Death Is Only the Beginning

Founded in 1974 as the Ancient History Teaching Collection (AHTC), the Museum of Ancient Cultures (MAC) is the archaeological museum of Macquarie University. The MAC main collection comprises c. 4700 genuine artefacts from Ancient Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, Rome, the Near East and the Indus Valley. The Egyptian collection is widely regarded as one of the most important in Australia. This is the first catalogue of the collection detailing 72 Ancient Egyptian artefacts associated with funerary customs, from the Predynastic to the Coptic period. Divided into two parts, the catalogue aims to explore Ancient Egyptian funerary culture through an illustration of the MAC collection. Part One provides a series of articles on aspects of Ancient Egyptian funerary beliefs and practices. Part Two comprises the catalogue of artefacts, divided into four sections: pottery, funerary equipment, funerary texts, and religion and magic. In addition to high resolution photographs, each object receives detailed discussion of its composition and its significance to the study of Ancient Egypt more broadly.