São Paulo – The course Ancient Egyptian Civilization and its Culture, offered by Fundação Ema Klabin and covering aspects such as architecture, religion, everyday life and eating habits, will be taught by historian Cintia Gama in São Paulo from March 4 to June 24.
“We will cover different aspects of religion, like day-to-day religion and the funerary religion of the afterlife; sacred architecture and the day-to-day architecture, up until our days, including the pieces that are now in museums,” says Gama. In addition to being a historian, she holds a master’s in Archaeology and a doctorate in Ancient Egypt Religion from École Pratique des Hautes Études – Sorbonne, apart from being a former science adviser to the Department of Egyptian Antiquities at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
Gama notes that in Brazil, a major collection of Ancient Egypt items is available in Rio de Janeiro, at Fundação Eva Klabin, which is run by Ema’s sister. It comprises 49 items, including funerary statues, statues of gods, heads of statues, vases, etc.
Gama explains that strong emphasis is placed on religion in Ancient Egypt nowadays. She says the reason is that items related to the sacred were built to last, and still are, whereas objects intended for daily use are built with less durable materials. “The everyday objects get lost over time, so there are more of the sacred, religious items around now,” she explains.
Another interesting thing about Ancient Egypt is the fact that the pyramids were built by hired hands, not slaves. According to Gama, many of the workers who lived far from the central areas would migrate from time to time, so they could see new parts of the country and be closer to the government. These were the workers who’d build the temples.
Gama remarks that the pyramids were erected during the Old Empire era. “During the New Empire, the people were buried underground,” she says. And even though Egypt is famous for its pyramids, “there are more pyramids in Sudan than in Egypt,” the historian points out.
For more on Ancient Egypt, enroll for the course at http://emaklabin.org.br/civilizacao-egipcia-antiga-e-sua-cultura/.
Quick facts
Course – Ancient Egyptian Civilization and its Culture
March 4 to June 24
Fundação Ema Klabin
Rua Portugal, 43, Jardim Europa, São Paulo
Phone: +55 11 3897-3232
Price: BRL 410.00
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
