Egyptological histories have often focussed on the scientific heroism of archaeologists.

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Antiquity-dealing-business on a large scale. The Business of Egyptian Archaeology and the Antiquities Trade 1880-1939

Egyptological histories have often focussed on the scientific heroism of archaeologists, obscuring the reality that many of these same heroes were also highly active in the antiquities market, buying, and selling objects freely. Their symbiotic work in excavations and on the market supplied a vast quantity of objects to museums and collectors across the world, impacting what we see in collections today, and thus what is available for scholarly study. This lecture will discuss the results of research into the entanglement of archaeology and the market during the Egyptian antiquities rush 1880-1939. It takes three archaeologists as its focus, each of whom took part in British-led excavations in Egypt and Sudan, engaged in the antiquities market and helped build the collections of National Museums Scotland. They are Canadian collector-for-hire Charles Trick Currelly, the "business like" archaeologist John Garstang, and the so-called "father of Egyptian archaeology" Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie. It will explore some of their transactions as a way of examining the practices of these excavator-suppliers, and will discuss some of the narratives these men and their colleagues used to justify the commercial aspects of their work that may conform to 'dealing'.

Dr Dan Potter is Assistant Curator for Ancient Mediterranean and Africa at National Museums Scotland. He joined the Museum in 2016 to develop the 'Ancient Egypt Rediscovered' gallery which opened in 2019. He has since curated the National Museum Scotland touring exhibition 'Discovering Ancient Egypt' and completed a collections review of Egyptian material in Scottish museums in 2020. In 2022 he was awarded an AHRC research, development and engagement fellowship to study how archaeologists involved in British-led excavations engaged in the antiquities trade. This project was partnered with The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, The Egypt Exploration Society and The World Museum, Liverpool. His previous research has included Ramesside language, prospography, and the representation of ancient Egypt in comic books.

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