Valentina Santini

• BA History and Protection of Archaeological Heritage, University of Florence
• MA Oriental studies: Egypt, Near and Middle East, University of Pisa

I graduated in 2013, from the University of Florence, with a thesis focused on Meritaten, the eldest daughter of pharaoh Akhenaten. Then, I obtained my MA degree at the University of Pisa, with a thesis about private funerary beliefs and equipment in Egypt during the Amarna Period.

I am currently working at CAMNES (Center for Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies), in Florence, and, previously, I was employed at the Museo Egizio in Turin and, as an intern, at the Egyptian Museum of Florence.

I took part in different international conferences and congresses all over the world, and my scientific interests regard mostly the Amarna Age and private religion during the New Kingdom.

PhD title

Private Funerary Beliefs, Conceptions and Religion at Deir el-Medina and Tell el-Amarna: A Comparison

Supervisors

Dr Roger White and Dr Leire Olabarria

Course

Classics and Ancient History PhD/MA by Research (On-Campus or by Distance Learning)

Supervisors: Dr Roger White, Dr Leire Olabarria and Dr Tony Leahy

My PhD research pertains private funerary religion at Deir el-Medina and Tell el-Amarna, two of the main Egyptian sites of the New Kingdom. Since they were inhabited for a limited time, these settlements represent an exception amongst the Egyptian cities and could offer a very specific window on private customs, such as funerary beliefs and conceptions.

In my project, I would like to compare and contrast Deir el-Medina and Tell el-Amarna both from an archaeological and an anthropological point of view, by discerning which practices were implanted by authority, and which were personal beliefs that concurrently existed. Furthermore, I would also focus on the issue of the Netherworld being constructed in various, non-identical ways by different social strata.

Archaeological Field Work

• July 2020: Etruscan necropolis, Tuscania (VT), Italy;
• July 2019: Etruscan necropolis, Tuscania (VT), Italy;
• July 2013: Medieval Rectory, Montieri (GR), Italy;
• September 2011: Ancient Roman villa (III–IV century A.D.), Poggio del Molino (LI), Italy;
• July 2012: Etruscan settlement, San Casciano (FI), Italy;
• July 2006: Etruscan settlement, San Casciano (FI), Italy

Conferences

• Santini, V., Enquiry on Meritaten: The Many Aspects of an Exceptional Amarna Woman, 2^nd Egyptological Conference. “Quod est Superius est sicut quod est Inferius”: The Cosmic Hypostasis and Earthly/Social Function of Women during Antiquity in Egypt and in the Mediterranean Basin (International Congress, organized by the Hellenic Institute of Egyptology, the Universidade Aberta of Lisbon, the Centre of History of the Lisbon University, the Writing & Scripts Centre of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Hellenic Society for Aesthetics), Athens, 10–14 February 2020;
• Santini, V., A Brand-New Cult in a Traditional People: What Is the Role of Antiquity During the Amarna Age?, ‘In Thy Arms I Lost Myself’: Images, Perceptions and Productions in/of Antiquity (International Congress, organized by NOVA School of Social Sciences and Humanities Universidade NOVA de Lisboa), Lisbon, 09–11 October 2019;
• Santini, V., A Hub in A Hub: The New Website of the Museo Egizio in Turin, CIPEG Annual Meeting, as part of the 25^th ICOM General Conference, Kyoto, 2–7 September 2019;
• Santini, V., The Role of Osiris during the Amarna Age: From Texts to Depictions, Rethinking Osiris (International Conference, organized by CAMNES, The American University in Cairo, Polo Museale della Toscana-Museo Archeologico di Firenze-Museo Egizio di Firenze), Florence, 26–27 March 2019;
• Santini, V., Funerary Private Religion during the Amarna Age, BEC 4 – Fourth British Egyptological Congress (International Conference, organized by EEF), Manchester, 7–9 September 2018 

 

Academia.edu: https://camnes.academia.edu/ValentinaSantini