The first lecture will be at 2.30pm at the Museu do Traje in São Bras de Alportel, the second lecture will be at 6pm at the Convento de São José in Lagoa.

In this presentation Dr Juliette Desplat will recount the amazing discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the legendary three curses of Tutankhamun. Juliette will be presenting us with documents and photographs from The National Archives of the United Kingdom and the Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, which relate to the discovery of the tomb of the boy king just over a century ago. Tutankhamun lay in his tomb (almost) undisturbed until 1922, when British archaeologist Howard Carter, his wealthy patron Lord Carnarvon, and their Egyptian workers opened it and revealed him to the world. It was the discovery of the century, but it came with a price, or rather three prices – the three curses of Tutankhamun: overwhelming popularity, damaging political blunders and lingering ancient dark magic. Juliette will be revealing the story behind the discovery of the objects and the political implications of the discovery of the tomb.


Dr Juliette Desplat is Head of International and External Affairs at The National Archives of the United Kingdom. She holds a PhD in history of ideas from the University of Paris 3 Sorbonne-Nouvelle, with a thesis focusing on Egyptian nationalism (‘The triangular relationship between France, Britain and Egypt from a politico-cultural point of view, 1869-1922’). Desplat specialises in Middle Eastern history of the 19th and 20th centuries, especially looking at the development of national identities; international boundaries; the comparison of the French and British colonial ideologies and practices in the region; and the interactions between politics, diplomacy, intelligence and archaeology.

Non-members are welcome to attend AAA lectures for a 5-euro admission fee, with all money raised by the AAA being used for archaeological grants and speakers. For more information, contact info.algarvearqueo@gmail.com, visit arquealgarve.weebly.com or Facebook 'Algarve Archaeological Association'. Please check the website or Facebook page for any last-minute changes.