About Us

Egyptology Scotland was formed on December 12, 2000 with the objective of promoting the study and understanding of Ancient Egypt in Scotland.

Our society is not the first to explore the world of ancient Egypt in Scotland. In 1906, the British School of Archaeology of Egypt, based in University College, London established the Egyptian Research Students’ Association. Branches were set up throughout the country, including Glasgow and Edinburgh. ‘Lantern lectures’ and ‘demonstrations’ were given and the branches survived on an irregular basis into the 1920s. However there was never an individual society in Scotland until the establishment of Egyptology Scotland.

Through our website and society newsletters, we hope to keep our members in touch with the society’s activities and provide information on news, opinion and events connected to Egyptology worldwide.

Our annual lecture programme aims to provide members with access to the latest developments in the field of Egyptology and our events include group visits, members’ nights and hieroglyph workshops etc.

Dr Bill Manley

Bill Manley is Honorary President of Egyptology Scotland. He was appointed Research Associate at the National Museum in Edinburgh in 1995, and Senior Curator of Egyptian Scripts in 2006. He is an Honorary Research Fellow of the University of Liverpool, at which he has taught Egyptology. He spent many years shaping and developing the Egyptology programme offered by DACE at the University of Glasgow. Bill has been involved with archaeological work in Palestine and Egypt, most recently at Mo’alla, and his publications include three best-selling books, The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Egypt (1996), How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs (1998, with Mark Collier) and The Seventy Great Mysteries of Ancient Egypt (2003).

Dave Lightbody

David Ian Lightbody is Chairperson of Egyptology Scotland. An archaeologist and Egyptology tutor at the University of Glasgow, he is currently completing a PhD in Mediterranean Archaeology. He researches the technical, symbolic and artistic knowledge of the architects of Antiquity, and has published several academic works relating to these themes. He draws on a background of qualifications and experience in the fields of engineering, design and practical craft skills, and uses this to compliment his research into the ancient past and the monumental achievements of the people who lived and worked around the East Mediterranean region.