All posts by Mary McKercher

Mary McKercher

Mary McKercher holds a BA in Ancient Near Eastern Studies (specializing in Egypt) from the University of Toronto and is also a trained archaeologist. In 1979 she joined the Brooklyn Museum’s expedition to the Precinct of the Goddess Mut at South Karnak as photographer and archaeologist, roles she continues to fill. She has contributed to the Mut Expedition’s “Dig Diary” since it began in 2005, and put together the photographs for the 8 Mut Expedition photo sets on the museum’s Flickr site. With her husband, Richard Fazzini, she has also researched and written about the West’s ongoing fascination with ancient Egypt, commonly known as Egyptomania.

Our last week of excavation

Our last day of excavation was February 28, but we still have work to do. Since we are leaving Luxor next week, this will be…

Read More

Our first week

According to the late French scholar, Agnes Cabrol, these 3 badly damaged sphinxes sitting east of Chapel D date stylistically to the reign of Ramesses…

Read More
DD4 paving

Our last full week

This is the posting intended for January 28 but not sent because of the lack of internet service in Egypt at that time. Richard and…

Read More
Qufti for season 2011

Season 25 is underway

We began what will be mainly a study season on January 11 with the traditional cutting of the camel thorn. Fortunately there isn’t much as…

Read More

The season’s almost over

The base of this sphinx east of the precinct entrance is made up mainly of re-used blocks dating to Dynasties 25-26. The one under the…

Read More

A new project and a few surprises

To the ancient Egyptians, magic (heqa in ancient Egyptian) was a potent force that could be used by deities and humans to influence the mortal…

Read More

The Week of the Brick

Tracing mud brick takes skill, patience and lots of scraping and brushing. It is paying off for Ayman and his team, though. By Tuesday, they…

Read More

The Start of Another Season

The Brooklyn Museum Mut Expedition’s 2010  season of fieldwork is just getting underway. Once again we will be posting a blog each Friday describing the…

Read More

Time Flies

It’s hard to believe that the season is almost over: this was our last full week of work, and it has been hot. Still, we…

Read More

Imsheer Winds

The month on the traditional Egyptian calendar known as “Imsheer” (mid-February to mid-March) began this week and so far is living up to its reputation…

Read More

Progress on all fronts

We are so happy that William and Elsie Peck could join us again this year. After a look around the site first thing Saturday morning…

Read More

The First Day

We flew up to Luxor from Cairo on January 13. The view out the window was absorbing: the mountains of the eastern desert always take…

Read More

Parting Shots

Richard and I spent most of our last days at Mut photographing pot sherds, a necessary but decidedly unphotogenic task. However, I did have time…

Read More

The Work Goes On

This week we moved a couple of teams of workmen from the Taharqa Gate (where working space is getting a little constricted) to the excavations…

Read More

The Last Week in January

The weather continues to be uncooperative. Last week it rained. This week, we’ve had unusually cold temperatures and high winds that sweep enormous clouds of…

Read More

Our First Full Week

Excavation got underway last Saturday (our work week is Saturday-Thursday), with teams working in Temple A, at the structures north of the Mut Temple’s First…

Read More

Mut 2008 — The Arrival

We flew to Luxor on New Year’s Day, and were able to start work on January 3. We haven’t done much yet but get re–acquainted…

Read More