Why did a major Egyptian palace excavation remain unpublished for over a century?
In short: Archaeologist Clarence Fisher excavated Pharaoh Merenptah's ceremonial palace in Memphis between 1915 and 1920, yet his findings never reached the public. This lecture examines archival documents to reconstruct the history and appearance of this royal site, which is now being prepared for display at the Penn Museum.
Pharaoh Merenptah, who ruled from approximately 1213 to 1203 BCE, commissioned the palace complex as part of his coronation ceremonies at the Egyptian capital of Memphis. Despite the site's historical significance, the original excavation records remained largely unexamined for decades.
Collections Manager Kevin Cahail, Ph.D., leads this investigation into the 'cold case.' By analyzing Fisher's original photographs and documents, researchers are finally contextualizing the structure. The findings will soon anchor the Penn Museum's new Ancient Egypt and Nubia Galleries, offering a rare glimpse into the architecture of the era.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Palace of Pharaoh Merenptah: Examining an Archaeological “Cold Case”
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