Ilaria Cariddi spent one month living at the Trust’s Kensington house during November 2018.

I cannot express enough gratitude to the Robert Anderson Trust and to its Director, Christopher Naunton, for the precious opportunity they offered me. I spent the most productive, stimulating and enjoyable month in the Kensington house, and the experience was extremely positive from every point of view.

Ilaria studying the Greenfield Papyrus in the study room, Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan, British Museum.

I am in the process of translating my PhD dissertation, hinged on the concept of silence in ancient Egyptian literature and autobiographies, from Italian to English – a process that naturally involves much rewriting, and the integration of various sources I couldn’t access in my country. Thus, I spent most of my time in the Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan of the British Museum, where the comprehensive and up-to-date collection of Egyptology books proved to be extremely useful for my work. Thanks to the pre-arrangements set by the Trust, consulting the Library and working with its staff was effortless. I was delighted to finally be able to consult rare volumes and documents that are not available outside the UK, and the Library is indeed an ideal place to write and do research. I could also directly examine several objects from the Museum’s storage rooms, and get in contact with registrars, curators and scholars.

During my stay I also visited the Egypt Exploration Society, the Petrie Museum, and the University of Birmingham, where I was invited to present my research for their Egyptology forum. I did not miss the opportunity of attending seminars and lectures, most notably the London Postgraduate Conference for the Ancient Near East.

My work and daily life were absolutely enjoyable at home, too: the collection of Egyptology books of the Kensington house is small but valuable, and the accommodation was cozy and furnished with everything you may need. The cordial atmosphere and the lovely company of Chris Naunton and the other residents, together with all the reminders of Robert Anderson populating the house, made the whole experience extraordinary. I have not only worked serenely and efficiently, but I’ve also enjoyed living in such a charming district, and so close to the beating heart of London; all the meetings and happenings of that month have left me truly enriched and grateful.

I therefore strongly recommend the Trust to any student and scholar, especially in the field of Egyptology: the support of the Director, the accommodation and the covering of the travelling expenses, the networking with museums and institutions provide an invaluable occasion to deepen and broaden any research – and your personal horizons, too.

Ilaria outside the Trust’s Kensington house in which she stayed during November 2018.