pradodemello

Claudio Prado de Mello was born in Rio de Janeiro on December, 1964; he was educated at Universidade Estacio de Sá where he took his BA in Archaeology in 1986. In spite of being admitted to pursue the MA Course in Egyptology at Swansea University (Wales) in 1988, he decided to pursue it in Brazil and in 1994 he received the MA degree in Ancient History (mainly Egyptology) at the Universidade Federal Fluminense. His MA Dissertation - Private Mortuary System in the XVIII Egyptian Dynasty is a comprehensible study of the funerary practices and beliefs, and received indications for publication (part of it was published in 1998 in Phoenix). Since 1993, he has been appointed as a Visiting Professor and Researcher of the Ancient History Laboratory (LHIA) of the Institute of Philosophy and Social Studies of the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. In 1990, he assembled a selected team of archaeologists, historians etc. and together they founded the Institute of Egyptology in Rio de Janeiro (INE). From its foundation, the INE has conducted a serious and successful divulgation work on the ancient Egyptian culture and civilisation in Brazilian Universities and Cultural Centres. The INE has organised conferences, scientific meetings and other events as exhibitions of a Didactic collection of Egyptian artworks and models made by the Institute. In 1987-8 he started the Livro-Tombo (research, classification and organisation of the Egyptian material) of the Collection of Egyptian Antiquities held in the National Museum of UFRJ. During his career he has participated in many excavations in Brazil and Egypt, working as archaeologist, artist and/or epigrapher. In 1996-7, he became a Collaborator-Member of the Mission Archéologique Française du Bubasteion - CNRS and has done epigraphic work in the tomb of the High-Official and Ambassador Netjeruymes, of XIX Dynasty. Since 1996 he has travelled extensively through the Near East and Eastern Europe and since 1982 he has organised many cultural and scientific projects. He has published many books, booklets and articles in Brazil and he is a member of the executive commission of Phoînix - the Ancient History Laboratory’s Magazine, of IFCS/UFRJ. At present he is constructing two different buildings designed in historical style in order to organise a Cultural Pole, in Rio de Janeiro. Also, is writing a comprehensible study about Funerary Practices. From 2004 he decided to build a place called Al- SULTANIYA. A building of 2000 square meters in mameluk style. For further information see http://br.geocities.com/al_sultanyia/ Al-Sultaniya is the name of the new-mameluke complex in Rio de Janeiro. Sultaniya, in arabic language means .royal. or .belonging to the royalty., in fact, it is a homage and a real reverence to the Mameluke dynasty. Usually we call it a Cultural Complex. The place covers nearly 2000 square meters (s.m) and will be devoted to house a Cultural Centre, the Mankind Museum assembling a nice collection of art works and antiquities which will be arranged in 21 rooms (including a underground gallery where will be displayed the funerary archaeology collection), a Library with nearly 30.000 titles, a documentation Centre with circa of 9.000 documents and original photographies and many other installations. On the third storey, we have a semi-opened area with a Islamic Garden. Incluiding arabic gardens, marble fountains, a planetarium, an open air theater and others. A small part of the building will be the headquarter of the Institute of Egyptology, founded in January of 1990. My email is pradodemello@hotmail.com or visit our provisory HP: http://br.geocities.com/al_sultanyia/