Egypt: Ancient and Contemporary
Dr. Roy Hammerling and Dr. Shawn Carruth (Religion)

 Traveling To Cairo, Egypt

Corresponding Class: Religion 100

Estimated Price: $1,975 (includes all meals)

We will explore three lives of Egypt — Pharaonic Egypt, Christian Egypt and Islamic Egypt. Through expertly guided visits to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and to the pyramids, temples and tombs of Giza, Memphis and Luxor, we will consider cultures, religions and artifacts more than 5,000 years old, including the storied reigns of Cheops, Tutankhamen and Nefertari. At ancient churches in Cairo and at Wadi Natrun, we’ll meet Coptic monastics who practice a distinct form of Christianity going back to the Apostle Mark. We will also journey through the desert to St. Catherine’s Monastery to see sixth century Orthodox icons and to join other pilgrims for a climb of Mt. Sinai to witness the sunrise just as Moses had done. Students will encounter contemporary Islamic Egypt through visits to major mosques and through conversations with Muslim students at American University in Cairo. This seminar examines ancient and contemporary Egyptian life with a view to its diversity and its world significance.