Date: Saturday, February 6, 5:00 p.m.

Chapter: Illinois

Presenter: Dr. Janet H. Johnson, , The Morton D. Hull Distinguished Service Professor, Oriental Institute; Professor of Egyptology; Editor, The Chicago Demotic Dictionary Project

Location: The Oriental Institute, LaSalle Bank Room, 1155 East 58th Street, Chicago, 60637

Detail of the beautiful calligraphic demotic script on a 4th century BC annuity contract (OIM 17481)

Description: Demotic is the highly cursive script that was used to write the Egyptian language from about 650 BC to the 5th century AD. In the last decades, the study of Demotic has been among the most dynamic aspects of Egyptology. Newly translated Demotic texts are adding tremendously to our knowledge of religious ritual, economic, social, and political systems, and literature. For many years, the only dictionary was a single volume published in 1954. Major advances in the translation of Demotic texts are due to the Oriental Institute's compilation of a more complete dictionary based on a much greater number of texts that present more diverse vocabulary and orthography. This talk discusses the range of texts found in Demotic, and the purpose and status of the Chicago Demotic Dictionary.

Professor Jan Johnson studied Egyptology at the University of Chicago's Oriental Institute and has taught there since 1972. She is a specialist in the legal and social status of Egyptian women, in Egyptian grammar, and in the late stage of the Egyptian language and script known as Demotic. She is the author of a wide range of articles on grammar and on social history, and she is a pioneer in the application of computers to papyrology. She is also the author of the standard grammar of Demotic, Thus Wrote 'Onchsheshonqy - An Introductory Grammar of Demotic which is available on line at http://oi.uchicago.edu/research/pubs/catalog/saoc/saoc45.html

Relevant Links: http://oi.uchicago.edu/research/projects/dem/

For further information, www.arcechicago.com, or call 773 702 1062