Welcome
This web site has been designed and created to share information on our local chapter for the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE).  Chicago has always been important to the archeological and cultural preservation of Egypt. Due in large part to The University of Chicago's Oriental Institute.

>>ARCE Chicago February Meeting Date: Saturday, February 6, 2010 Time: program at 5:00pm Place: The Oriental Institute, LaSalle Bank Room. 1155 East 58th Street, Chicago, 60637 Title of Lecture: What is Demotic and Why Write a Dictionary? Speaker: Janet H. Johnson Title/Position of Lecturer: The Morton D. Hull Distinguished Service Professor, Oriental Institute; Professor of Egyptology; Editor, The Chicago Demotic Dictionary Project Abstract or Summary of Presentation: Demotic is the highly cursive script that was used to write the Egyptian language from about 650 BC to the 5th century AD. In the last decades, the study of Demotic has been among the most dynamic aspects of Egyptology. Newly translated Demotic texts are adding tremendously to our knowledge of religious ritual, economic, social, and political systems, and literature. For many years, the only dictionary was a single volume published in 1954. Major advances in the translation of Demotic texts are due to the Oriental Institute’s compilation of a more complete dictionary based on a much greater number of texts that present more diverse vocabulary and orthography. This talk discusses the range of texts found in Demotic, and the purpose and status of the Chicago Demotic Dictionary. Lecturer Bio: Professor Jan Johnson studied Egyptology at the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute and has taught there since 1972. She is a specialist in the legal and social status of Egyptian women, in Egyptian grammar, and in the late stage of the Egyptian language and script known as Demotic. She is the author of a wide range of articles on grammar and on social history, and she is a pioneer in the application of computers to papyrology. She is also the author of the standard grammar of Demotic, “Thus Wrote 'Onchsheshonqy - An Introductory Grammar of Demotic”. Relevant Links: Project Web Site 'Onchsheshonqy - An Introductory Grammar of Demotic”   >>ARCE Chicago Mark your calendars for the next Chicago Chapter meetings: Saturday, March 13 Saturday, April 10 The Annual ARCE Meeting will be held in Oakland, April2 3-25 Saturday, May 1 >>ARCE Chicago March Meeting: Date: Saturday, March 13, 2010 Time: program at 5:00 Place: The Oriental Institute LaSalle Bank Room 1155 East 58th Street, Chicago, 60637 Title of Lecture: Aspects of the Ancient Egyptian Economy Speaker: Edward Castle Abstract or Summary of Presentation: It is commonly believed that the Egyptian economy was a purely redistributive system organized by the temples. But was there no role for private trade? If so, what form did it take? Did it function by barter or was there a means of valuation and exchange? In other words, did money play a part in the economy, and if so what form did it take? Speaker Bio: Edward Castle Graduated Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago 2001. He worked for the Epigraphic Survey of the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago from 1995 to 2001.   >>ARCE Chicago April Meeting: Date: Saturday, April 10, 2010 Time: program at 5:00 Place: The Oriental Institute LaSalle Bank Room 1155 East 58th Street, Chicago, 60637 Title of Lecture: Egyptology Graduate Student Mini-Symposium Join us to hear Egyptology graduate students talk about their most recent research as they prepare to present papers at the Annual Meeting of ARCE in Oakland. Not only do you get to hear it first, but the students will benefit from your questions and comments.