqual

More Information:

05/16/2025

Fascinating !
https://fb.watch/zDsnj_UuJM/?mibextid=wwXIfr&fs=e

05/03/2025

Join us today at the Bowers Museum!

“The Valley of the Kings: Research and Discoveries in Several of the Lesser- known Tombs"
Dr. Donald Ryan (Pacific Lutheran University)
Lecture: May 3, 2025 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m
Ticketed Onsite Event: Free for Bowers and ARCE Members | General $15
Recorded Online Screening: Not Available

Register or for more information:

PURCHASE TICKETS SATURDAY | MAY 3 | 1:30 – 3:30 PM NORMA KERSHAW AUDITORIUM | LECTURE Presented by Dr. Donald P. Ryan, Fellow of both the Explorers Club and the Royal Geographical Society, and an...

02/24/2025

02/04/2025

Dear ARCE-OC Members and followers:

This Saturday, February 8, 2025 our Chapter will hold the Annual Membership Meeting and Board Election at the start of our monthly 1:30 PM lecture at the Bowers Museum, in Santa Ana, CA. Members will be asked to vote on Board members and officers. The first official notification of the election was sent via email on January 3.

Please join us in person for the election and to hear Alison Wilkinson’s presentation on “Women’s Rights in Marriage and Divorce in Ancient Egypt,” sponsored by Dr. Kara Cooney.

We need a quorum of ARCE Members to validate the election. We can check your membership status at our welcome table or email us.

To begin or renew a membership at any time visit https://arce.org/membership/

Thank you and hope to see you Saturday!

ARCE OC Board

Below is the proposed slate of members and officers as of February 1, 2025, subject to revision.

Board Member Nominees
Carole Cherchian
Ian Chou
Eva Kirsch
Christina Nelson
Luiza Osorio G. Silva
Ken Ragland
Adina Savin

Officer Nominees
Diane Hagner, Vice President
Marissa Stevens, Secretary
Theri Todd, Treasurer
Laraine Turk, President

Nominations from the floor can be accepted at the meeting if the nominee has announced their agreement to the Board, as per the ARCE-OC Bylaws:

ARCE-OC Bylaws IV.7
Nomination from the Floor. Members may offer nominations from the floor
at the annual meeting of the corporation for the election of those members of the Board
who are to be elected by the Members, provided that each nominee affirms to the
secretary at or prior to the annual meeting of Members their willingness and
qualifications to serve on the Board and/or an officer position.

01/11/2025

Dear ARCE-OC Members and Email subscribers:

We want to alert you to a slight change in Saturday’s ARCE-OC lecture, "The Amarna Royal Family and Modern Genetic Testing," by Diane Hagner. Diane cannot attend in person as originally intended, so her lecture will be shown in Zoom broadcast format. The broadcast will only be to the Bowers Museum in the Norma Kershaw Auditorium, but will be recorded as usual for
those who register through the Bowers Museum for the recorded version.
https://www.bowers.org/programs/talks/arce-the-amarna-royal-family-and-modern-genetic-testing-with-diane-mueller-hagner

All of the usual ARCE-OC activities will be in place onsite at the Museum, including the Welcome Table (where you may check your ARCE membership status), and the opportunity drawing for a number of Amarna era-related prizes. Everyone at the lecture receives a drawing ticket, and additional tickets may be purchased at $1 each or 6 for $5 as an assistive fund-raiser for ARCE-
OC.

We hope to see you on Saturday!

2024 Board of Directors, ARCE Orange County Chapter
Dr. Laraine Turk, President
Diane Hagner, Vice President
Carole Cherchian, Treasurer
Theriault Todd, Assistant Treasurer
Dr. Marissa Stevens, Secretary/Programs
Ian Chou, Member
Eva Kirsch, Member
Christina Nelson, Member
Adina Savin, Member

PROGRAM UPDATE: Please note that the speaker cannot attend in person as originally intended, so her lecture will be shown in Zoom broadcast format. The broadcast will only be to the Bowers Museum...