Feb. 20 Lecture Will Illustrate Work on Egyptian Temple
For release: February 13, 2004
For press information, contact Gabrielle Maxey

The Institute of Egyptian Art and Archaeology at the University of Memphis will present an illustrated lecture on the Great Hypostyle Hall Project at Karnak Friday, Feb. 20, in the Mitchell Hall auditorium. A reception will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the lecture at 7. The public is invited to the free event.

Dr. Peter J. Brand, director of the Karnak Hypostyle Hall Project and an assistant professor of history at the U of M, will give an illustrated talk on his work at the temple of Amun-Re at Karnak, Egypt.

Covering an area of 7,200 square yards, the Great Hypostyle Hall is one of the most spectacular monuments of ancient Egypt. After surviving for more than 3,000 years, the Hall's unique inscriptions are rapidly decaying due to infiltration of salt-laden groundwater into the temple's walls. The moisture is causing many of these important reliefs to deteriorate.

The Project is using physical conservation methods to stop further damage to the monument and is working to produce a complete archival record of the reliefs and inscriptions for future study.

For more information, call the IEAA at 678-2555.

More News Releases