Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society Sex & Scandal in Ancient Egypt
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Dec 5, 2025 In this captivating discussion, Dr. Campbell Price, an esteemed Egyptologist and curator from Manchester Museum, reveals the complex sexual landscape of Ancient Egypt. He explores how Victorian biases distorted Egypt’s sensuality and how Akhenaten challenged norms with affectionate imagery. Discover the intriguing dynamics of royal harems, same-sex relationships, and the everyday sexual lives of workers at Deir el-Medina. Plus, get a glimpse of the notorious Turin Erotic Papyrus and its satirical undertones, illuminating the depths of ancient sexuality.
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Victorian Lens Distorts Egyptian Sexuality
- Victorian-era scholars projected their own anxieties onto Ancient Egypt and sexualised it.
- That colonial gaze still shapes modern popular images and interpretations.
Childhood Museum Smell Sparked A Career
- Campbell Price became hooked on Egypt after smelling mummified bodies in a Glasgow museum as a child.
- He still associates that museum aroma with antiquity and with Egyptian bodies.
Tomb Finds Skew Our View Of Society
- Museum collections bias our view toward elites because most finds come from tombs.
- That skews sexual and social evidence toward elite afterlife concerns, not everyday life.
