American Research Center in Egypt, New York Chapter

American Research Center in Egypt
New York Chapter

ARCE NY Guided Tour of the Metropolitan Museum’s Egyptian Collection

ARCE NY has organized a guided tour of the Egyptian collection of the Metropolitan Museum on November 17, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. The gallery talk will be done by Brendan Hainline who is a member of the team that has created the museum’s new special exhibit “Divine Egypt“.

There is a limit of 20 people for this members’ tour and the cost is $28.00 per person. If you would like to participate in this event please send a check for $28 made out to “American Research Center in Egypt – NY” and mail it to:

ARCE-NY
c/o S. Driller
3 Sheridan Sq.
Apt. 5J
NY., NY. 10014-6830

The first twenty checks received will be able to participate in the event. If more than 20 checks are received the extras will be mailed back to the sender. All checks must be received by our Treasurer (Mr. Driller) by November 12th.

Brendan Hainline will meet participating members of ARCE NY in the lobby of the Metropolitan Museum, at 1000 Fifth Ave., shortly before the start of the tour. We hope to see you at this event!

Upcoming Lectures:

The American Research Center in Egypt, New York Chapter (ARCE/NY) in Association with the Salmagundi Club presents:

New insights into the ancient landscape of Abydos

SPEAKERS: Dr. Sameh Iskander

REGISTRATION: Open to ARCE Members, please RSVP at this link

DATE/ TIME: Tuesday, October 21, 2025, 6:00 P.M. EST.

ABSTRACT: In this lecture, famed Egyptologist Sameh Iskander discusses his recent archeological work at the ancient pilgrimage city of Abydos, under the auspices of New York University-ISAW, which revealed important discoveries about the Ramesses II temple site and Abydos landscape in general.

He unearthed remains of two late Sixth Dynasty houses situated within a massive mud brick enclosure wall dated around the same period (ca. 2332-2181 B.C.). This discovery provides valuable clues to our vision of the ancient landscape of Abydos and raises intriguing questions concerning the early town of Abydos located on the edge of the flood plain.

He also cleared the entire precinct of Ramesses II’s temple outside its stone monument for the first time since its location was first hinted at by Napoleon’s French Expedition during the early nineteenth century.

Findings revealed that the temple precinct was occupied almost continuously from the thirteenth century BC – when it was constructed – until the eighth century AD. This is an extensive occupation timeline which gives us an intriguing picture of the historical phases of this important ancient Egyptian monument and eventually its fate.

Since his Ramesses II Temple Project began seventeen years ago, work at the site has included several documentation, restoration and publication initiatives which Iskander will also briefly present.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

Sameh Iskander, PhD, is a Research Associate and co-Director of the New York University-Institute for the Study of the Ancient World Expedition to the Temple of Ramses II in Abydos.

He is the co-author of three books (with Dr. Ogden Goelet) entitled The Temple of Ramesses II in Abydos Volumes 1, 2 and 3 (2015, 2021, and 2022), and is the editor of a fourth book entitled Archeological Discoveries at the Temple of Ramesses II in Abydos, Volume 1 (2025).

Dr. Sameh Iskander received his PhD from New York University in Ancient Egyptian History and culture. His main research and publications are primarily concerned with the archeology and history of the ancient Egyptian Ramesside Period. More recently, he also focused on the history and archeology of the ancient Egyptian settlements during the Late Old Kingdom and First Intermediate Period.

Dr. Iskander is also a civil engineer, with a BS from Cairo University, Egypt and MS in engineering from the New York University-Polytechnic Institute.