Proceedings of the conference held at the University of Liège, 6th-8th February 2013 par Todd GILLEN (ed.)

Tradition is central to Egyptology, and this volume discusses and problematises the concept by bringing together the most recent work on archaeological, art historical and philological material from the Predynastic to the Late Period. The eclectic mix of material in this volume takes us from New Kingdom artists in the Theban foothills to Old Kingdom Abusir, and from changing ideas about literary texts to the visual effects of archaising statuary. With themes of diachrony persisting at the centre, aspects of tradition are approached from a variety of perspectives: as sets of conventions abstracted from the continuity of artefactual forms; as processes of knowledge (and practice) acquisition and transmission; and as relevant to the individuals and groups involved in artefact production. The volume is divided into four main sections, the first three of which attempt to reflect the different material foci of the contributions: text, art, and artefacts. The final section collects papers dealing with traditions which span different media.

The concepts of cultural productivity and reproductivity are inspired by the field of text criticism and form common reference points for describing cultural change across contributions discussing disparate kinds of data. Briefly put, productive or open traditions are in a state of flux that stands in dialectic relation to shifting social and historical circumstances, while reproductive or closed traditions are frozen at a particular historical moment and their formulations are thereafter faithfully passed down verbatim. The scholars in this volume agree that a binary categorisation is restrictive, and that a continuum between the two poles of dynamic productivity and static reproductivity is by all means relevant to and useful for the description of various types of cultural production.

This volume represents an interdisciplinary collaboration around a topic of perennial interest, a rarity in a field increasingly fractured by progressive specialisation.

Todd GILLEN earned his PhD in Egyptology from Macquarie University, Sydney, and worked as a postdoctoral fellow for the Ramses project at the University of Liège. He has published on a variety of topics relating to ancient Egyptian text and culture of the New Kingdom. He is currently pursuing a career in psychology and counselling.

Essai d'interprétation d'un portrait royal dans son contexte historique par Dimitri LABOURY 1. Jean WINAND, Le voyage d'Ounamon. Index verborum, concordance, relevés grammaticaux, 1987. 2. Jean WINAND, Études de néo-égyptien, 1. La morphologie verbale, 1992. 3. Pierre KOEMOTH, Osiris et les arbres. Contribution à l'étude des arbres sacrés de l'Égypte ancienne, 1994. 4. Juan Carlos MORENA GARCIA, Études sur l'administration, le pouvoir et l'idéologie en Égypte, de l'Ancien au Moyen Empire, 1997. 5. Dimitri LABOURY, La statuaire de Thoutmosis III. Essai d'interprétation d'un portrait royal dans son contexte historique, 1998. 6. Michel MALAISE & Jean WINAND, Grammaire raisonnée de l'égyptien classique, 1999.

Simon CONNOR & Vera Elizabeth ALLEN (ed.) This volume originates from a two-part conference held in 2020 and 2021, jointly organised by eikones – Centre for the Study of the History and Theory of the Image at the University of Basel and the University of Liège. It explores the diachronic reception of pharaonic imagery and the conditions that led to its alteration. Paradoxically, iconoclasm—intended to diminish the power of images—ultimately reinforces the significance of the ever-powerful visual, as it continues to provoke strong emotional responses, whether of veneration or destruction. The study of defaced images reveals discernible patterns, yet no universal rule: acts of iconoclasm are deeply influenced by historical, social, and political contexts. In today’s media-saturated world, their impact is further magnified, as exemplified by the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan or the removal of controversial statues during movements linked to Black Lives Matter and post-colonial. By examining traces of mutilation, this double volume seeks to uncover the intentions and motivations behind these acts. Iconoclasm, however, extends beyond mere destruction—images were often repurposed, modified or even buried to imbue them with new meaning. In many cases, defacement specifically targets relevant or even symbolic features, such as body parts associated with identity, ritual significance, or functions in offerings and fertility rites. The contributors draw upon textual sources, material analysis, and archaeological evidence to interpret these transformations. Ultimately, the perception of altered images remains a subject of debate, often shaped by political and ideological narratives. By adopting an interdisciplinary and diachronic perspective, this volume offers a nuanced exploration of the enduring complexity of image destruction and reinterpretation.