07

Apr

Soul, Double, Life Force? The Ancient Egyptian Concept of Ka

Lecture by Rune Nyord, Emory University, Atlanta, GA

  • 2:00 pmGeorgia
  • Michael C. Carlos Museum, Ackerman HallEmory University
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The ka is one of the most central concepts in ancient Egyptian religion, occurring in the majority of funerary inscriptions, but it is also one of the most difficult to understand in modern times. Connected to statues, compared to a soul or life force, or understood as a psychological “self,” the ka has proven extremely difficult to capture. In a lecture titled “Soul, double, life force? The Ancient Egyptian Concept of Ka,” Assistant Professor of Art History Rune Nyord gives an overview of the roles of the ka and suggests new possibilities for understanding the concept and its pivotal role in ancient Egyptian conceptions of the human being.

This program is free and open to the Emory community and the public.

Support for this lecture has been provided by the Peter Lacovara Lecture Fund.