Graffiti in the Pyramid Precinct of Sneferu at Meidum - Legacy Records
Hana Navratilova and Khaled Hassan
Hidden among the monuments of ancient Egypt are the traces of those who came long after the pyramids were built. This volume presents a corpus of visitors’ graffiti and dipinti from the pyramid precinct of Sneferu at Meidum, drawing on unpublished archival records and the work of generations of archaeologists and epigraphers. Combining archival research, epigraphic scholarship, and historical analysis, this book reconstructs the history of recording and interpreting Meidum’s secondary inscriptions. It traces the contributions of pioneering Egyptologists, including W. M. F. Petrie, F. Ll. Griffith, Percy Newberry, A. J. Rowe, B. Gunn, and J. Černý, revealing how their notes, drawings, and photographs preserve evidence that may be inaccessible today. At the heart of the volume is a comprehensive catalogue of texts and images from the pyramid temple and entrance passage, many based on the previously unpublished corpus assembled by Battiscombe Gunn. These inscriptions, predominantly left by New Kingdom visitors, offer rare insights into the identities, careers, and social aspirations of those who travelled to Egypt’s ancient monuments. Through detailed analysis, the book sheds new light on mobility, professional networks, and the enduring significance of sacred landscapes in ancient Egypt, while also illuminating the history of archaeological documentation itself.
Available Content:
Imprint: Abercromby Press
ISBN: 978 1 912246 41 0
Pages: 196 pp. + 112 plates
Format: Hardback
Published: 9/15/2026
Copyright: 2026