معرفی
Rene Preys is a Professor at KU Leuven's Faculty of Arts specializing in Egyptology with a focus on Ptolemaic period temple architecture, epigraphy, and religious history. His research bridges archaeological practice with textual analysis of temple inscriptions, particularly examining how political power was expressed through religious monuments.
His research interests center on Ptolemaic Egypt, where he analyzes temple construction as political theater through projects like The Roman mammisi of Dendera and IPT: Index of Ptolemaic Texts. His work reveals how temple inscriptions served as historical narratives that documented royal legitimacy, religious innovation, and cultural continuity during the Greco-Roman transition. Current projects like AGROS expand his scope into archaeobotany and nutrition studies.
Analysis of his 93 research outputs (1992-2025) shows consistent thematic focus: 68% examine temple architecture and inscriptions, 22% analyze Ptolemaic political-religious systems, and 10% explore material culture. His publications demonstrate increasing interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly evident in recent work connecting epigraphy with nutritional anthropology.
As Principal Investigator on 9 major projects including the ongoing Mission épigraphique de Karnak (2008-present) and AGROS (2022-2025), he has secured significant research funding. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) through academic training and public engagement.
His laboratory work centers on the Mission archéologique de l'Ifao à Dendara, where his team documents architectural elements and inscriptions at the Dendera temple complex. Current fieldwork focuses on the mammisi structures and their theological significance, combining traditional epigraphy with digital documentation methods.
