Several people have asked me about the reliability and credibility of the material presented on this site, and some information about myself, so, here goes.
I am an Egyptologist and I am Belgian (not French). I have been fascinated with the marvellous culture of the Ancient Egyptians ever since I was 8 or 9 years old. For my 15th birthday, my dad bought me Gardiner's Egyptian Grammar, and I started learning how to read hieroglyphs.
I studied Egyptology with professor Jan Quaegebeur at the University of Leuven in Belgium between 1984 and 1988. In 1988, I obtained my MA in Egyptology with a translation of the texts on the Propylon of the temple of Khonsu at Karnak, completed with a small study about the grammaire du temple of this monument. I also attended some classes with professor Jean-Marie Kruchten (hieratic) and professor Philippe Derchain (Ptolemaic texts), both at the University of Brussels in Belgium.
I have not been very active on an academic level as practical motivation drove me towards a full-time job in ICT.
Most of my efforts in Egyptology have been directed at a more general but nonetheless very enthusiastic audience. After obtaining my MA in 1988, I started teaching courses in hieroglyphics in my hometown for those who were interested. Surprised by their enthusiasm and number, I gave a more general course on the culture and history of Ancient Egypt the following year, as well as an advanced course in hieroglyphics.
In 1991, I, together with three colleagues, founded an NPO, for which I continued to give lectures and hieroglyphic courses. I left this NPO in 1993 for practical, organisational and political reasons. About the same time, I went on some sort of semi-sabbatical... well, combining Egyptology with a full-time job is not that easy.
I never gave up my love for Ancient Egypt, though, nor my desire to share what we know with all those who are interested, and this is what got this site started. The material presented here reflects an acceptable view on the history and culture of Ancient Egypt. With acceptable, I mean that not all Egyptologists will necessarily agree with everything I have written, but they will (hopefully) recognise the theories as scientifically founded.
O, yes, lest I forget... For those of you who are really curious, I've been told that I resemble the fellow in this picture a bit (must be the nose). That would probably be on one of my better days...
And if, for some obscure reason that escapes me, you would ever get so curious as to actually want to meet me, you can increase your chances if you go to the Bombay Inn restaurant in Brussels (this is also a good tip if you want to avoid meeting me as well).
Since I am revealing something about myself here, you might as well know that you can follow some of the stuff I am doing on Facebook. Come and visit, if you wish.
Publications:
- Le Mekes et l'Imit-Per dans les scènes des temples Ptolémaiques et Romains, in OLP 22 (1991), pp. 73-99.
- De Ene en de Velen : Opmerkingen over het Oudegyptisch godsbeeld, in Scriba 1 (1992), pp. 71-137.
- The Ancient Egypt Site, 1st edition, The Internet, 1997 - 2003.
- The Decoration Program of the Propylon of Khonsu at Karnak, in KMT 10/2 (1999), pp. 56-65.
- The Narmer Palette, in The Glyph 1/18 (september 1999), pp. 8-9.
- Miscellaneous contributions to the website of EgyptVoyager, The Internet, 2000 - 2002.
- Thutmose II Chronology Questioned, Reader's Letter in KMT 11/3 (2000), pp. 4-5.
- Aha or Narmer. Which Was Menes? in KMT 12/3 (2001), pp. 74-81.
- Akhenaten. What's in a Name? in Seshen 14 (2002), pp. 5-6.
- Het Naqada-label en het debat rond de identificatie van Menes, in Phoenix 48,1 (2002), pp. 4-13.
- The Naqada Label and the Identification of Menes, in: Eldamaty, Mamdouh; Trad, Mai [Editors], Egyptian Collections around the World: Studies for the Centennial of the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. (Cairo; Supreme Council of Antiquities. Distributed by the American University in Cairo Press; 2002), pages 657-666.
- The Ancient Egypt Site, 2nd edition, The Internet, 2003 - 2005.
- The Naqada Label and the Identification of Menes, in Göttinger Miszellen 196 (2003), pp. 23-30.
- Nefertiti Maelstrom, Reader's Letter in KMT 14/4 (2003), pp. 5-6.
- What is Really Known About The Narmer Palette?, in KMT 15/1 (2004), pp. 48-54.
- The Ancient Egypt Site, 3rd edition, The Internet, 2006 - 2013.
- The Ancient Egypt Site, 4th edition, The Internet, 2013 ff.
Dedicated to the loving memories of
my father, Emil, (30/08/1938 - 18/11/2002)
who has always encouraged me to follow that dream
Spike (29/12/1986 - 12/10/1998),
the most loyal friend I have ever had
Layla (9/04/2002 - 27/04/2017),
the most mischievous friend I have ever had
Aysha (9/04/2002 - 12/08/2021),
the most inquisitive friend I have ever had
I miss you, guys...