Chronicles of the Nile

Rivages du Monde presents this collection as a space for sharing expertise "before boarding or to simply invite you to dream", emphasizing that knowledge and exchange enrich the cruise experience.

During this cross-interview, Alain Souleille, founder and president of Rivages du Monde, and I presented the main lines of a cruise in Egypt proposed by the organization.

We talked about the multi-millennial history of Egypt, the dahabieh inspired by Pharaonic boats, ochre and the polychrome of temples, as well as the people on the banks of the Nile.

Through this exchange, the goal was to invite viewers to see cruising as a true journey through time, combining cultural discovery with historical perspective.

The video is available online:

This immersive creation offers a journey through more than three millennia of history, from the great pyramids of the Old Kingdom to the emblematic reigns of the New Kingdom. Monuments, bas-reliefs, papyri, Nile scenes and major figures of civilization pharaonic come to life in a visual and sound journey that restores the symbolic and architectural richness of ancient Egypt.

See this project take place in the monumental space of the former submarine base was a particularly strong moment. Reliefs, temples, paintings and multi-millennial sculptures come alive with power in this maritime setting whose reflections naturally evoke the waters of the Nile.

Through this immersion, I wanted to contribute to restoring not only forms and monuments, but also atmospheres, cosmogonies and monumental scales specific to the Pharaonic civilization.

I would like to pay tribute to the work of Virginie Martin, artistic director, as well as the commitment of the entire Culturespaces team, whose high standards and creativity made it possible to create an immersive narrative attentive to the richness of ancient Egypt.

This achievement presented at the Bassins des Lumières illustrates how the alliance between scientific rigor and technological innovation can become a powerful tool for cultural transmission.

Shot in Paris, this collaboration offers a historical immersion and scientific in ancient Egypt, through exchanges mixing Egyptology and physical-chemistry.

During the video, several themes are discussed: the use of galena in Egyptian makeup and its properties, the links between ancient practices and chemical phenomena, as well as the place of this knowledge in written sources and archaeological.

The exchange also makes it possible to explore the reading of hieroglyphics, with a introduction to certain expressions and how they work, as well as the presentation of objects related to writing and religious practices.

This collaboration highlights the interactions between scientific disciplines and shows how knowledge about ancient Egypt can be explained in an accessible way, while remaining anchored in a rigorous approach.

Writing: Morgan Lechat – Jean-Guillaume Olette-Pelletier.

Thanks again to Morgan Lechat (@monsieurlechat) for the invitation and for this rewarding exchange.

The video is available online:

The theatrical release of the film "The Secret of Cheops", directed by Barbara Schulz and released in France on March 5, 2025, was an important step for me. I participated as a scientific advisor, contributing to the integration elements related to Egyptology in the cinematic narrative.

An evening held at the end of March 2024 to celebrate filming marked an early highlight of this collaboration. It brought together the artistic and technical teams around the project. My role as scientific advisor was acknowledged, reflecting the dialogue established between scholarly rigor and cinematic creation.

As part of the promotion of the film, I also participated in an interview broadcast in the show Roll! on France Bleu (Radio France), alongside Barbara Schulz. This radio exchange was an opportunity to discuss my role in the film and how historical and archaeological references were incorporated into the scenario.

The show is available as a podcast:

A written interview about me was also published on Fouille-Lhistoire.com under the title: "The Secret of Khufu: an Egyptologist unveils the backstage of the film".

In this interview, I detail the nature of my intervention, my exchanges with the team production and issues related to the representation of Egyptology in cinema. This collaboration illustrates for me the meeting between scientific rigor and artistic creation.

Taking part in this adventure was both a professional and human experience. Contribute to a film project while remaining faithful to my research areas is an approach that I particularly appreciate.

This exchange provided an opportunity to discuss the scientific implications of this discovery, as well as its importance for understanding the decorative and symbolic program of one of the most iconic Egyptian monuments kept outside Egypt.

The discussions also focused on the valuation of heritage internationally and on the constant dialogue between research, cultural diplomacy and knowledge transfer.

I warmly thank the Embassy of Egypt in France for this invitation and for the attention paid to this research.

in the Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris, we addressed several themes related to ancient Egypt, including some of my research on the Concord Obelisk as well as on the representations of Egyptian deities in contemporary culture.

This discussion showed how video games can become a tool for scientific mediation, opening a dialogue between academic research and the world of gaming. I addressed the way these games help disseminate knowledge about ancient Egypt, while also questioning their narrative and historical choices. If works of fiction sometimes take liberties, they also constitute a valuable gateway to the history and mythologies of Antiquity.

This exchange was also an opportunity to recall that Egyptology is a discipline in constant evolution, which opens up to new forms of dissemination and generations of tomorrow's students and researchers.

An excellent moment of sharing, at the crossroads of the scientific and video game worlds.

Filmed at Place de la Sorbonne in Paris, this episode allowed me to exchange directly with strangers curious, skeptical or simply intrigued by ancient Egypt — an exercise both unpredictable and challenging.

The questions were many — and sometimes surprising:

• Were the pyramids built by aliens?
• Are there still traps in the pyramids?
• Have you ever opened sarcophagi?
• Why is Cleopatra so famous today?

Behind these questions are powerful imaginations, nourished by cinema, conspiracy theories or sensationalist narratives. The challenge was to respond to it with pedagogy, without evading historical complexity, but also without losing pleasure of the exchange.

This type of format is a reminder of how much ancient Egypt continues to fascinate and how much the scientific mediation remains essential to distinguish between myth and reality. Dialogue directly with the public, in the urban space, makes research more accessible and to show that Egyptology remains deeply rooted in contemporary debates.

The video is available online:

Thank you to the team for this great experience and to all the passers-by who agreed to play the game of questions.

I had the pleasure of being invited alongside Flavie Flament and Julien Arnaud to evoke this queen who reigned over Egypt in the 1st century BC.

This short but very nice interview allowed us to return to several preconceived ideas concerning a ruler often reduced to a romantic figure. Yet, Cleopatra was also a leader and political strategist in a complex context rivalries with Rome.

We addressed the gradual construction of its myth, shaped by ancient sources, literary tradition and modern representations, sometimes at the expense of historical realities.

This exchange was in connection with the exhibition "The Cleopatra Mystery" at the Arab World Institute, which sheds light on historical sources and questions the formation of this legend over the centuries.

The sequence is accessible online:

Many thanks to the Telematin team for this welcome, as well as Quentin Azoulay for this invitation.

The Grande Halle de La Villette, where the exhibition is currently presented "Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs", served as a setting for this celebration. Surrounded by treasures from ancient Egypt, the guests evolved in a setting steeped in history, carried by the emblematic figure of Ramses II, whose legacy continues to mark the centuries.

The presence of Dr. Khaled El Enany, former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities and candidate for the post of Director-General of UNESCO, recalled how the heritage constitutes an essential lever of international cultural dialogue and heritage diplomacy.

This evening also echoed the exhibition "Ramses II the Great" presented at the Grand Palais in 1976, a major event led in particular by the Egyptologist Christiane Desroches Noblecourt, who had deeply contributed to the cultural influence between France and Egypt. Almost fifty years later, the fascination for this civilization remains intact.

The meeting took place in the presence of Khaled El-Enany, former Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities and Egyptologist, as well as Alaa Youssef, Egyptian ambassador to France. It was part of a dynamic of bilateral cooperation aimed at strengthening scientific, cultural and heritage exchanges.

The discussions focused on contemporary issues linked to the protection of sources from ancient worlds, to the preservation of archaeological heritage and the transmission of knowledge. In an international context marked by increased attention to questions of conservation and circulation of works, the evening recalled the central role of cultural diplomacy in promoting heritage.

During this meeting, I had the opportunity to offer the Minister a copy of my latest work, dedicated to the “Bassins des Lumières” exhibition, thereby extending our exchanges on new forms of cultural mediation and the contemporary dissemination of heritage to the public.

This evening was a privileged moment of exchange and reflection, illustrating the vitality of relationships Franco-Egyptian and the central place occupied there by archaeology, museums and scientific research.

The opening was a great success, bringing together researchers and Egyptology enthusiasts and lovers of sensory experiences around an immersive proposition combining scientific rigor and technological innovation.

The exhibition offers a visual, sound and olfactory immersion in the world of antique perfumes. A photographic exhibition is enriched with a virtual reality experience, while several historical scents, reconstituted from ancient sources, allow to approach an intangible heritage that is rarely accessible: smells.

At the heart of the route is the kyphi, a sacred perfume mentioned in hieroglyphic texts and used in temple rituals. Reconstructed according to ancient sources, it offers visitors a unique sensory experience, by providing access to an olfactory tradition dating back several millennia.

The project is led by Sandra Reboullet and OLFY as general commissioners, with the scientific collaboration of Frédéric Servajean, Hanane Gaber and Jean-Guillaume Olette-Pelletier. It benefits from the partnership of the Egyptian Embassy in Paris, under the patronage of which the event is placed, as well as Labex ARCHIMEDE, from Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 University and INOD Solutions.

This synergy between academic research, technological expertise and olfactory innovation gives rise to an exhibition that is both scientifically rigorous and accessible to the general public.

Beyond objects and images, “Perfumes of Ancient Egypt” invites us to get in touch with the past through smell - an essential dimension in Pharaonic civilization, where perfumes accompanied religious rites, body care and royal ceremonies.

My intervention consisted of shedding scientific light on certain elements linked to ancient Egypt, particularly around the character of Bayek, in order to enrich the coherence history and culture of the game.

This contribution was one-off and part of an academic advisory process, aiming to confront narrative and artistic choices with current Egyptological knowledge.

On this occasion, I spoke with several members of the studio team, including Juliette Pivot and Emmanuel Carré, as well as with my Egyptologist colleague Perrine Poiron, also involved on the project.

This experience illustrates the way in which scientific research can dialogue with the video game industry, contributing to nourishing fictional universes while promoting historical knowledge.

Presented as a call for “freedom of knowledge”, this approach aims to promote information based on verified facts, on the rigor of methods science and critical thinking. It brings together actors from varied backgrounds around a common objective: guaranteeing the quality of public debate regarding broadcasting increasing amount of misleading content.

I am honored to be part of this collective committed to the protection and transmission of knowledge, alongside Benjamin Brillaud, known as Nota Bene.

As president of the Petrarch Circle, Egyptologist, teacher at the Catholic Institute from Paris and creator of historical content on social networks, I consider this commitment as a natural extension of my daily work. The transmission of knowledge, the methodological requirement and pedagogy constitute the basis of my approach.

In a context marked by the rapid circulation of unverified information, it seems essential to me to affirm that knowledge is based on identifiable sources, a critical method and a rational approach. It cannot be confused with opinion.

I thank Radio France for the trust placed in it and for supporting this initiative. in favor of an informed and responsible public debate.

As an Egyptologist, doctor of Egyptology and specialist in religious texts and hieroglyphic cryptographies, I regularly intervene to analyze and explain the major events linked to ancient Egypt. The inauguration of this museum — destined to become the largest in the world devoted to a single civilization — constitutes a major moment for research and for the promotion of Egyptian heritage.

Located in the immediate vicinity of the pyramids of Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum marks an important step in the presentation of national collections, notably with the development of the treasure of Tutankhamun and thousands of major artifacts from Pharaonic history.

During this ceremony, I provided scientific insight intended to the French-speaking public in order to place the event in its historical context, cultural and heritage. Commenting on such a moment represents a responsibility important: rigorously transmit the knowledge resulting from research while making the wealth of Pharaonic civilization accessible.

A more unexpected moment was added to this experience: when TikTok LIVE MENA announced my selection to promote the Grand Egyptian Museum live during the official opening.

My advantage? No need for a guide to read hieroglyphics or explain the history of the artifacts — like what, Being an Egyptologist can sometimes be particularly useful.

In this intervention, I analyze several sequences of the game in order to assess their fidelity. historical and archaeological. Having been a consultant on Assassin’s Creed : Origins, I compare the artistic and narrative choices of developers with scientific knowledge current facts about ancient Egypt.

Often praised for the quality of its settings and its documentary ambition, the game offers a striking visual immersion in Ptolemaic Egypt. However, like any work of fiction, it makes adaptations, simplifications and certain liberties with regard to historical data.

It was a real pleasure to return to this video game universe in the light of Egyptology. The exchange between scientific research and popular culture always remains stimulating: it allows both to promote historical knowledge and to invite a look criticism of representations of the past.

The video is available online:

Co-organized by the Permanent Delegation of the Arab Republic of Egypt to UNESCO and the association Friends of the Museums of Egypt (AME), with the support of the Participation Program of UNESCO, this meeting aimed to celebrate the official opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, inaugurated on November 1, 2025 near the pyramids of Giza.

Considered the largest museum in the world dedicated to a unique civilization – that of ancient Egypt – it embodies a major step in the promotion and transmission of Egyptian heritage on an international scale.

The evening was inaugurated by His Excellency Alaa Youssef, Ambassador of Egypt to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, which highlighted the cultural and diplomatic importance of cooperation between Egypt and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Dr Ahmed Ghoneim, Director of the Grand Egyptian Museum, presented the scientific and museographic vision of the institution, the exceptional richness of its collections as well as international partnerships having made it possible. His intervention highlighted the scale of the project and the innovations technological and scientific implementations for the conservation and presentation of works.

The event brought together ambassadors, permanent representatives to UNESCO, institutional leaders, specialists in heritage and Egyptology, illustrating the international interest aroused by this major project.

Invited as a representative of the new generation of French Egyptologist researchers, I measured the importance of these exchanges for the future of research, scientific cooperation and intercultural dialogue.

This meeting is fully in line with Egypt's cultural and diplomatic strategy aimed at promoting its ancient heritage on a global scale and to strengthen cultural ties within the United Nations system. She also recalled the role of the Grand Egyptian Museum as a tool for dialogue between cultures and a symbol of universal heritage.

The meeting was held at the Sky Center, at the top of the La Marseillaise Tower, as part of an evening organized to celebrate the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Invited by Consul General Amr El Rachidi, I presented to the public my work devoted to crypto-hieroglyphs, these elaborate forms of writing which conceal a second level of reading within the monumental inscriptions.

This intervention was an opportunity to explain the stages involved in identifying cryptotexts engraved on the obelisk and to discuss their historical and philological implications.

Through this first public presentation on the subject, I sought to show how careful study of inscriptions can still renew our understanding of pharaonic monuments and the messages they carry.

I warmly thank the Consul General for his invitation, as well as for the reception given to this conference, which marks an important milestone in disseminating this research.

Erected in the 13th century BCE during the reign of Ramses II, the obelisk originally adorned the entrance to the temple of Luxor, Egypt. Offered to France in 1829 by Méhémet Ali, viceroy of Egypt, it was transported to Paris following a technical operation exceptional for its time.

The documentary will return to the ancient meaning of this granite monolith - a solar symbol associated with the god Ra and the royal legitimacy — as well as its spectacular recovery on October 25, 1836, Place de la Concorde. This project, led by engineer Apollinaire Lebas, mobilized considerable human and technical resources and still constitutes today a feat of 19th century engineering.

Between pharaonic history, Franco-Egyptian diplomacy and scientific challenge, this film offers a real journey through the centuries, to encounter a monument as imposing as it is fascinating.

Participating in such a project is also a reminder that Egyptology is not limited to archaeological excavations or publications. academics. It also lives through mediation, image and story.

Highlighting the Obelisk of Concorde means offering a new reading of a monument that millions of passers-by encounter each year without always realizing its full historical significance. I had the pleasure of contributing to the production of this documentary dedicated to the Obelisk of Luxor, an Egyptian monument erected in the heart of Paris but deeply anchored in history and the spirituality of ancient Egypt.

The event was held under the auspices of His Excellency Alaa Youssef, Ambassador of Egypt to France, and was hosted by the Professor Dr Khaled El-Enany, Egyptologist and former Minister of Antiquities then Tourism and Antiquities (2016-2022).

At the heart of his intervention, Professor El-Enany presented the latest archaeological discoveries in Egypt, illustrating the dynamism scientific missions and the scale of research carried out throughout the territory. He also mentioned major projects museographic projects undertaken in recent years, intended to modernize heritage institutions and strengthen their influence international.

The conference also highlighted the recent classifications as intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO, highlighting the importance of the transmission of Egyptian traditions and know-how, beyond just monumental heritage.

This meeting was part of a broader dynamic of cultural dialogue between France and Egypt. It offered an opportunity to address the role of museums and heritage institutions in international cooperation, scientific development and the dissemination of knowledge.

The event was also marked by a symbolic moment: the presentation to Professor El-Enany of the work “Mysteries and secrets of pharaons”, published by Éditions Larousse, concretizing a promise made four years earlier – a gesture testifying to an attachment personal and a shared commitment to the promotion of Pharaonic Egypt.

Invited by Emmanuel Davidenkoff, I was able to come back to the reasons why ancient Egypt continues to arouse such enthusiasm, both among specialists than the general public.

Throughout the discussion, I explained that this immersive exhibition is not limited to to a simple spectacular projection: it offers a real historical journey, featuring the great pharaonic figures, the emblematic monuments and the beliefs that have structured this civilization over nearly three millennia.

I also mentioned what I call a experimental archeology of emotion. Through this approach, I defend the idea that immersive restitution can become a scientific tool in its own right: by recreating light ambiances, monumental scales or symbolic environments, it becomes possible to better understand the sensory and spiritual impact that these spaces could produce in Antiquity.

Emotion is then no longer opposed to scientific rigor; on the contrary, it can become a means of deepening the understanding of ancient societies.

This intervention allowed me to show how technological innovation can dialogue with research in Egyptology, provided that a demanding methodological framework is maintained. Between transmission, immersion and scientific reflection, I wanted to recall that the study of ancient Egypt is also a sensitive experience, questioning our own relationship to time, the sacred and memory.

The sequence is accessible online:

Explore Media is a popular science media offering educational and accessible content dedicated to science, history and major contemporary questions. Through different video formats, the channel puts put forward specialists in order to confront preconceived ideas, cultural representations and current scientific knowledge.

In the episode to which I contributed, devoted to Pharaonic Egypt, I offer an Egyptological decryption of several emblematic scenes from cinema and popular culture.

The objective: to analyze what is historical and scientific reality... and what is entirely fiction.

Ancient Egypt has always nourished the imagination of directors. Movies like Asterix: Mission Cleopatra, The Mummy, Stargate, Indiana Jones, or Gods of Egypt bear witness to this lasting fascination.

During this interview – long (because when it comes to Egyptology, I’m hard to stop!) – I had the pleasure of deciphering these representations and explaining what current scientific research really says about them.

The episode is available online:

Thank you to the entire Explore Media team for this stimulating and fascinating exchange.

Presented from June 20, 2024 to February 3, 2025, the exhibition invites you to discover the history of scents in Mediterranean Antiquity. It offers an immersion that is both scientific and sensory, combining archaeology, olfactory reconstructions and devices. of virtual reality.

The route highlights exceptional Greek and Pharaonic artifacts, offering unprecedented insight into the history of perfumes. and practices linked to scents in ancient societies.

Mounted in partnership with LabEx Archimède, the exhibition also benefits from the loan of two works from the Gandur Foundation for Art, thus enriching the dialogue between collections, research and scientific mediation.

Visitors can notably discover the reconstructed scents of what is presented as the oldest perfume known to date - a rare experience allowing you to concretely approach an invisible part of ancient heritage.

Between technological innovation and archaeological research, “Celestial Sentiments” illustrates the way in which historical sciences dialogue today with contemporary tools to renew our understanding of ancient worlds.

This was a particularly rewarding opportunity to present the exhibition “The Egypt of the Pharaohs: From Khufu to Ramses II” at the Atelier des Lumières (Culturespaces), and to discuss the profession of Egyptologist with younger generations — our potential future colleagues.

To share a passion for ancient Egypt, explain the diversity of current research, and show that Egyptology is a living and accessible discipline: these were the key aims of this televised meeting.

Thanks again to Agathe Wellcome as well as Claudine Colin Communication, A FINN Partners Company, for their support and trust in this wonderful media experience.

This Egyptian castle was a particularly appropriate setting for evoke the figure of Cleopatra VII and the persistence of her myth in the Western imagination.

I had the pleasure of speaking during the study day entitled “Egyptomania at Château Laurens around the figure of Cleopatra”. My conference combined history and video game culture, by proposing a reflection on the representation of the sovereign in Assassin’s Creed II et Assassin’s Creed Origins.

I discussed the way in which these games participate in the diffusion of knowledge about ancient Egypt, while questioning their narrative and historical choices.

Alongside other Egyptologists who spoke during the weekend, this meeting offered an opportunity to explore more broadly the fascination with Egypt and Cleopatra's unique place in the Western imagination.

A thematic visit to the monument extended these discussions by highlighting the Egyptian decorations of the castle.

This meeting, coordinated by Pierre-Emmanuel Perrier de La Bâthie and Élisabeth Ruchaud, brought together Daphné Guez, Noam Alon and myself around questions linked to artistic experimentation and new forms of dissemination of knowledge.

During my speech, I presented the role of immersive exhibitions digital in the transmission of historical knowledge. Through the example of the exhibition “The Egypt of the Pharaohs: from Khufu to Ramesses II”, designed for Culturespaces and presented at the Atelier des Lumières, I analyzed the way in which monumental visual devices and the immersive space setting transform the reception of historical knowledge.

I also mentioned the collaboration developed with Ubisoft Paris Studio around video games Assassin’s Creed Origins, emphasizing the possible complementarity between artistic creation, digital reconstruction and historical research.

These new forms of mediation offer new perspectives to transmit knowledge to the general public, while renewing educational approaches.

This evening allowed us to meet different perspectives and question the way whose art, digital technology and history can dialogue to experiment with new forms of storytelling and sharing of knowledge.

This format is based on a simple principle: around a given theme, everyone defends their place while participants must identify the imposter. Unexpected arguments, strategies, humor and sense of repartee structure the exchange in an atmosphere both fun and competitive.

For me, this participation also represented an opportunity to show that Egyptology is not limited to the strict academic framework. Scientific rigor and curiosity for contemporary culture are not incompatible: they can on the contrary, dialogue and nourish each other.

I hope that this appearance will allow some people to discover — or rediscover — Egyptology from a different angle: a demanding and fascinating discipline, but also deeply human.

The show is available online.

On this occasion, I intervened to present the profession of Egyptologist. The professions of curator and auctioneer were also discussed, in order to show the diversity of opportunities offered by the History of art as well as the scientific, cultural and methodological skills that it allows to develop.

Through my intervention, I wanted to make everyday life more concrete of the profession of Egyptologist, mentioning in particular research, field work, but also the passion that drives this profession and fuels scientific commitment in the long term.

This show, broadcast on SQOOL TV, is part of an awareness-raising process and guidance, in order to help pupils and students to better understand training and professions linked to heritage and culture.

The show is available online:

Produced by Label News (François Pomès) and directed by Anne-Fleur Delaistre and Julien Balestier, this series in four episodes offers a state of current research devoted to Cleopatra VII (69–30 BC), last Lagid sovereign.

The series places the queen in the political context of the 1st century BC. BC, marked by its alliances with Julius Caesar then Marc Antony, while examining the available historical and archaeological sources.

Part of the filming took place in the library of the Palais du Luxembourg, which preserves a copy of the first so-called “imperial” edition of the Description of Egypt (Paris, 1809–1822), resulting from scientific work carried out during the Egyptian expedition (1798–1801).

Particular attention is paid to material sources: monetary portraits minted during his reign and statuary works attributed to him. These documents constitute direct witnesses for the study of its official image and its representation of power.

Filming took place in Paris, Dendera, Berlin and Coptos, combining museum collections, archives and archaeological terrain.

In this context, I participated in the project as a scientific referent and field Egyptologist, in order to support the presentation of the historical and archaeological data used.

The location of Cleopatra's tomb remains unestablished to this day.

Organized from October 21, 2023 to January 7, 2024, the exhibition highlighted a significant part of the Toulouse Egyptian collection.

At the center of the route was the mummy of Inimennaÿsnebout, dating from the 25th dynasty. (8th–7th century BC), accompanied by its painted sarcophagus. This period, marked by the domination of the Kushite sovereigns over Egypt, constitutes a moment singular of pharaonic history. The study of inscriptions and iconography of this set sheds light on the religious status of the deceased as well as the beliefs funerals of his time.

Around this major piece were presented various objects linked to funerary practices: canopic vases intended for the preservation of organs, protective amulets, masks and ritual elements. The whole offered a coherent panorama of Egyptian conceptions of the afterlife and the symbolic devices implemented to guarantee the rebirth of the deceased.

This exhibition also had a strong heritage dimension. The works exhibited experienced several institutional moves before returning temporarily at the Saint-Raymond Museum for this presentation, thus restoring visibility to an important part of Egyptian heritage preserved in Toulouse.

During this morning of study, I was able to contribute to certain reading points and hieroglyphic analysis on several pieces, providing insight complementary on epigraphic and titular details.

This meeting finally took on a particular personal significance: sixteen years earlier, I was doing a History Degree course in this same museum during the editing of the exhibition “Fragility over time. Glass in Antiquity. Returning to these rooms today as a specialist constitutes a real return to basics.

Between scientific continuity, heritage enhancement and academic memory, this immersion at the Saint-Raymond Museum illustrates the vitality of Egyptian collections regional and the importance of museums as places of transmission and research.

Presented from April 28 to July 25, 2022, it was devoted to a major period, but still too little emphasis on Egyptian history: that of the 25th dynasty.

The exhibition highlights the determining role of the kingdom of Kouch, centered around its capital Napata, in the political history of Egypt in the 8th century BC. AD

From the reign of Piânkhy, these sovereigns from the south took control of the Two Lands and established a dynasty which profoundly marked the pharaonic tradition.

The museum tour allowed you to understand the artistic, religious and political richness of this period, while placing the 25th dynasty in a broader African perspective, essential to understanding the cultural dynamics of the first millennium BC.

Directed by Martin Beraud and produced by Label News, this approximately 75-minute film explores seven emblematic pyramids through images, comments and archaeological data.

The documentary presents seven monuments selected for their historical and architectural interest or visual. It sets out to explain why and how these pyramids were built, what we know about the construction techniques implemented and the constraints encountered by their builders.

The film also highlights aspects less known to the public, such as certain galleries not very accessible or particular architectural forms. The rhomboidal pyramid of Dahshur, for example, illustrates an experimental phase in the evolution of pyramidal architecture.

Beyond the monumental feat, the documentary recalls the religious and funerary dimension of these complexes. He particularly mentions the importance of Textes des Pyramides, corpus inscriptions of a ritual and theological nature, which shed light on Egyptian conceptions of royalty, regeneration and passage to the afterlife.

The whole thus offers a perspective on the diversity of pyramidal shapes. and technical solutions adopted in different periods of Egyptian history.

In this context, I participated in the documentary as an Egyptologist, speaking on the historical and archaeological elements linked to the monuments presented, as well as their scientific contextualization. The program adopts a popularization approach based on current knowledge in Egyptology.

This episode is dedicated to the Great Pyramid of Khufu, built around 2600 BC. AD on the Giza plateau, and considered the only one of the Seven Wonders of the world ancient still visible today.

The program offers an exploration of the main scientific questions related to the monument: the historical conditions of its construction, the hypotheses archaeological findings relating to the organization of the site, the internal structures currently known about the pyramid, as well as the questions that remain around this emblematic monument of the Old Kingdom.

In this context, I participated in the documentary as an Egyptologist, speaker on the historical and archaeological elements relating to the pyramid of Khufu and to its context.

The film is part of a popularization approach aimed at presenting the state knowledge and scientific debates around the Great Pyramid.

My intervention focused in particular on the epigraphic analysis of the decorative program of the funeral chamber of tomb KV62, on its spatial organization and on the theological coherence of its structure.

If the tomb is often described as relatively sober in its execution, the detailed analysis of the texts, of their distribution and their iconographic articulation reveals an organization more constructed than it seems. The study highlights an arrangement of signs and sequences which participates in a coherent discourse on the royal renaissance.

The term “cryptography” is used here in its Egyptological sense: not as the idea of a modern secret code, but as a learned process of graphic and theological complexity. This type of structure is attested in certain royal tombs of the New Kingdom, where the arrangement of hieroglyphs and their symbolic equivalences translate a level of reading specific to scribal culture.

The analysis is based on the examination of the spatial organization of the texts in the burial chamber, the distribution signs and their theological correspondences in the funerary tradition of the 18th dynasty. From this perspective, the tomb of Tutankhamun appears not as a simple abbreviated decoration, but as an intellectually constructed program, set in the context of post-Amarna religious restoration.

In January 2025, a new video extended this reflection. The team was remarkable, the stimulating exchanges — and the pharaoh, true to himself, as discreet as ever.

An audiovisual summary devoted to this research is available online.

The event was part of a double major commemorative context: the bicentenary of the deciphering of hieroglyphics by Jean-François Champollion (1822) and the centenary of the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun (1922). It was about returning to the history of the decipherment of pharaonic writings while presenting the current state of the most specialized research.

The day brought together several international specialists known for their work on so-called "cryptographic" forms of hieroglyphic writing. These processes, especially developed from the New Kingdom onward and during the Ramesside and Late periods, rely on complex mechanisms: learned phonetic substitutions, graphic games, multiplication of the values of a single sign, multiple readings, and visual constructions integrating theological symbolism and monumental composition.

The communications showed that these devices fully contribute to the meaning of the texts. Their decryption now allows us to propose new readings of passages long considered obscure and to refine the interpretation of the royal decorative programs and funerals.

I presented a paper devoted to cryptographic processes in the tomb of Tutankhamun, examining the scholarly use of certain signs in the devices linked to solar renewal and royal regeneration. This reflection is part of an approach broader view of hieroglyphic writing as a polysemous system articulating language, image and theology.

I would like to thank Rector Emmanuel Petit, Dean Cécile Coulangeon, as well as all the speakers for the quality of their interventions. I would also like to thank the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, and especially Madam Minister Sylvie Retailleau, for the high patronage granted to this event.

Egyptology thus fully regains its place within one of the oldest historical French university institutions, affirming the contemporary vitality of a discipline at the crossroads of the sciences of language, history and religious thought.

My work focuses on the survey and paleographic study of hieroglyphic inscriptions preserved in the royal tombs of the Third Intermediate Period (c. 1075–712 BC). This involves precisely recording the texts (epigraphic copy, vectorization, control of graphic variants), then analyze the shapes of the signs, their ductus, their particularities spellings and their spatial organization.

I devoted myself in particular to the study of the texts from the tomb of Osorkon II, pharaoh of the 22nd dynasty (reigned in the 9th century). av. AD). This paleographic analysis makes it possible to document the scriptural traditions specific to the so-called “Libyan” dynasties, to observe the continuities and innovations in the formulation of royal titles, as well as to refine the understanding of the funeral program implemented in the Tanite necropolis.

Furthermore, I participated in the work carried out in the great temple of Amon-Re of Tanis, particularly in the south-eastern sector of the enclosure. These operations combine architectural study, analysis of reused blocks and epigraphic documentation, contributing to specify the monumental and religious history of the site during the Third Intermediate Period.

Tanis thus constitutes a privileged observation site for the study of the textual, monumental and ritual practices of the 21st and 22nd dynasties.

An audiovisual summary devoted to the Tanis site, developing the historical and archaeological issues mentioned here, is accessible online.