Punishers or protectors? : Demons in Ancient Egypt
Date
Location
Sponsor
Admission
Open to the public
RSVP required
FREE | General admission
About the Event
Demonology, though often overlooked, was a vital component of ancient Egyptian religious thought. Far from being merely agents of chaos, Egyptian demons occupied complex roles as both punishing forces and powerful protectors.
This talk explores how demons were understood within the broader cosmology of ancient Egypt, and how they interacted with gods, humans, and the sacred spaces that connected them. Drawing on textual, iconographic, and material evidence—often fragmentary and open to interpretation—we will examine how demons were classified and where they were believed to dwell, from tombs and temples on earth to the perilous gateways of the netherworld.
By distinguishing between earthly and netherworldly demons, this presentation sheds light on their dual nature and the spiritual logic that governed their presence in the Egyptian worldview.
Hungry?
Ticketed attendees who would like to stay for drinks and dinner should make dining reservations in advance via our Reservations page with the message “ARCE dinner”.
About the Speaker
Rita Lucarelli is Associate Professor of Egyptology in the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of California, Berkeley, and Faculty Curator of Egyptology at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology. Her research focuses on ancient Egyptian religion, with particular emphasis on funerary texts, demonology, and the modern reception of Egyptian religious traditions.
She currently leads a Digital Humanities project—The Book of the Dead in 3D (3dcoffins.berkeley.edu)—which integrates philological analysis with 3D modeling to make ancient Egyptian coffins more accessible for research and teaching. She is also completing a monograph on demonology in ancient Egyptian religious thought.
In addition to her academic work, Professor Lucarelli teaches courses on ancient Egyptian religion and comparative religion through the Mount Tamalpais College program of Higher Education at San Quentin State Prison. Her work reflects a strong commitment to interdisciplinary teaching, digital innovation, and public scholarship.
