Kathyrn A. Bard | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Ph.D, M.F.A, B.F.A, B.A. |
| Alma mater | Connecticut College, University of Michigan,Yale University, University of Toronto |
| Occupation | Archaeologist |
Kathryn A. Bard is an American archaeologist and Egyptologist. She retired as a Professor Emerita of Archaeology and Classical Studies at Boston University.[1] She served as a co-director of the joint University of Naples “l’Orientale” and Boston University Excavations at Mersa/WadiGawasis, Egypt. She is known for her work in finding the evidence of sea trade of ancient Egyptians with the Land of Punt.
Early life and education[edit]
Kathryn A. Bard earned her PhD in Egyptian archaeology from the University of Toronto in 1987, following ab M.A. in Near and Middle Eastern studies from the University of Michigan. She has degrees from Yale University and Connecticut College in M.F.A and B.A respectively.[2]
Career[edit]
After her PhD, she joined Boston University as an assistant professor in the Department of Archaeology in 1988. She conducted major excavations in Egypt (Hu and Semaineh, Mersa/Wadi Gawasis) and Ethiopia (Aksum).[3] Her research involved studying the origin of complex societies in Northeast Africa and Red Sea trading networks in the Bronze Age.
She and her team unearthed the remains of elite tombs and palaces from the excavations of Aksum (1993 -2002). These excavations shed light on social divisions in the ancient Egyptian civilization, where the tombs of persons with high social status were built larger and richer than the rest of the tombs.[4] During her work in the 1990s in the region (just after the civil war ended), she used to wear T-shirts with the words "Don't shoot me, I am an archaeologist" in multiple languages.[5]
Her project in Aksum was cut short due to the escalation of the war in Ethiopia and Eritrea. She and her longtime collaborator Rodolfo Fattovich reached Egypt and began their excavations in Mersa Gawasis. They excavated eight caves in this ancient harbour. The caves were intentionally made as fossil coral shelters to protect valuables and well-preserved papyrus ropes. Due to the volatile nature of the caves, she and her team used robotic snakes to explore their interiors, in collaboration with CMU.[6]
The evidence of ancient ships from her excavations along the Red Sea coast unveiled the seagoing experience of ancient Egyptians. This also proved the existence of the fictional Land of Punt.[7] Her team recovered cargo boxes, in which there was an inscription "The wonders of Punt", which made it evident that the ancient Egyptians undertook sea trading with Punt. Her research also provided evidence of how the ships were built. They were built with planks so they could be disassembled and locked together plank by plank again.[8] Her work helped to identify the general location of Punt.
Awards and honors[edit]
Bard was elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2010.[9] She was also the recipient of the National Geographical Society's Chairman's Award for Exploration in 1998.[9]
Publications[edit]
Books[edit]
- Bard, Kathryn A. (2014). An introduction to the archaeology of Ancient Egypt (Second ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-0-470-67336-2.
- Bard, Kathryn A. (1994). From farmers to pharaohs: mortuary evidence for the rise of complex society in Egypt. Sheffield: Sheffield Acad. Press. ISBN 1-85075-387-3.
- Bard, Kathryn A.; Fattovich, Rodolfo (2018). Seafaring expeditions to Punt in the Middle Kingdom: excavations at Mersa/Wadi Gawasis, Egypt. Leiden ; Boston: Brill. doi:10.1111/1095-9270.12380. ISBN 978-90-04-37960-2.
Selected papers[edit]
Source: Kathryn A Bard's JSTOR Profile[10]
- Bard, Kathryn A. (1987). "The Geography of Excavated Predynastic Sites and the Rise of Complex Society". Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt. 24: 81–93. doi:10.2307/40000263. JSTOR 40000263.
- Bard, Kathryn A.; Fattovich, Rodolfo (2011). "The Middle Kingdom Red Sea Harbor at Mersa/Wadi Gawasis". Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt. 47: 105–129. ISSN 0065-9991. JSTOR 24555387.
- Bard, Kathryn A.; Fattovich, Rodolfo; Manzo, Andrea; Perlingieri, Cinzia (1997). "Archaeological Investigations at Bieta Giyorgis (Aksum), Ethiopia: 1993-1995 Field Seasons". Journal of Field Archaeology. 24 (4): 387–403. doi:10.2307/530673. JSTOR 530673.
- Bard, Kathryn A.; Fattovich, Rodolfo (March 2015). "Mersa/Wadi Gawasis and Ancient Egyptian Maritime Trade in the Red Sea". Near Eastern Archaeology. 78 (1): 4–11. doi:10.5615/neareastarch.78.1.0004.
References[edit]
- ^ "Kathryn A. Bard | Archaeology". Boston University. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ "Kathyrn A Bard Faculty CV" (PDF). Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ "Kathryn A. Bard". American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 14 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ "Artifact Trove at Egyptian Tomb Illuminates Life Before Pharaohs". National Geographic Adventure. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ "Egypt's Ancient Fleet: Lost for Thousands of Years, Discovered in a Desolate Cave". Discover Magazine. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ Dorminey, Bruce. "Robotic Snakes Slither Their Way Into Ancient Archaeology". Forbes. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ Hoare, Callum (9 June 2020). "How Egypt's mythical kingdom was uncovered in 'remarkable discovery'". Daily Express. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ "Ancient Mariners: Caves harbor view of early Egyptian sailors". Science News. 4 May 2005. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Kathryn A. Bard". American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 14 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ "Search results". JSTOR. Retrieved 14 May 2024.