Egyptology, although a very important subject in order to be able to understand the history of mankind, from a practical point of view, is not unfortunately particularly attractive as a profession nowadays.

Work opportunities in this field are not many and usually poorly paid. Therefore, in this part of the world, where those problems are even more acute, if we expect some people who are strongly attracted to the subject to devote their lives to it, we have to encourage them in every possible way.

This is the reason for our rather unusual policy of having regular Egyptology Contests, open to all Uruguayans and occasionally from neighbouring countries, who have something to say on the subject, and which reward such an interest with prizes consisting of books and other materials, a trophy and a certificate, as an incentive to consider Egyptology as a worthwhile pursuit.

Due to our chronic shortage of funds for this and other important tasks, we have been lucky to have been favoured with the generosity of several sister institutions who have understood our purpose and have contributed with valuable specialized books to be handed over as prizes. Among those who have responded to our appeal, we would like to mention the British Museum, the Egypt Exploration Society, the Turin Museum, Benben Publications and the University of Chicago.

On the left and right, the Egyptian Ambassador (1995) Mr. Faruk el Hofy, handing over the prizes to Ms. María Inés Peyrallo (left) and Ms. Elizabeth Aleksejunas (right), students of our Institute; in the middle, a view of some of the public who attended the ceremony.

We will list below the winners for every year and the titles of their essays:

1994

FIRST PRIZE to Ms. María Inés Peyrallo, "Panorama de la literatura en el antiguo Egipto" ("Literature in ancient Egypt").

SPECIAL MENTION to Mr. Ernesto Beretta, "Las tumbas reales de la XVIII Dinastía" ("The royal tombs of the XVIII Dynasty").

SPECIAL MENTION to Ms. Soledad Hernández, "El templo mayor de Abu Simbel analizado desde el punto de vista de la semiótica arquitectónica" ("The great temple of Abu Simbel analyzed from the point of view of architectural semiotics").

1995

FIRST PRIZE to Ms. María Inés Peyrallo, "La magia en el antiguo Egipto: una realidad inmersa en todos los aspectos de la vida cotidiana" ("Magic in ancient Egypt: a reality to be found in all aspects of everyday life").

SPECIAL MENTION to Ms. Elizabeth Aleksejunas, "Las pirámides: moradas de la eternidad" ("The pyramids: homes for eternity").

1996

FIRST PRIZE (shared) to Ms. Carmen Andrés Díaz, "El relevante papel de las reinas en el Egipto dinástico" ("The relevant role of queens in Dynastic Egypt").

FIRST PRIZE (shared) to Ms. Elizabeth Aleksejunas, "El enigma de Akhenatón" ("The Akhenaten riddle").

SPECIAL MENTION to Mr. Marcelo Rey, "Psicostasis: preludio a la eternidad" ("The weighing of the heart: prelude to eternity").

SPECIAL MENTION to Ms. Lorena Olhausen, "Evolución del sistema religioso egipcio desde el Antiguo Imperio hasta el Nuevo Imperio" ("The evolution of Egyptian religious beliefs from the Old Kingdom to the New Kingdom").

1997

FIRST PRIZE (shared) to Mr. Roberto Rodríguez (Argentina), "La época amarniana: reconsideraciones sobre este período" ("The Amarna age: a reconsideration of this period").

FIRST PRIZE (shared) to Ms. María Inés Peyrallo, "Aspectos del sistema judicial en el antiguo Egipto" ("Aspects of the judicial system in ancient Egypt").

SPECIAL MENTION to Mr. Oscar Amorín Supparo, "Aportes para la revisión axiológica del Egipto clásico" ("Contribution to the axiological review of Classical Egypt").

SPECIAL MENTION to Ms. Matilde Páez, "Hatshepsut, época, vida, hechos, final y consecuencias" ("Hatshepsut, times, life, deeds, end and consequences").

MENTION to Mr. Antonio Muniz, "Materiales de construcción, estatuaria y orfebrería egipcios" ("Egyptian building materials, sculpture and the goldsmith craft").

1998

FIRST PRIZE (shared) to Dr. Alberto Galasso, "Introducción a la flora faraónica" ("Introduction to the Pharaonic Flora").

FIRST PRIZE (shared) to Mr. Roberto Rodríguez (Argentina), "El estado egipcio y los nómades del este" ("The Egyptian state and the eastern nomads").

SPECIAL MENTION to Ms. María Inés Peyrallo, "El teatro en el antiguo Egipto" ("The theatre in ancient Egypt").

SPECIAL MENTION to Lic. Ernesto Daniel Capretti, "El oficio de la escultura en el antiguo Egipto" ("The sculptor’s craft in ancient Egypt").

MENTION to Ms. Ana María Barrul, "El amor y sus formas en el antiguo Egipto" ("Love and its manifestations in ancient Egypt").

1999

FIRST PRIZE (shared) to María Inés Peyrallo, "El artista en el antiguo Egipto" ("The artist in ancient Egypt").

FIRST PRIZE (shared) to Arch. Alejandro López Viana, "Arquitectura egipcia: su aporte a la arquitectura moderna occidental" ("Egyptian architecture: its contribution to modern Western architecture").

SPECIAL MENTION to Mr. Gustavo Ibáñez, "Aproximación al significado de "Vida" en el Libro de los Muertos egipcio" ("Approximation to the meaning of "Life" in the Egyptian Book of the Dead").

SPECIAL MENTION to Mr. Marcelo de León, "El amor y la sensualidad en el antiguo Egipto" ("Love and sensuality in ancient Egypt").

SPECIAL MENTION to Mr. Roberto Marcos González, "Prácticas funerarias en el Valle de los Reyes" ("Funerary practices in the Valley of the Kings").

MENTION to Ms. Sylvia Simonet, "Sobre los alimentos en el antiguo Egipto" ("Food in ancient Egypt").

MENTION to Mr. Osvaldo González Garderes, "Un día en la vida de Metukertyre" ("A day in the life of Metukertyre") (A short story that strictly speaking would be outside the scope of these Contests but which was so well written and so true to what we know of the late Old Kingdom, that it was decided it deserved some recognition).

2000

FIRST PRIZE (shared) to Mr. Roberto González, "A study of the XXII Dynasty" ("Estudio sobre la Dinastía XXII").

FIRST PRIZE (shared) to Ms. Sylvia Simonet, "Convention and symbolism in Pharaonic art" ("Convención y simbolismo en el arte faraónico").

SPECIAL MENTION to Ms. Stella Maris Soria, "The roles of nourishment in ancient Egypt" ("Los roles de la alimentación en el antiguo Egipto").

MENTION to Dr. Nelson Fernández, "Ideology in ancient Egyptian society" ("La ideología en la sociedad egipcia").

MENTION to Mr. Dardo Quintana, "The creator of ancient Egyptian culture" ("El creador de la cultura del antiguo Egipto").

2001

FIRST PRIZE to Esc. María Inés Peyrallo, "Private property in ancient Egypt" ("La propiedad privada en el antiguo Egipto").

SPECIAL MENTION to Mr. Carlos Ferreira, "Egypt, the cradle of immortality" ("Egipto, la cuna de la inmortalidad").

SPECIAL MENTION to Ms. Sofía Sáez, "Egyptian architecture: its evolution from the Old Kingdom to the New Kingdom" ("La arquitectura egipcia: su evolución desde el Imperio Antiguo hasta el Imperio Nuevo").

2002

FIRST PRIZE (shared) to Mr. Dardo Quintana, "Project Sothis" ("Proyecto Sothis").

FIRST PRIZE (shared) to Ms. Sylvia Simonet, "Beauty and universal dimension of the ancient Egyptian poetry" ("Belleza y universalidad de la antigua poesía egipcia").

SPECIAL MENTION to Dr. Nelson Fernández, "Chaos and Order" ("El Caos y el Orden").

MENTION to Ms. Sonia Rocha, "The life of women in ancient Egypt" ("La vida de la mujer en el antiguo Egipto").

MENTION to Dr. Gerardo De León, "Medicine in ancient Egypt" ("La medicina en el antiguo Egipto").

MENTION to Ms. Maite Rodríguez, "Life after death: the steps to eternity" ("Vivir después de la muerte: los pasos hacia la eternidad").

2003

FIRST PRIZE - NOT AWARDED (Desierto).

SPECIAL MENTION to Mr. Alfonso Martínez Ortega of Madrid, Spain, "Archaeoastronomical studies on the necropolis of Memphis" ("Estudios arqueoastronómicos en la necrópolis menfita").

MENTION to Ms. Sofía Sáez, "Some aspects of the daily life in ancient Egypt from the Old Kingdom to the New Kingdom" ("Algunos aspectos de la vida cotidiana en el antiguo Egipto desde el Imperio Antiguo al Imperio Nuevo").

MENTION to Mr. Jorge Roqueta, "Tutankhamun, the continuing mistery" ("Tutankhamón, el misterio no desvelado").

2005

FIRST PRIZE to Lic. Susana Romero of Buenos Aires, Argentina, "Children in ancient Egypt" ("Los niños en el antiguo Egipto").

SPECIAL MENTION to Psic. Adela Brouchy of Montevideo, Uruguay, "Egypt, the riddle of its continuity" ("Egipto, el enigma de la continuidad").

MENTION to Ing. Douglas Simonet of Salto, Uruguay, "The canal of the pharaohs" ("El canal de los faraones").

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ALL THESE ESSAYS CAN BE FOUND IN OUR PAGE AT: ESSAYS ON EGYPTOLOGY, IN ORDER TO ASSURE THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE PROCEDURES AND THE JUSTICE IN THE ASSIGNING OF THE AWARDS.

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SOME OF THE YEAR 2000 PRIZE WINNERS

From top to bottom and from left to right: 1 - The Undersecretary of the Interior of Uruguay, Dr. D. Borrelli; the Egyptian Ambassador in Uruguay, Mr. Ekram Zaafarani; the Consul of Egypt, Mr. Ashraf Mounir and Prof. J. J. Castillos presiding the ceremony; 2 - Dr. Borrelli addressing the public attending the ceremony; 3 - The Egyptian Ambassador speaking; 4 - Ms. Sylvia Simonet receiving her prize while Dr. Borrelli smiles approvingly; 5 - Dr. Borrelli hands the prize to Mr. Roberto González while the Egyptian Ambassador looks on; 6 - In the foreground, Ms. Stella Maris Soria while Dr. Borrelli listens attentively to the Ambassador; 7 - Mr. Dardo Quintana receiving his prize form the Ambassador's hand; 8 - Dr. Nelson Fernández receiving his likewise.

THE YEAR 2001 PRIZE WINNERS

From top to bottom and from left to right: 1 - The Egyptian Ambassador, Ms. Amina Farid (2001), handing over a prize to Ms. Sofía Sáez; 2 - Esc. María Inés Peyrallo getting the First Prize 3 - Mr. Carlos Ferreira receives a prize.

THE YEAR 2002 PRIZE WINNERS

From top to bottom and from left to right: 1 - Opening of the ceremony, Prof. Castillos says a few words; 2 - The Egyptian Consul, Mr. Alaa Moussa, delivering his speech; 3 - Part of the public that attended the ceremony; 4, 5, 6 - The Egyptian Consul handing over the prizes to some of the Contest winners this year.

THE YEAR 2005 PRIZE WINNERS

The Egyptian Ambassador (2005) and the Egyptian Consul with this year's winners and Prof. J. J. Castillos during the ceremony at the Uruguayan Institute of Egyptology on 6 April 2005.

These awards were granted in most cases by a three-member Tribunal and although the rulings have always been so far unanimous, it was often difficult to come to an agreement. What must be emphasized is that the level of the essays increased steadily from barely acceptable at first to an international average in the more recent years, which confirms the value of these Contests as an educational tool as well.

WARNING - Any essay submitted to these Contests that violates the rights of the authors of sources not listed or inadequately listed may be disqualified and the essay authors could be sued or legally prosecuted *** ADVERTENCIA - Cualquier trabajo presentado a estos Concursos en los que se violen derechos de autor por omitir citar fuentes utilizadas o hacerlo inadecuadamente podrá ser descalificado y los autores de tales ensayos podrán enfrentar sanciones penales o civiles por tal motivo.

For any comments or queries, we can be reached at:

Address: 4 de Julio 3068 Montevideo

Uruguay CP 11600

Tel. / Fax: ( 598 2 ) 622 5352

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