From Egypt to empires: International scholars share insights at Mohatta Palace
KARACHI: Mohatta Palace Museum has announced to host a lecture series — bringing together three distinguished international scholars whose work spans history, archaeology and the classical world.
“The series reflects Mohatta’s ongoing commitment to fostering rigorous intellectual exchange and deepening public engagement with history, culture and heritage,” a museum’s representative said in a handout.
The lecture series will feature talks by Dr Salima Ikram, Dr Eduardo Manzano Moreno, and Dr Robin Lane Fox, each offering unique perspectives rooted in decades of scholarship and research.
Dr Salima will explore religion and history in her lecture titled ‘From the Indus to the Nile’, Dr Eduardo will discourse on ‘The Umayyad Caliphate that was Cordoba’ and Professor Robin will shed light on ‘Alexander in South Asia’.
Together, the lectures explore themes of civilisation, empire, memory and the interpretation of the past, subjects that resonate strongly within the cultural and historical landscape of Sindh and South Asia.
At a time when historical narratives are increasingly contested and revisited, the Mohatta Palace Museum said, the lectures encourage critical reflection on sources, memory and interpretation. Each speaker approaches history not as a fixed record, but as an evolving conversation shaped by evidence, perspective and context, it added.
Hosted at the historic Mohatta Palace, the series aims to make high-level academic discourse accessible to a wider audience, including students, researchers and members of the public with an interest in history and the humanities.
The representative of Mohatta Palace Museum noted: “This lecture series continues Mohatta’s tradition of presenting thoughtful, research-driven programming that connects local heritage to global historical narratives.”
Dr Salima is a renowned Egyptologist and Professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo. Her research focuses on ancient Egyptian archaeology, mortuary practices and animal mummies. She has led and participated in numerous archaeological projects in Egypt and is widely published. Dr Ikram is also known for her ability to bring specialised scholarship to a broad public audience.
Dr Eduardo is a historian specialising in the medieval Islamic world, with a particular focus on al-Andalus and early Islamic societies. He is widely published and internationally recognised for his scholarship.
Dr Robin is one of the world’s foremost historians of the ancient classical world, best known for his work on Alexander the Great and ancient Greece. He is an acclaimed author and public intellectual.
Mohatta Palace Museum Curator Sumera Naveed said Mohatta Palace has always been more than a historic building; it is a space where ideas, scholarship and public dialogue intersect.
“Hosting these lectures here allows conversations about ancient and medieval worlds to unfold within a site that itself embodies layered histories.
“Each of the invited scholars brings a distinctive methodological lens: archaeological, historical, and classical, yet all share a commitment to questioning how the past is constructed and understood. Their work speaks directly to contemporary debates about memory, empire and cultural exchange.”
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