“Ancient Egyptian and Nubian Leather Technology” Lucy Skinner, 3rd February 2019

Click here to download the review of this meeting.

The technology of skin processing in Egypt and Nubia during the Pharaonic era (c.3000-30BC) is not well understood, nor whether it was a craft ascribed to a particular population group or region.

Lucy Skinner’s PhD project builds upon our understanding of leather science and existing archaeological and ethnographic evidence, using a scientific and experimental approach to reconstruct ancient tanning technology and this is the subject of her talk.

Lucy-Anne Skinner is an archaeological conservator and organic materials specialist, currently carrying out a PhD on the topic of ancient Egyptian and Nubian skin-processing, at the British Museum and the Institute of Creative Leather Technology, University of Northampton. Lucy has worked for over ten years as a conservator of archaeological and historic leather and other organic materials, in Egypt, Sudan, Norway, Antarctica and in the UK and is interested in improving the understanding of leather and skin processing methods and deterioration mechanisms and how these may be related to each other. In 2018 Lucy was featured in the National Geographic and Channel 5 documentary, ‘Secrets of Tutankhamun’s treasures’ talking about the young pharaoh’s leather armour.

This talk was given at the February 2019 meeting of the Essex Egyptology Group, which was held at 3pm GMT on 3rd February 2019 – click here to download the review of this meeting.