Friederike Seyfried

Friederike Seyfried serves as an Honorary Professor at the Institute of Egyptology within the Department of History and Cultural Studies at Freie Universität Berlin since 2011. She has been the Director of the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection at the State Museums of Berlin - Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation since August 16, 2009.

Her educational background includes:

• Earned her doctorate from Heidelberg University in 1991 with a dissertation on "The Theban Necropolis: On the Change of Tomb Concept from the 18th to the 20th Dynasty" (summa cum laude)
• Completed her Magistra Artium (M.A.) at Heidelberg University in 1986 with thesis "The Stelae of the New Kingdom in the Architectural Concept of Theban Private Tombs" (very good)
• Studied Egyptology, Prehistory and Protohistory, and Comparative Literature at Heidelberg and Vienna Universities (1980-1986)

Friederike Seyfried's research focuses primarily on the archaeology of Ancient Egypt, with special emphasis on the New Kingdom period. Her work extensively covers the Amarna Period, tomb architecture and decoration of the New Kingdom, and innovative approaches to museum education, particularly for people with disabilities. Her scholarly contributions demonstrate a deep engagement with both archaeological fieldwork and museum curation, bridging academic research with public accessibility. She has led numerous excavations and research projects throughout her career, contributing significantly to our understanding of ancient Egyptian funerary practices and cultural history.

Her publications reveal a consistent focus on Theban necropolis studies, Amarna period research, and museum curation. The trend shows her evolving from detailed archaeological studies of specific tombs and artifacts toward broader cultural interpretations and museum-based educational approaches, particularly evident in her later works focusing on accessibility for people with disabilities.

Her notable awards and recognitions include:

• Alumna of the German Academic Scholarship Foundation
• Corresponding Member of the German Archaeological Institute
• Recipient of a Doctoral Scholarship from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (1987-1991)

Seyfried has led several significant third-party funded projects including "The Rock Tombs of Qubbet el-Hawa North" (DFG, 2017-2028), "Scientific Processing of Ludwig Borchardt's Amarna Excavations (1911-1914)" (2012-2014), and "Otto Rubensohn in Egypt - Forgotten Excavations" (2012-2014). Her work combines rigorous academic research with practical museum applications, demonstrating her commitment to making Egyptology accessible to broader audiences.

As Director of the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection in Berlin, she oversees one of the world's most significant collections of ancient Egyptian artifacts, including the famous bust of Nefertiti. Her leadership has focused on modernizing the museum's approach to both research and public engagement, with particular attention to making the collection accessible to visitors with disabilities.