Rebecca Krawiec
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195129434
- eISBN:
- 9780199834396
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195129431.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion in the Ancient World
Analyzes the evidence for the lives of women living in the White Monastery, located in upper Egypt, under its third abbot, Shenoute, who served from 385–464 c.e. Several of Shenoute's letters, which ...
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Analyzes the evidence for the lives of women living in the White Monastery, located in upper Egypt, under its third abbot, Shenoute, who served from 385–464 c.e. Several of Shenoute's letters, which were written in Coptic and survive in fragmentary form, address periods of conflict either between female monks or between the female community and Shenoute. As a result, they differ in genre from any other evidence of female monasticism in late antiquity and so present a unique corpus of material for investigation. A key issue pertains to Shenoute's efforts to establish his monastic authority over the women's community, which was physically separate from the men's, and the evidence for the women's acceptance and resistance to that expansion. I then argue that gender analysis reveals that Shenoute regarded his efforts as part of the creation of a universal monasticism, which had uniform requirements for male and female monks, including the controversial subject of corporal punishment. It simultaneously reveals, however, points of gender asymmetry, and so inequity, within monastic authority and practices, some promoted by Shenoute and some by the women themselves. Finally, Shenoute's use of the family as a model for the monastery helped him create kinship bonds among all monks, both those who had left their families and those who brought their relatives with them. Like gender, with which the family is intimately connected, this model also allows Shenoute to negotiate tensions and contradictions using egalitarian language while simultaneously constructing patriarchal authority.Less
Analyzes the evidence for the lives of women living in the White Monastery, located in upper Egypt, under its third abbot, Shenoute, who served from 385–464 c.e. Several of Shenoute's letters, which were written in Coptic and survive in fragmentary form, address periods of conflict either between female monks or between the female community and Shenoute. As a result, they differ in genre from any other evidence of female monasticism in late antiquity and so present a unique corpus of material for investigation. A key issue pertains to Shenoute's efforts to establish his monastic authority over the women's community, which was physically separate from the men's, and the evidence for the women's acceptance and resistance to that expansion. I then argue that gender analysis reveals that Shenoute regarded his efforts as part of the creation of a universal monasticism, which had uniform requirements for male and female monks, including the controversial subject of corporal punishment. It simultaneously reveals, however, points of gender asymmetry, and so inequity, within monastic authority and practices, some promoted by Shenoute and some by the women themselves. Finally, Shenoute's use of the family as a model for the monastery helped him create kinship bonds among all monks, both those who had left their families and those who brought their relatives with them. Like gender, with which the family is intimately connected, this model also allows Shenoute to negotiate tensions and contradictions using egalitarian language while simultaneously constructing patriarchal authority.
Gawdat Gabra and Hany N. Takla (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9789774167775
- eISBN:
- 9781617978203
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774167775.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
Christianity and monasticism have long flourished in the northern part of Upper Egypt and in the Nile Delta, from Beni Suef to the Mediterranean coast. The chapters in this volume, written by ...
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Christianity and monasticism have long flourished in the northern part of Upper Egypt and in the Nile Delta, from Beni Suef to the Mediterranean coast. The chapters in this volume, written by international specialists in Coptology, examine various aspects of Coptic civilization in northern Egypt over the past two millennia. The book presents a broad picture of Christianity and monasticism in terms of the history, literature, language, art and architecture, and people of these regions from the first century to the late twentieth century. The chapters explore Coptic art and archaeology, architecture, language, and literature. The artistic heritage of monastic sites in the region is highlighted, attesting to their important legacies.Less
Christianity and monasticism have long flourished in the northern part of Upper Egypt and in the Nile Delta, from Beni Suef to the Mediterranean coast. The chapters in this volume, written by international specialists in Coptology, examine various aspects of Coptic civilization in northern Egypt over the past two millennia. The book presents a broad picture of Christianity and monasticism in terms of the history, literature, language, art and architecture, and people of these regions from the first century to the late twentieth century. The chapters explore Coptic art and archaeology, architecture, language, and literature. The artistic heritage of monastic sites in the region is highlighted, attesting to their important legacies.
Stephen J. Davis
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199258628
- eISBN:
- 9780191718052
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199258628.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
This book is a study of ancient and medieval Christology. Employing a range of interdisciplinary methods derived from the fields of social history, discourse theory, ritual studies, and the visual ...
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This book is a study of ancient and medieval Christology. Employing a range of interdisciplinary methods derived from the fields of social history, discourse theory, ritual studies, and the visual arts, the book demonstrates how Christian identity in Egypt was shaped by a set of replicable ‘christological practices’. It traces the fascinating lines of the Coptic church's theological and cultural transition from late antiquity to Dar al-Islam. The book includes translations of Coptic and Arabic texts which allow non-specialists access to these important documents for the first time.Less
This book is a study of ancient and medieval Christology. Employing a range of interdisciplinary methods derived from the fields of social history, discourse theory, ritual studies, and the visual arts, the book demonstrates how Christian identity in Egypt was shaped by a set of replicable ‘christological practices’. It traces the fascinating lines of the Coptic church's theological and cultural transition from late antiquity to Dar al-Islam. The book includes translations of Coptic and Arabic texts which allow non-specialists access to these important documents for the first time.
Gawdat Gabra and Hany N. Takla (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9789774163111
- eISBN:
- 9781617970481
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774163111.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
Christianity and monasticism have flourished in Upper Egypt from as early as the fourth century until the present day. The contributors to this volume, international specialists in Coptology, examine ...
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Christianity and monasticism have flourished in Upper Egypt from as early as the fourth century until the present day. The contributors to this volume, international specialists in Coptology, examine various aspects of Coptic civilization along the Nile Valley, from Nag Hammadi (associated with the famous discovery of Gnostic papyri), through Luxor and Coptos, and south to Esna, over the past 1700 years, looking at Coptic religious history, tradition, language, heritage, and material culture in the region through texts, art, architecture, and archaeology.Less
Christianity and monasticism have flourished in Upper Egypt from as early as the fourth century until the present day. The contributors to this volume, international specialists in Coptology, examine various aspects of Coptic civilization along the Nile Valley, from Nag Hammadi (associated with the famous discovery of Gnostic papyri), through Luxor and Coptos, and south to Esna, over the past 1700 years, looking at Coptic religious history, tradition, language, heritage, and material culture in the region through texts, art, architecture, and archaeology.
Gawdat Gabra
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9789774248924
- eISBN:
- 9781617970443
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774248924.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
Christianity began in the large and fertile Fayoum Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert as early as the third century, and its presence has endured to the present day. This book, which constitutes a ...
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Christianity began in the large and fertile Fayoum Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert as early as the third century, and its presence has endured to the present day. This book, which constitutes a tribute to the scholarly work of the father of modern Coptology, Martin Krause, contains contributions on various aspects of Coptic civilization in Egypt's largest oasis over the past 1,800 years. The contributors are specialists in Coptology from Australia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, and the United States. A number of the studies included in the book deal with recent archaeological discoveries at Deir al-Banat, the early Christian graves in the necropolis at the eastern edge of the Fayoum, and the monastic settlements and medieval Coptic cemetery at Naqlun. Others provide thorough examinations of archaeological sites at Karanis, Tebtunis, and Naqlun. Chapters cover the rich Christian literary heritage in Greek, Coptic, and Arabic, and they touch on the famous Fayoum portraits and their influence on the production of Coptic icons, as well as on the medieval wall paintings at Naqlun and in textiles, metal objects, and basketry from the region.Less
Christianity began in the large and fertile Fayoum Oasis of Egypt's Western Desert as early as the third century, and its presence has endured to the present day. This book, which constitutes a tribute to the scholarly work of the father of modern Coptology, Martin Krause, contains contributions on various aspects of Coptic civilization in Egypt's largest oasis over the past 1,800 years. The contributors are specialists in Coptology from Australia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, and the United States. A number of the studies included in the book deal with recent archaeological discoveries at Deir al-Banat, the early Christian graves in the necropolis at the eastern edge of the Fayoum, and the monastic settlements and medieval Coptic cemetery at Naqlun. Others provide thorough examinations of archaeological sites at Karanis, Tebtunis, and Naqlun. Chapters cover the rich Christian literary heritage in Greek, Coptic, and Arabic, and they touch on the famous Fayoum portraits and their influence on the production of Coptic icons, as well as on the medieval wall paintings at Naqlun and in textiles, metal objects, and basketry from the region.
Kurt J. Werthmuller
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9789774163456
- eISBN:
- 9781617970238
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774163456.001.0001
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Middle Eastern Studies
Using the life and writings of Cyril III Ibn Laqlaq, 75th patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, along with a variety of Christian and Muslim chroniclers, this study explores the identity and ...
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Using the life and writings of Cyril III Ibn Laqlaq, 75th patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, along with a variety of Christian and Muslim chroniclers, this study explores the identity and context of the Christian community of Egypt and its relations with the leadership of the Ayyubid dynasty in the early thirteenth century. The book introduces new scholarship that illuminates the varied relationships between medieval Christians of Egypt and their Muslim neighbors. Demonstrating that the Coptic community was neither passive nor static, the book discusses the active role played by the Copts in the formation and evolution of their own identity within the wider political and societal context of this period. In particular, it examines the boundaries between Copts and the wider Egyptian society in the Ayyubid period in three “in-between spaces”: patriarchal authority, religious conversion, and monasticism.Less
Using the life and writings of Cyril III Ibn Laqlaq, 75th patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, along with a variety of Christian and Muslim chroniclers, this study explores the identity and context of the Christian community of Egypt and its relations with the leadership of the Ayyubid dynasty in the early thirteenth century. The book introduces new scholarship that illuminates the varied relationships between medieval Christians of Egypt and their Muslim neighbors. Demonstrating that the Coptic community was neither passive nor static, the book discusses the active role played by the Copts in the formation and evolution of their own identity within the wider political and societal context of this period. In particular, it examines the boundaries between Copts and the wider Egyptian society in the Ayyubid period in three “in-between spaces”: patriarchal authority, religious conversion, and monasticism.
Gawdat Gabra and Hany N. Takla (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9789774161223
- eISBN:
- 9781617970450
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774161223.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
Christianity and monasticism have flourished along the Nile Valley in the Sohag region of Upper Egypt from as early as the 4th century until the present day. Chapters examine various aspects of ...
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Christianity and monasticism have flourished along the Nile Valley in the Sohag region of Upper Egypt from as early as the 4th century until the present day. Chapters examine various aspects of Coptic civilization in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Sohag over the past 1700 years. Many of the studies center on the person and legacy of the great Coptic saint, Shenoute the Archimandrite (348–466 ce), looking at his preserved writings, his life, his place in Pachomian monasticism, his relations with the patriarchs in Alexandria, and the life in his monastic system. Other studies deal with the art, architecture, and archaeology of the two great monasteries that he founded, and the archaeological and artistic heritage of the region.Less
Christianity and monasticism have flourished along the Nile Valley in the Sohag region of Upper Egypt from as early as the 4th century until the present day. Chapters examine various aspects of Coptic civilization in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Sohag over the past 1700 years. Many of the studies center on the person and legacy of the great Coptic saint, Shenoute the Archimandrite (348–466 ce), looking at his preserved writings, his life, his place in Pachomian monasticism, his relations with the patriarchs in Alexandria, and the life in his monastic system. Other studies deal with the art, architecture, and archaeology of the two great monasteries that he founded, and the archaeological and artistic heritage of the region.
Maged S.A. Mikhail and Mark Moussa (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9789774162602
- eISBN:
- 9781617970474
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774162602.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
Wadi al-Natrun, a depression in the Western Desert of Egypt, is one of the most important centers for the development and continued thriving of the Coptic monastic tradition. Christianity and ...
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Wadi al-Natrun, a depression in the Western Desert of Egypt, is one of the most important centers for the development and continued thriving of the Coptic monastic tradition. Christianity and monasticism have prospered there from as early as the fourth century until the present day, when four major monasteries still flourish. In this book international specialists in Coptology examine various aspects of Coptic civilization in Wadi al-Natrun over the past 1,700 years. The studies center on aspects of the history and development of monasticism in Wadi al-Natrun, as well as the art, architecture, and archaeology of the four existing and numerous former monasteries of the region.Less
Wadi al-Natrun, a depression in the Western Desert of Egypt, is one of the most important centers for the development and continued thriving of the Coptic monastic tradition. Christianity and monasticism have prospered there from as early as the fourth century until the present day, when four major monasteries still flourish. In this book international specialists in Coptology examine various aspects of Coptic civilization in Wadi al-Natrun over the past 1,700 years. The studies center on aspects of the history and development of monasticism in Wadi al-Natrun, as well as the art, architecture, and archaeology of the four existing and numerous former monasteries of the region.
Samir Simaika and Nevine Henein
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9789774168239
- eISBN:
- 9781617978265
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774168239.001.0001
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Historical Archaeology
Marcus Pasha Simaika (1864–1944) was born to a prominent Coptic family on the eve of the inauguration of the Suez Canal and the British occupation of Egypt. From a young age he developed a passion ...
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Marcus Pasha Simaika (1864–1944) was born to a prominent Coptic family on the eve of the inauguration of the Suez Canal and the British occupation of Egypt. From a young age he developed a passion for Coptic heritage and devoted his life to shedding light on centuries of Christian Egyptian history. His achievement lies in his role as a visionary administrator who used his status to pursue relentlessly his dream of founding a Coptic Museum and preserving endangered monuments. During his lengthy career—first as a civil servant, then as a legislator and member of the Coptic community council—Marcus Simaika maneuvered endlessly between the patriarch and the church hierarchy, the Coptic community council, the British authorities, and the government to bring them together in his fight to save Coptic heritage. This biography draws upon Simaika's unpublished memoirs as well as on other documents and photographs from the Simaika family archive to deepen our understanding of several important themes of modern Egyptian history: the development of Coptic archaeology and heritage studies, Egyptian–British interactions during the colonial and semi-colonial eras, shifting balances in the interaction of clergymen and the lay Coptic community, and the ever-sensitive evolution of relations between Copts and Muslims.Less
Marcus Pasha Simaika (1864–1944) was born to a prominent Coptic family on the eve of the inauguration of the Suez Canal and the British occupation of Egypt. From a young age he developed a passion for Coptic heritage and devoted his life to shedding light on centuries of Christian Egyptian history. His achievement lies in his role as a visionary administrator who used his status to pursue relentlessly his dream of founding a Coptic Museum and preserving endangered monuments. During his lengthy career—first as a civil servant, then as a legislator and member of the Coptic community council—Marcus Simaika maneuvered endlessly between the patriarch and the church hierarchy, the Coptic community council, the British authorities, and the government to bring them together in his fight to save Coptic heritage. This biography draws upon Simaika's unpublished memoirs as well as on other documents and photographs from the Simaika family archive to deepen our understanding of several important themes of modern Egyptian history: the development of Coptic archaeology and heritage studies, Egyptian–British interactions during the colonial and semi-colonial eras, shifting balances in the interaction of clergymen and the lay Coptic community, and the ever-sensitive evolution of relations between Copts and Muslims.
Christopher Tuckett
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199212132
- eISBN:
- 9780191705922
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199212132.003.0012
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter compares the Greek and Coptic texts. Any detailed comparison of the differences between the POxy 3525 fragment and the Coptic text in BG 8502 is difficult due to the fragmentary nature ...
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This chapter compares the Greek and Coptic texts. Any detailed comparison of the differences between the POxy 3525 fragment and the Coptic text in BG 8502 is difficult due to the fragmentary nature of the POxy text: at several points (not least in the reconstructions of the missing beginnings and ends of lines), one is heavily dependent on the Coptic text in reconstructing the lost parts of the Greek text. Thus, any Greek text reconstructed in this way will inevitably show close agreement with the Coptic. The differences between the PRyl and Coptic texts are more extensive than those between the POxy and Coptic texts. As with POxy 3525, it is highly unlikely that the PRyl fragment represents the Vorlage of the BG text (or of its immediate Coptic Vorlage).Less
This chapter compares the Greek and Coptic texts. Any detailed comparison of the differences between the POxy 3525 fragment and the Coptic text in BG 8502 is difficult due to the fragmentary nature of the POxy text: at several points (not least in the reconstructions of the missing beginnings and ends of lines), one is heavily dependent on the Coptic text in reconstructing the lost parts of the Greek text. Thus, any Greek text reconstructed in this way will inevitably show close agreement with the Coptic. The differences between the PRyl and Coptic texts are more extensive than those between the POxy and Coptic texts. As with POxy 3525, it is highly unlikely that the PRyl fragment represents the Vorlage of the BG text (or of its immediate Coptic Vorlage).
Stephen J. Davis
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199258628
- eISBN:
- 9780191718052
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199258628.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
This chapter examines Egyptian liturgical rites and Christological elements in Coptic worship. While the primary focus will be on Eucharistic invocations, the chapter will also look at how the ...
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This chapter examines Egyptian liturgical rites and Christological elements in Coptic worship. While the primary focus will be on Eucharistic invocations, the chapter will also look at how the recitation of saints' names and stories functioned as crucial metaphors for christological participation within the Egyptian mass. It is argued that the intersecting ritual domains of Coptic liturgy and hagiography comprised a set of practices through which the doctrine of the Incarnation was not only communicated, but also re-enacted or performed.Less
This chapter examines Egyptian liturgical rites and Christological elements in Coptic worship. While the primary focus will be on Eucharistic invocations, the chapter will also look at how the recitation of saints' names and stories functioned as crucial metaphors for christological participation within the Egyptian mass. It is argued that the intersecting ritual domains of Coptic liturgy and hagiography comprised a set of practices through which the doctrine of the Incarnation was not only communicated, but also re-enacted or performed.
Christopher Tuckett
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199212132
- eISBN:
- 9780191705922
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199212132.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter examines the manuscripts containing the text of the Gospel of Mary. The Coptic version of the text of the Gospel of Mary appears as the first work in the Papyrus Berolinensis 8502 codex. ...
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This chapter examines the manuscripts containing the text of the Gospel of Mary. The Coptic version of the text of the Gospel of Mary appears as the first work in the Papyrus Berolinensis 8502 codex. The codex contains 72 sheets, with 141 numbered sides. The manuscript has been dated to the 5th century on palaeographic grounds. It is written in Sahidic in the Subachmimic dialect, and appears to have been copied from a Coptic Vorlage. The POxy 3525 text is a small scrap, measuring 11.5 x 12 cm, written in a cursive hand on one side of the papyrus only. It is broken on all sides and contains in all about 21 lines. The fact that it is broken on all sides means that none of the beginnings or ends of any of the lines are visible. The PRyl 463 manuscript is a small fragment, measuring 8.9 x 9.9 cm, written on both sides (hence probably from a codex) and containing around 16 lines extant on each side. Its provenance is probably Oxyrhynchus. Comparison with the Coptic suggests that some lines at the bottom have not been preserved.Less
This chapter examines the manuscripts containing the text of the Gospel of Mary. The Coptic version of the text of the Gospel of Mary appears as the first work in the Papyrus Berolinensis 8502 codex. The codex contains 72 sheets, with 141 numbered sides. The manuscript has been dated to the 5th century on palaeographic grounds. It is written in Sahidic in the Subachmimic dialect, and appears to have been copied from a Coptic Vorlage. The POxy 3525 text is a small scrap, measuring 11.5 x 12 cm, written in a cursive hand on one side of the papyrus only. It is broken on all sides and contains in all about 21 lines. The fact that it is broken on all sides means that none of the beginnings or ends of any of the lines are visible. The PRyl 463 manuscript is a small fragment, measuring 8.9 x 9.9 cm, written on both sides (hence probably from a codex) and containing around 16 lines extant on each side. Its provenance is probably Oxyrhynchus. Comparison with the Coptic suggests that some lines at the bottom have not been preserved.
Stephen J. Davis
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9789774248306
- eISBN:
- 9781617970436
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774248306.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
This concluding chapter sums up the key findings of this study on the history and the making of the Coptic papacy in Egypt. The analysis reveals four recurrent strategies of representation that ...
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This concluding chapter sums up the key findings of this study on the history and the making of the Coptic papacy in Egypt. The analysis reveals four recurrent strategies of representation that proved determinative for the cultural construction of the Coptic papacy in late antiquity. These include apostolicity, martyrdom, monastic patronage, and theological resistance. The results also indicate that during the 1st and 2nd centuries a rising class of Alexandrian bishops started to bring the teaching office of the church under their purview and later a rhetoric of solidarity with the martyrs emerged in the midst of ecclesiastical debates over the proper response to the threat of persecution and to the dilemmas raised by lapsed Christians.Less
This concluding chapter sums up the key findings of this study on the history and the making of the Coptic papacy in Egypt. The analysis reveals four recurrent strategies of representation that proved determinative for the cultural construction of the Coptic papacy in late antiquity. These include apostolicity, martyrdom, monastic patronage, and theological resistance. The results also indicate that during the 1st and 2nd centuries a rising class of Alexandrian bishops started to bring the teaching office of the church under their purview and later a rhetoric of solidarity with the martyrs emerged in the midst of ecclesiastical debates over the proper response to the threat of persecution and to the dilemmas raised by lapsed Christians.
Magdi Guirguis
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9789774161520
- eISBN:
- 9781617971013
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774161520.001.0001
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Middle Eastern Studies
This book offers an unique window onto the social history of Cairo in the eighteenth century. Yuhanna al-Armani has long been known by historians of Coptic art as an eighteenth-century Armenian icon ...
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This book offers an unique window onto the social history of Cairo in the eighteenth century. Yuhanna al-Armani has long been known by historians of Coptic art as an eighteenth-century Armenian icon painter who lived and worked in Ottoman Cairo. Here for the first time is an account of his life that looks beyond his artistic production to place him firmly in the social, political, and economic milieu in which he moved and the confluence of interests that allowed him to flourish as a painter. Who was Yuhanna al-Armani? What was his network of relationships? How does this shed light on the contacts between Cairo's Coptic and Armenian communities in the eighteenth century? Why was there so much demand for his work at that particular time? And how did a member of Cairo's then relatively modest Armenian community reach such heights of artistic and creative endeavor? Drawing on eighteenth-century deeds relating to al-Armani and other members of his social network recorded in the registers of the Ottoman courts, this book offers a fascinating glimpse into the ways of life of urban dwellers in eighteenth-century Ottoman Cairo, at a time when a civilian elite had reached a high level of prominence and wealth. Al-Armani's life and career tell us much about the immediate world to which he belonged and about the wider context of the Ottoman Empire, which constituted a vast trading area under a single juridical whole.Less
This book offers an unique window onto the social history of Cairo in the eighteenth century. Yuhanna al-Armani has long been known by historians of Coptic art as an eighteenth-century Armenian icon painter who lived and worked in Ottoman Cairo. Here for the first time is an account of his life that looks beyond his artistic production to place him firmly in the social, political, and economic milieu in which he moved and the confluence of interests that allowed him to flourish as a painter. Who was Yuhanna al-Armani? What was his network of relationships? How does this shed light on the contacts between Cairo's Coptic and Armenian communities in the eighteenth century? Why was there so much demand for his work at that particular time? And how did a member of Cairo's then relatively modest Armenian community reach such heights of artistic and creative endeavor? Drawing on eighteenth-century deeds relating to al-Armani and other members of his social network recorded in the registers of the Ottoman courts, this book offers a fascinating glimpse into the ways of life of urban dwellers in eighteenth-century Ottoman Cairo, at a time when a civilian elite had reached a high level of prominence and wealth. Al-Armani's life and career tell us much about the immediate world to which he belonged and about the wider context of the Ottoman Empire, which constituted a vast trading area under a single juridical whole.
Gawdat Gabra and Hany N. Takla
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9789774163111
- eISBN:
- 9781617970481
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774163111.003.0013
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
The Copts gradually neglected the education of their children in literary Coptic. The majority of the scribal works in these centuries were Arabic translations of the original Coptic works. The ...
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The Copts gradually neglected the education of their children in literary Coptic. The majority of the scribal works in these centuries were Arabic translations of the original Coptic works. The inhabitants of Upper Egypt contributed positively to the advancement of Christian knowledge, not only in Upper Egypt, but in Lower Egypt as well as abroad. St. Mena's studio is commended in the excellent role in the conversation and preservation of such deteriorated volumes. It is to be hoped that the same effort can be made in the other dioceses. It is advisable that there be some kind of communication and coordination among all the centers, in Egypt and abroad, to create a comprehensive compilation of the collections from the area, to make it possible to revive the existing tradition in the form of digital copies and through the Internet.Less
The Copts gradually neglected the education of their children in literary Coptic. The majority of the scribal works in these centuries were Arabic translations of the original Coptic works. The inhabitants of Upper Egypt contributed positively to the advancement of Christian knowledge, not only in Upper Egypt, but in Lower Egypt as well as abroad. St. Mena's studio is commended in the excellent role in the conversation and preservation of such deteriorated volumes. It is to be hoped that the same effort can be made in the other dioceses. It is advisable that there be some kind of communication and coordination among all the centers, in Egypt and abroad, to create a comprehensive compilation of the collections from the area, to make it possible to revive the existing tradition in the form of digital copies and through the Internet.
Gawdat Gabra and Hany N. Takla
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9789774163111
- eISBN:
- 9781617970481
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774163111.003.0024
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
The attention of archaeologists in the 1960s was attracted by Tell al-Qubeba mainly because of the many fragments of pottery scattered in this area (Sauneron and Martin 1982: 76–82). Along the ...
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The attention of archaeologists in the 1960s was attracted by Tell al-Qubeba mainly because of the many fragments of pottery scattered in this area (Sauneron and Martin 1982: 76–82). Along the northern and northeastern sides of the tell was the farm of the Abdel Bari al-Haniti family. Tell al-Qubeba covered five feddans (21,000 square meters), situated seven kilometers northwest of Esna, but concentrated on only one feddan. The original function of the circular structures could not be established with certainty at the time of the excavation. The proximity of the water pools suggests that they could have been used as stables for small animals. Tell al-Qubeba is an example of the many archaeological sites of secondary importance, often neglected or destroyed, that may nevertheless be useful for understanding Coptic architecture, life, and history.Less
The attention of archaeologists in the 1960s was attracted by Tell al-Qubeba mainly because of the many fragments of pottery scattered in this area (Sauneron and Martin 1982: 76–82). Along the northern and northeastern sides of the tell was the farm of the Abdel Bari al-Haniti family. Tell al-Qubeba covered five feddans (21,000 square meters), situated seven kilometers northwest of Esna, but concentrated on only one feddan. The original function of the circular structures could not be established with certainty at the time of the excavation. The proximity of the water pools suggests that they could have been used as stables for small animals. Tell al-Qubeba is an example of the many archaeological sites of secondary importance, often neglected or destroyed, that may nevertheless be useful for understanding Coptic architecture, life, and history.
Gawdat Gabra and Hany N. Takla
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9789774163111
- eISBN:
- 9781617970481
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774163111.003.0025
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
Many activities during the last fifteen years have been carried out to discover or conserve the Coptic murals. These activities have been sponsored by Dutch, French, Polish, and American (ARCE) ...
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Many activities during the last fifteen years have been carried out to discover or conserve the Coptic murals. These activities have been sponsored by Dutch, French, Polish, and American (ARCE) missions. The Monastery of St. Antony (Dayr Anba Antunius) also had a great chance for the conservation of its murals in 1992, when an Italian team made a cleaning test and discovered wonderful vivid colors. The composition of the wall paintings in the two monasteries is different. The background in Dayr al-Fakhuri is red bricks; in Dayr al-Shuhada it is mud bricks. The rendering in al-Fakhuri could be lime mortar up to a few centimeters thick, the rendering in al-Shuhada is from mud clay. As a result of renovation, some changes took place after the year 1975, and these paintings disappeared. It is difficult in any event to compare the photographs by Leroy and the current situation of the paintings.Less
Many activities during the last fifteen years have been carried out to discover or conserve the Coptic murals. These activities have been sponsored by Dutch, French, Polish, and American (ARCE) missions. The Monastery of St. Antony (Dayr Anba Antunius) also had a great chance for the conservation of its murals in 1992, when an Italian team made a cleaning test and discovered wonderful vivid colors. The composition of the wall paintings in the two monasteries is different. The background in Dayr al-Fakhuri is red bricks; in Dayr al-Shuhada it is mud bricks. The rendering in al-Fakhuri could be lime mortar up to a few centimeters thick, the rendering in al-Shuhada is from mud clay. As a result of renovation, some changes took place after the year 1975, and these paintings disappeared. It is difficult in any event to compare the photographs by Leroy and the current situation of the paintings.
Donald M. Reid
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9789774168239
- eISBN:
- 9781617978265
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774168239.003.0001
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Historical Archaeology
This book, drawing on Marcus Simaika's memoirs, explores several important themes in modern Egyptian history, including the causes and consequences of the Coptic Congress of 1911; what happened to ...
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This book, drawing on Marcus Simaika's memoirs, explores several important themes in modern Egyptian history, including the causes and consequences of the Coptic Congress of 1911; what happened to Coptic antiquities in the decade between the Coptic monuments being brought under the Committee for the Preservation of Arab Art's (Comité) jurisdiction in 1896 and Simaika's accession to a seat on the Comité; and the politics surrounding the nationalization of the Coptic Museum in 1931. This introduction provides an overview of the founding of the Coptic Museum and the development of Coptic archaeology and heritage studies, shifting balances in the interaction of clergymen and the lay Coptic community, and the evolution of Coptic/Muslim relations. It also considers Simaika's achievements in Coptic archaeology, especially the founding of the Coptic Museum.Less
This book, drawing on Marcus Simaika's memoirs, explores several important themes in modern Egyptian history, including the causes and consequences of the Coptic Congress of 1911; what happened to Coptic antiquities in the decade between the Coptic monuments being brought under the Committee for the Preservation of Arab Art's (Comité) jurisdiction in 1896 and Simaika's accession to a seat on the Comité; and the politics surrounding the nationalization of the Coptic Museum in 1931. This introduction provides an overview of the founding of the Coptic Museum and the development of Coptic archaeology and heritage studies, shifting balances in the interaction of clergymen and the lay Coptic community, and the evolution of Coptic/Muslim relations. It also considers Simaika's achievements in Coptic archaeology, especially the founding of the Coptic Museum.
Samir Simaika and Nevine Henein
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9789774168239
- eISBN:
- 9781617978265
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774168239.003.0014
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Historical Archaeology
This chapter discusses Marcus Simaika's efforts to preserve the ancient Coptic churches that had been subjected to destruction and damage. In the preface to his book A Brief Guide to the Coptic ...
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This chapter discusses Marcus Simaika's efforts to preserve the ancient Coptic churches that had been subjected to destruction and damage. In the preface to his book A Brief Guide to the Coptic Museum and to the Principal Ancient Churches of Cairo, Simaika addressed the importance of Coptic antiquities. He divided Coptic art into two main periods: the first spanned the era from the fourth to the tenth centuries, and the second period extended from the tenth century. During his stay at Alfred J. Butler's house in Oxford in the fall of 1890, Simaika warned both Butler and Somers Clarke of the danger to the ancient Coptic churches from well-meaning but misguided benefactors who wanted to replace these priceless monuments with Italian marbled structures in the Greek style. Simaika proposed that these churches be placed under the control of the “Committee for the Preservation of Arab Art.”Less
This chapter discusses Marcus Simaika's efforts to preserve the ancient Coptic churches that had been subjected to destruction and damage. In the preface to his book A Brief Guide to the Coptic Museum and to the Principal Ancient Churches of Cairo, Simaika addressed the importance of Coptic antiquities. He divided Coptic art into two main periods: the first spanned the era from the fourth to the tenth centuries, and the second period extended from the tenth century. During his stay at Alfred J. Butler's house in Oxford in the fall of 1890, Simaika warned both Butler and Somers Clarke of the danger to the ancient Coptic churches from well-meaning but misguided benefactors who wanted to replace these priceless monuments with Italian marbled structures in the Greek style. Simaika proposed that these churches be placed under the control of the “Committee for the Preservation of Arab Art.”
Samir Simaika and Nevine Henein
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9789774168239
- eISBN:
- 9781617978265
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774168239.003.0019
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Historical Archaeology
This chapter discusses the recognition of Marcus Simaika's work both at home and abroad. Among other accolades, Simaika was made an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, a Fellow ...
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This chapter discusses the recognition of Marcus Simaika's work both at home and abroad. Among other accolades, Simaika was made an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, a Fellow of the British Society of Archaeologists, and a Member of the British Royal Geographic Society in 1917. In 1923, M. Georges Foucart, the Ministère de l'instruction publique et des cultes of France, presented to the library of the Coptic Museum all their publications on Coptic studies. Similar donations were made by the authorities of the British Museum. Furthermore, Simaika was invited to lecture at Cambridge University in 1924 on Coptic art and archaeology and at the University of Stockholm on Coptic art. On February 20, 1947, three years after Simaika's death, a ceremony was held at the Coptic Museum to inaugurate a new hall and to unveil the bust of Marcus Pasha Simaika.Less
This chapter discusses the recognition of Marcus Simaika's work both at home and abroad. Among other accolades, Simaika was made an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, a Fellow of the British Society of Archaeologists, and a Member of the British Royal Geographic Society in 1917. In 1923, M. Georges Foucart, the Ministère de l'instruction publique et des cultes of France, presented to the library of the Coptic Museum all their publications on Coptic studies. Similar donations were made by the authorities of the British Museum. Furthermore, Simaika was invited to lecture at Cambridge University in 1924 on Coptic art and archaeology and at the University of Stockholm on Coptic art. On February 20, 1947, three years after Simaika's death, a ceremony was held at the Coptic Museum to inaugurate a new hall and to unveil the bust of Marcus Pasha Simaika.
