Sema Museum: Ethics and Display of Egyptian and Greek Funerary Artefacts

Abstract

This thesis considers the ethics of museum display of Egyptian and Greek funerary artefacts, including the corpse itself. This involves an examination of the ancient Egyptian, ancient Greek and modern, western mastery of death. This mastery exists in historical funerary rites and religious beliefs and contemporary curation. The methodology is religion and culture specific. The first chapter concerns Egypt and the second chapter concerns the Greek culture. In part one part of the first chapter, the religious functions and rites of Egyptian funerals and corpse treatment are summarised. The second part considers the ethics of museum display of Egyptian funerary artefacts. In part one of the second chapter, the religious functions and rites of Greek funerals and corpse treatment are summarised. The second part then considers the ethics of museum display of Greek funerary artefacts. An appraisal of museum treatment of funerary artefacts is also undertaken, which calls upon examples from more modern cultures and peoples.