From Dinosaurs to Domestication in Sudan and Egypt (3 weeks)

Learn about the history of early animals and plants in Northeast Africa! Tuesdays, July 28–August 11 (3 weeks), 5–7 pm Central Time on Zoom and recorded to watch later. $147 (non-members), $118 (ISAC members), $59 (docents and volunteers and UChicago alumni), $37 (UChicago/Lab/Charter school students/faculty/staff) Instructors: Brian Muhs, Professor of Egyptology, ISAC and University of Chicago and Tasha Vorderstrasse, PhD, ISAC, Manager, Continuing Education Program Join us for a three–week class looking at the evidence for fossils in Egypt and the Sudan! While fossil dinosaurs and especially mammals are well known from Egypt, the fossil record in the Sudan has received less attention. This class will focus on the dinosaurs and fossils of early mammals before examining one of the most important events in the history of animals: domestication. Long seen as an event that primarily happened outside of Northeast Africa, evidence shows that several important domestication events involving animals, specifically donkeys and aurochs, happened in the region. We will also discuss the evidence for plants, where the scholarly emphasis has largely been on domestication rather than the earlier evidence from fossils. We will do an optional tour of the ISAC Museum special exhibition, “A Bestiary of Ancient Nubia” for in-person participants at a time to be determined. Week One, July 28: Dinosaurs of Egypt and Sudan Week Two, August 4: Early mammals of Egypt and Sudan Week Three: August 11: Domestication of animals in Egypt...