Support for Current Research in Egyptology 26 Tokyo
Current Research in Egyptology (CRE) is an international conference established to promote research presentations and academic exchange among graduate students and early-career researchers in Egyptology and related disciplines. The 26th conference (CRE26 Tokyo) was held at our institute, the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN), from July 11 to 14, 2026. This conference was organized by the CRE Japan Committee, which is composed of early career Japanese researchers, and our institute participated as one of the supporting institutions.
Egyptology is an interdisciplinary field of study, and the conference featured presentations and discussions based on diverse areas of expertise and perspectives, including archaeology, history, anthropology, religious studies, linguistics, museum studies, conservation and restoration, conservation science, archival studies, and digital humanities.
During the four-day conference, a total of 90 oral and poster presentations were delivered, with 178 presenters and participants in attendance. In addition, keynote lectures introducing ancient Egyptian collections held in Japan were organized throughout the conference to deepen participants’ understanding of these materials. The lectures featured collections from the Tokyo National Museum, the Ancient Orient Museum, the Institute of Civilization Research at Tokai University, and the Kyoto University Museum. Participants also had the opportunity to visit two of these museums and view the collections in person.
Researchers from TOBUNKEN presented a poster based on photographic materials taken in Egypt in 1930 by Shin Wada, one of the founding members of our institute. The photographs document archaeological sites and objects displayed in museums. The presentation focused on identifying the locations and subjects depicted in the photographs, while examining changes in the management of archaeological sites and museum exhibitions over the past century, as well as the interests and evaluations of ancient Egyptian objects by Japanese art historians. It also explored the potential of photographic archives as historical resources for research.
CRE26 Tokyo was the largest international conference on Egyptology ever held in Japan, and it also recorded the highest number of presentations and participants from Japan in the history of the CRE conference series. As one of the cooperating institutions, TOBUNKEN is pleased to be able to contribute to the international academic exchange on such a scale.