Collections & Research Staff

Roberta Shaw
Assistant Curator, Retired
Egyptian Arts & Culture

B.A. (High Honours), Egyptology, University of Toronto, 1983
M.A., Museum Studies, University of Toronto, 1986

As an assistant curator, Roberta Shaw’s fieldwork in Egypt has included epigraphic assistance at the Temple of Karnak and research in Theban Tomb #89 at Luxor. She has helped develop the prehistory display at the Kharga Museum in the Kharga Oasis, and the visitor centre at the Temple of Deir el-Hagar in the Dakhlah Oasis.

Roberta’s exhibition work at the ROM includes the development of the Ancient Egypt and Nubia galleries, opened in 1992, and the travelling exhibition Egypt, Gift of the Nile (1996-1998). Her work as a guest curator at the Canadian Museum of Civilization involved advice and loan assistance for the show Mysteries of Egypt (1999), in conjunction with the IMAX film of the same title. Co-curation with Krzysztof Grzymski produced the exhibition Canadians on the Nile (1999), which showed in Toronto, Paris, Poznan and London. She was the assistant curator for the ROM showing of Egyptian Art in the Age of the Pyramids (2000); the exhibition travelled to Paris and New York.

Roberta’s lectures include reports on her curatorial and research work, as well as popular lectures on art and architecture, mummification, and the lifestyle of ancient Egypt. She also acts as a resource person for ROMtravel trips to Egypt.

Galleries
Galleries of Africa: Egypt
Galleries of Africa: Nubia – Coming soon

ROM Images
Ancient Egypt & Nubia

Research Projects
Theban Tomb #89 Epigraphic Project

Other Links
Archaeological Newsletter - The Tomb of Amenmose: Almost Done
ROM Friends of Ancient Egypt (FAE)

Podcasts

Conversations with Archaeologists and Researchers: Roberta Shaw
May 07, 2010
Roberta Shaw, Assistant Curator of Egyptology at the Royal Ontario Museum, talks about how she got into Egyptology, projects she has completed in her career, and her favourite object at the ROM.

This unique video series, Conversations with Archaelogists and Researchers, explores the careers and experiences of five individuals associated with with the Royal Ontario Museum.

Video Podcast (9MB, 2min 10sec)
Written Transcript (PDF)

Iconic Statue of Sekhmet
March 19, 2009
Dating to the reign of King Tutankhamun's grandfather, this Egyptian sculpture is a very fine example of one of the oldest known Egyptian deities, the lion-headed warrior goddess also known as Mistress of Dread and Lady of Slaughter. On display in the Galleries of Africa: Egypt, the statue is one of the Museum's iconic objects.

Video Podcast (16.9MB, 2m 27s)
Written Transcript (PDF)

Iconic Cleopatra
March 19, 2009
This granite bust is most likely a representation of one of history's most famous women Cleopatra and is on display in the Galleries of Africa: Egypt. An iconic object in the ROM's collection, only three pieces of Ptolemaic sculpture like this exist in the world today.

Video Podcast (18.2MB, 2m 38s)
Written Transcript (PDF)

Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead
February 27, 2009
Travel to Egypt, the land where the Book of the Dead of Amen-em-hat was written over 2,300 years ago and uncover the story of this mystical scroll. Acquired in the early 20th century, this beautiful papyrus scroll was recently restored and temporarily brought out of the vaults for display. Visitors can still see fragments of the Scroll and this video installation in the Galleries of Africa: Egypt.

Video Podcast (28.34MB, 1m 28s)
Written Transcript (PDF)

Bringing the Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead to Life
June 23, 2008
Roberta Shaw, Assistant Curator of Egyptian Arts & Culture, introduces the restoration project of the ROM’s Book of the Dead of Amen-em-hat. A team from the University of Bonn worked throughout May 2008 to piece together this rare ancient Egyptian papyrus dating to about 320 BC.

Video Podcast (21.4MB, 6m 03s)
Written Transcript (PDF)

Contact Information
Department of World Cultures
Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queen's Park
Toronto, ON
M5S 2C6

t 416.586.5691
e World Cultures

 

 

Roberta Shaw with Bust of Woman, possibly Cleopatra VII (granite), early Ptolemaic period, Egypt, 50 - 30 BC. ROM accession number 910.75.

Roberta Shaw cleaning wall painting, Theban Tomb 89, Luxor, Egypt.