The year 2008–9 has been one of mixed fortunes for the Society. We have enjoyed a superb programme of lectures which have embraced a typically wide range of topics and periods of Egyptian history. Egyptian science and technology were represented by lectures on Ancient Egyptian pharmacy and quarrying techniques in the Eastern Desert, and social history featured particularly strongly with discussions of ethnicity, domestic life, and concepts of divinity and divine action. Historical topics were also covered with talks on the Saite period and Egyptian warfare; archaeological research was represented by a lecture on recent work in the South Assassif Necropolis; and the environment of Egyptian civilization featured in a lecture on the raptors of Ancient Egypt. This is already a rich bill of fare, but it was supplemented by a number of other good things in the form of study days and evening courses: on 29 November Aidan Dodson led a session on the Ramesside period, and Celia Henderson discussed relations between Ancient Egypt and the Aegean on 9 May whilst the university evening courses ranged through the Middle Kingdom (Paul Whelan), Tutankhamun (Beth Asbury), and the study of hieroglyphs (Nick West), the latter programmes representing the Society’s final courses directly with the university due to changes in funding regimes, although course provision will continue under TVAES’s own organization.
We can also congratulate ourselves on the TVAES Fund Raising Day held on 9 July on behalf of Professor Barry Kemp’s Amarna Trust which generated the princely sum of £2000. However, perhaps the great event of the year was our celebration of 15 years of success on 13 June the high spot of which was a competition focused on the photographic work based on visits to Egypt by a large number of our members. The standard was extremely high and caused the judges much anguish in making a choice, but the display in itself gave much pleasure to the large number of members of the society who were present. The event was rounded off with a splendid buffet the central feature of which was two thoroughly Egyptologized birthday cakes which were devoured with great gusto.
The year was not, however, a year of unalloyed good things. Inevitably the passing of our dear friend Philip Wickens in November of last year cast a shadow over our proceedings. He was the guiding spirit in the foundation of the Society in 1994, and he did more than anyone to fulfil its aims ‘to promote the study and public dissemination of the culture, religion, art, language, life and death in Ancient Egypt’. His commitment, energy, wide-ranging interests, and capacity to get things done made the Society one of the most successful of its kind in the country, and he is sorely missed. Nevertheless, we shall remember with gratitude not only his devotion to the subject but his warmth, humour, and friendly manner which contributed so much to the ethos of the Thames Valley Ancient Egypt Society.
Alan B Lloyd
Looking back, 2008-2009 has certainly been an eventful year for the society with both triumphs and challenges. In November we lost after a courageous but increasingly difficult struggle with cancer our Honorary Secretary Philip Wickens whom we will remember annually with the Philip Wickens memorial lecture. We have also witnessed the demise of the routine provision of the Reading University Continuing Education department changing an aspect of the society’s provision that dates back almost to its inception. However it is a sign of our strength as a society that we have not only overcome these difficulties but we have flourished. In addition to a well attended lecture programme, thanks to the ground laid by Philip, the society organized and ran its first ever Study Tour to Sudan, something few if any local Ancient Egypt societies have ever achieved. The summer saw the combined power of many committee members to organize and run a series of quite special events, from our 15th anniversary party in June, to best attended ever study day raising £2000 for the Amarna Trust in July to a most delightful summer outing to the Bournemouth Natural Science Society and Kingston Lacy in August. Alongside these activities a strong membership, solid attendance and the amazing contribution of the TVAES Store have established the society on a sound financial footing for future years. Finally I would like to thank both the committee and the membership as a whole for their support as I have transitioned into the Chairman’s role this year.
Outlook for 2009-2010
We start the new academic year with a full series of lectures in place, I hope we can continue to provide both quality and variety in our programme, and this year we have slightly widened the net inviting Professor Olaf Kaper from Leiden for our October lecture. For the first year in lieu of the former Reading University provision we have organized our own series of evening classes and study days, as well as widening our geographic reach through cooperation with 3rd Party events in Oxford and Newbury. We are also planning local outings in this year and a major Middle Egypt Study Tour in late 2010 of which more news will follow later in the year. The success of all these endeavours, the continued growth of the society and the contribution we can make to Egyptology as a whole depends almost entirely on the participation of the membership. With the removal of Reading University as a key recruiting ground for the society it will be all the more important that all of us who enjoy TVAES activities also market and evangelize the society to our friends and family. In some ways we may wish for a calmer year in 2009-2010, but I trust no less a successful year for that.
John Billman
It is only because of the sad passing of Philip Wickens that I stand here to give the Secretary’s report. Philip’s death left us extremely saddened. But, life has to go on. Philip had a vision for the Society and the committee has worked hard to ensure that the vision was fulfilled – that the Society would be one that others would look to as being a role model for success. My report will concentrate in the main on aspects not covered in those of the President or Chairman.
During 2008-2009, as well as the Sudan trip, two Society day trips were organised, Beth Asbury organised the first to the Ashmolean Museum in December 2008 just before it closed for refurbishment and members were able to suggest how the Egyptian galleries could be improved. The Griffiths Institute was also visited. In August Gill Holmes organised a most enjoyable visit to the Bournemouth Natural Sciences Society and to Kingston Lacy.
The Fifteenth Anniversary celebrations in June 2009: This was extremely successful. Much hard work went into organising the event and whilst the whole committee was involved, I think it pertinent to thank Julia Harris for organising the two wonderful cakes one depicting the marsh hunting scene from the tomb of Nebamun and the second the mask of Tutankhamun. Also I think a special thank you to Jane Ledger and Griselda Truscott-Wicks is in order for arranging the food, which was excellent. However, despite what the committee did, it was you the members who ensured the day’s success. As you have already heard The Amarna Study Day led by Barry Kemp was a huge success, with over 100 people attending. Gill Holmes must be congratulated on organising the event at the Oakwood centre, a new venue for us.
Membership: I am pleased to be able to announce that we have 14 new members this year. We are always looking at ways of publicising the Society so if any of you have any ideas, please let a committee member know. I would also like to hear from new members whether they think we should be doing anything more to make them feel welcome. However, I think at this point, I should mention the tragic death of one of our members, Rosina Tillyer. Many of you will have known Rosina as she was a member of the Society for many years. Her death was a great shock.
Venue: I know there have been comments about this venue. We have looked at other possible venues (the two universities, 4 schools and RISC) but very often the costs were prohibitive and if not, transport or parking facilities were poor, or they have long-term bookings on Saturdays. Thus, despite its drawbacks, this venue presents the best option for us. By staying here we are able to continue to put on study days and to continue to have a full programme including occasionally to have an expert speaker from abroad. As you know, the Society has also organised evening classes to take place in 2009-2010 at the RISC Centre in London Street to take the place of those that would normally have been run by the University.
Interaction: We want to be an interactive society so any suggestions on improving meetings, for competitions in the future would be most welcome. We are going to run a competition for a new logo since there has been confusion over the meaning of the present one. The winning logo will be chosen by you, the members. The Chairman will say more on that later.
Newsletter: There have been two issues of the Newsletter this year that I have edited. I am very grateful to all those who have contributed. However, if any of you would like to write an article with an ancient Egyptian theme, it would be most welcome because it is your Newsletter.
Finally, I would like to thank the officers and Committee members for all their hard work and support this year; I would also like to extend a warm thank you to Malcolm Butler, our webmaster, who constantly has to deal the many demands to keep the website up to date. He does an excellent job. Lastly, I would like to thank you, the members, because without you, there would be no Society.
Gill Woods
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Where appropriate the Society would like to supplement postal mailings by making increased use of electronic communication. Whilst recognizing that some members do not have email access, this would have enabled us for example to rapidly communicate to many members advance notice of the extra event on September 8th. To facilitate future communication and initiatives, the Society is looking to build a current and more comprehensive list of members email addresses as current email records are incomplete or outdated.
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