Understanding Material Culture: Deciphering the Imagery of the "Souvenir of Egypt"

Abstract

This course explores how to study material culture and political history through a series of research questions centered on the Souvenir of Egypt, a decorative silk from the nineteenth century that is included in the Travelers in the Middle East Archive (TIMEA). A variety of images are depicted on the Souvenir of Egypt, including texts, flags, portraits and a landscape scene. We will research and identify each of the images on the silk in order to gain an understanding of their meanings independently and in relation to one another and to build a larger argument about the Souvenir's historical significance.