The BA Antiquities Museum organizes a lecture titled "Egyptian-African Relations in Ancient Egypt" on Monday, 13 May 2019, at 12:00 pm at the BACC Meeting Room (C). The lecture is delivered by Dr. Abdel Hamid Saad Azab, Professor of Ancient Egyptian Archaeology and Civilization, Archaeology Department, Faculty of Arts, Tanta University, and former Dean of the High Institute of Tourism and Hotels in Hurghada.
The lecture delves into the Egyptian-African relations in ancient Egypt going back to pre-historic times and their effect on the Egyptian civilization in the Kingdom of Kush. The similarities between both civilizations were observed in different fields within the region where the advanced Ancient Egyptian civilization spread. Ancient Egyptians scoured Africa for ivory, wood, incense, animals, among others. They also made use of African gold mines and brought back products from the Kingdom of Kush, while safeguarding the Egyptian southern border. Archaeological proof lies in the tomb of Mekhuand his son Sabni in Qubbet el-Hawa on the western bank of the Nile in Aswan. The tomb dates back to the era of King Pepy II towards the end of the Old Kingdom. The inscriptions within the tomb detail Sabni's journey to collect the body of his dead father Mekhu who died in an earlier expedition in Africa as was attacked and slaughtered by its people, which prompted his son to retrieve for his father's body to give him a proper burial in Egypt as was the custom in Ancient Egypt.
Egyptian-African relations also manifested themselves in politics, as well as some influences on customs and traditions. The extent of trade relations between Egypt and Africa can be deduced from the various Egyptian goods found on the walls of the tombs of nobles, as well the tombs of the nobles in Aswan and Luxor. Queen Hatshepsut also undertook an expedition to Puntland to bring back gold, incense, tree seedlings, animals and other goods. Moreover, Egyptian-African relations continued to be diversified through artistic influences in the fields of engraving and sculpting.