AUC HOSTS GLOBAL DIALOGUE ON COPTIC HISTORY AND HERITAGEWITH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
The American University in Cairo (AUC) hosted From Tomb to Text: Talks on Coptic History, a one-day international conference on Coptic archaeology that brought together leading scholars from Egypt, Europe and the United States to showcase the latest research in Coptic art history, heritage, textiles, settlement archaeology and archaeobotany. The conference was supported by the Gratus Foundation by Mary and Bishoy Azmy, founded by AUC Trustee Bishoy Emad Azmy ’02 and Mary Habib ’05.
“Coptic studies is an essential part of Egypt’s rich history and part of the tapestry that shapes the country’s great civilization,” said AUC President Ahmad Dallal. “Since its founding, AUC has served as an important entry point for people from outside the region to study and research Egypt’s history. In addition to our world-renowned Egyptology program, Coptic studies captures a rich layer of Egyptian cultural heritage. This conference creates the space for both academic and public audiences to preserve and advance the study of Coptic heritage. We are especially grateful to Trustee Bishoy Azmy and Mrs. Mary Habib, and their Gratus Foundation, whose support reflects a shared commitment to preserving and advancing the study of Coptic heritage.”
In her remarks, Habib said the gift reflects a broader commitment to supporting Coptic studies at AUC. “Our vision is for AUC to remain a leading hub for Coptic studies, a place where scholars from around the world can conduct research in the field,” Habib noted. “As Egyptians, we bring a deep insight into this era, its culture and its place within Egypt’s broader timeline. That is why we want AUC to lead this effort, serving as a global center for researchers seeking to explore our rich heritage.”
Organized by AUC’s Department of Sociology, Egyptology and Anthropology on the historic Tahrir Square Campus, the conference included a distinguished lineup of international experts, including AUC Professor Emerita Fayza Haikal and Coptic Studies Chair Mennat-Allah El Dorry, alongside international scholars Cäcilia Fluck of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Ina Eichner of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Agnieszka E. Szymańska of the University of Richmond, Robert Mahler of the University of Warsaw, Ahmed Nakshara of Ain Shams University, and Dina Bakhoum of the Institut Français d’Archéologie Orientale. They addressed a wide range of critical topics in Coptic history, including visual culture, textiles, food and language evolution, funerary archaeology, heritage conservation, daily life, and recent archaeological discoveries in Late Antique Egypt.
“Coptic studies is an integral part of the fabric of Egyptian history, and AUC already reflects this through its Coptic studies minor, Coptology master’s track and Core Curriculum courses,” said Mennat-Allah El Dorry ‘05, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology, Egyptology and Anthropology and chair of Coptic Studies at AUC. “This conference brings together local and international experts to explore Coptic research through art history and archaeology, while raising awareness of AUC’s work and opening new opportunities for collaboration and future research.”
Coptic studies at AUC extend well beyond the conference. The University offers a minor in Coptic Studies and a Master of Arts in Egyptology and Coptology, with an interdisciplinary curriculum that examines the Coptic period through history, political science, religion, literature and art history. Studying in Egypt also gives students direct access to the monuments, archaeological sites and artifacts that are central to the study of the Coptic period.
AUC Libraries, particularly the Rare Books and Special Collections Library, provide essential academic backing for Coptic studies at the University. Its key Coptic holdings include the Ramses Wissa Wassef digital collection, which highlights Coptic art, and the landmark Iryan Moftah and Ragheb Moftah collections, which document Coptic language, music and liturgical traditions.
