Ancient history

What now must be ancient history itself is the fact that I taught Ancient History for the HSC, almost twenty years ago. The last gig was particularly fascinating because it was at a Jewish school and involved teaching the history of New Kingdom Egypt and of the Kingdom period of Israel, that last slightly ticklish in that context. I asked the Rabbi for some pointers and he referred me to a book written by an American Lutheran!

However, I maintain an amateur interest, unlike one of the Ancient History teachers at The Mine who is a real Egyptologist. So I was fascinated by the story in today’s Sydney Morning Herald about the face of Tutankhamen, as reconstructed on the right. That really leaps time, doesn’t it?

I should say, by the way, that the amount of drivel that is out there on Ancient Egypt, not to mention Ancient Israel, really is depressing; on the other hand the fascination is perfectly understandable.

As for Ancient History: my knowledge is OK for teaching juniors but I would be terrified of attempting HSC teaching. You really do have to know your stuff to do that properly.