The inherent paradox of Egyptology is that the objective of its study - people living in Egypt in Pharaonic times - are never the direct object of its studies. Egyptology, as well as archaeology in general, approach ancient lives through material (and sometimes immaterial) remains. This Element explores how, through the interplay of things and people - of non-human actants and human actors - Pharaonic material culture is shaped. In turn, it asks how, through this interplay, Pharaonic culture as an epistemic entity is created: an epistemic entity which conserves and transmits even the lives and deaths of ancient people. Drawing upon aspects of Actor Network Theory, this Element introduces an approach to see technique as the interaction of people and things, and technology as the reflection of these networks of entanglement.

Papers of a conference hold in Berlin in 2002. The cult of divine animals is one of the most prominent features of Egyptian culture. Several authors discuss different aspects of animal cults in ancient Egypt, and also South Asia and Africa. Contents: Martin Fitzenreiter, Einleitung; Dieter Kessler, Tierische Missverstandnisse: Grundsatzliches zu Fragen des Tierkultes; Stefan Grunert, Die Schachtung im Totenopfer - Ritualbestandteil vs. Reflexion allgemeinen Brauchtums; Ludwig D. Morenz, Die Sobeks - Spuren von Volksreligion im agyptischen Mittleren Reich; Frank Steinmann, Tuna el Gebel - Die TongefaaeJoachim ; Friedrich Quack, Die Rolle des heiligen Tieres im Buch vom Tempel; Alexandra von Lieven, Wo faa ich dich, goettliche Natur...; Angelika Lohwasser, Die Macht des Krokodils; Yasser Sabek, Die Schlange und ihre Verehrung in AEgypten in pharaonischer und moderner Zeit; Frank Feder, Der agyptische Tierkult nach den griechischen und roemischen Autoren; Katja Eichner, Tierkulte in Suedasien. Ein Eindruck.; Katrin Adler, Tiere im kulturellen Gefuege afrikanischer Gesellschaften - eine Auswahl; Martin Fitzenreiter, Die agyptischen Tierkulte und die Religionsgeschichtsschreibung.