Monday, 25 May 2026
AUC Press launches book on animals of Ancient Egypt
AUC Press marked the release of “The Animals of Ancient Egypt: Then and Now,” a joint work by naturalist Richard Hoath and Egyptologist Salima Ikram, with a well‑attended event that blended scholarship, humor and lively debate.
AUC Press Executive Director Thomas Willshire opened the evening, welcoming the two AUC faculty members and authors before a packed audience of readers, animal enthusiasts and Egyptology fans.
Hoath recounted how visits to tombs and temples allowed him to identify the species depicted in ancient art — in some cases distinguishing males from females — an experience that sparked the idea for a book pairing modern animals with their ancient representations. The project, he said, became a bridge between natural history and Egyptology.
The two authors, who have previously collaborated on research into animal mummies and the Sacred Animal Necropolis, described the book as a continuation of their shared interest in how animals shaped ancient Egyptian life. Their discussion ranged from cats and dogs to birds and crocodiles, with Hoath occasionally pushing back on Ikram’s descriptions of ancient food practices.
Ikram highlighted what she said were early Egyptian precedents for foods often linked to French cuisine. Pointing to tomb scenes, she described depictions of force‑feeding geese reminiscent of modern foie gras production, and noted that narrow bread molds found in tombs resemble the shape of the baguette.
A lively question‑and‑answer session closed the event, followed by a long line of attendees waiting for book signings and photographs with the authors.