With a concentration of experience in the world of Predynastic Egypt (c. 4,000-3,000 BC), Thomas is actively researching the cultural significance of lapis-lazuli and its use in establishing long-distance trade networks between Egypt and their neighbours.

A piece of lapis-lazuli on display in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.

Lapis-Lazuli in Predynastic Egypt

For my main research, I look into the cultural significance of lapis-lazuli during the fourth to third millennia BC. I touch on questions dealing with foreign relations, Egyptian state formation, and elements of identity and status.

This research forms the basis of my doctoral work at the University of Toronto.

Presentations:

The Appearance of Lapis-Lazuli in Lower Nubia in the mid-Fourth Millennium BC and its Role in Contacts with Predynastic Egypt

2024-November (forthcoming): Annual Meeting of the American Schools of Overseas Research, Boston, Massachusetts

Re-examining the Implications of Lapis-Lazuli in Egypt’s Predynastic Period

2022-November: Scholar’s Colloquium of the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities (SSEA), Toronto, Ontario
2022-October: Minerals in Ancient Egypt, from Naqada to Alexandria Conference, Royal Academy for Overseas Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
2022-April: Annual Meeting of the American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE), Irvine, California

Lapis-Lazuli and its Cultural Significance within Egypt’s Predynastic Period

2024-April: Vancouver chapter of the ARCE, Vancouver, British-Columbia
2023-Dec: Toronto Chapter of the SSEA, Toronto, Ontario

Close-up of a winged sun-disk that is part of the Gzowski Mausoleum in St. James Cemetery.

Ancient Egypt across Toronto’s Cultural and Social Landscape

Together with my colleague, Stephen Ficalora, we are researching the ways Ancient Egypt manifests itself across the cultural and social landscape in Toronto, Canada. We are focussing in particular on how Ancient Egyptian elements appear among decorative and architectural components in several locales across the city. We are currently preparing a presentation for a Virtual Conference and are writing up our research for publication later this year.

Presentation

Ancient Egyptian Influences across Toronto’s Architectural and Cultural Landscapes

2024-July: Virtual Conference of the Save Ancient Studies Alliance (SASA)

Details on the publication forthcoming.

I am also very interested in the protection of cultural heritage with a particular focus on questions and debates of repatriation of Egyptian antiquities and the decolonisation of Egyptian collections housed in Western museums. More details on this will be forthcoming upon completion of my doctorate.