Hannah Rustomjee

 

Archaeology’s colonial legacy: (re)narrating and (co)authoring the story of the Shabti in the Allard Pierson 

 

Abstract: This paper explores possible narratives to showcase Nubian archaeology in foreign museums centred on the principles of an inclusive community archaeology framework. Often grounded in Egyptocentric perspectives, this paper takes inspiration from the lessons learnt in two community archaeology projects situated in the Nile Valley, namely; ‘Egypt’s Dispersed Heritage Project’ (el-Gawad and Stevenson, 2021) and Mograt Island Archaeological Mission; as a way of empowering the Shabti of Senkamanisken, now on display in the Allard Pierson, to re-tell its own story. As archaeological histories of Sudan and Nubia developed in parallel to colonisation, this paper first addresses the blind spot occupied by Nubian archaeology and addresses the role of Western scholars in reproducing cultural bias and racist paradigms. The paper also explores the importance of source community input, their critique, and alternative forms of their engagement that have the capacity to go beyond outreach schemes and collaborative narratives (el-Gawad and Stevenson, 2021). It is also our current political moment that has resurfaced these concerns. Black Lives Matter is a pivotal moment for many institutions to re-think and challenge their current (un)ethical heritage practices. This paper can therefore be viewed as a burgeoning call for the Allard Pierson to engage in source community work with Sudanese communities when showcasing the shabti, an effort that has yet to be carried through to completion.

 

Bio: Hannah Rustomjee’s background as a diversity and inclusion practitioner within higher education reflects her research interests. Her focus lies in how museums can expand upon their commitment to ensuring greater accountability, accessibility and equitability for the communities and groups that have traditionally been excluded and stereotyped by arts, culture, and heritage sectors.