Tag: ancient Egypt
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Mummy ethics
THOMAS Pettigrew, a nineteenth-century surgeon and antiquarian, threw parties in London at which he unwrapped ancient Egyptian mummies for his guests’ titillation. Modern scanning technologies mean that the unwrapping can now happen virtually, without the destruction that accompanies the physical act. But the ethical question remains: can we both treat the mummy as an object…
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Could English ever die?
GIVEN that a staggering 1,500 languages could vanish by the end of this century, by some estimates – close to a quarter of the world’s total – some may find it obscene to even ask this question. English is certainly not on the endangered list. As the one truly global language, it is more often…
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Going viral
FIRST the pharaoh changed his name, from Amenhotep IV to Akhenaten. Then he decreed that a new capital should be built far away from the old one. And in this city, one god should be worshipped, forsaking all others: the sun god Aten… This article first appeared in New Scientist on 19 July 2022. To continue…