Dr Jennifer Cromwell
Reader
My profile
Biography
I am an Egyptologist who trained at the University of Liverpool. Before joining Manchester Met in 2018, I held research positions at the University of Oxford, Macquarie University in Sydney, and the University of Copenhagen.
Academic and professional qualifications
2008: PhD in Egyptology (University of Liverpool)
2004: MA in Egyptology (University of Liverpool)
2003: BA in Egyptology (University of Liverpool)
Other Professional Posts
Member of the Board of Trustees for the Egypt Exploration Society (2022–).
Expert reviewer for external funding bodies
Assessor for the European Council (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships); 2020–present.
Assessor for the Australian Research Centre (ARC); 2011–present.
I have also served as reviewer for the Dutch Research Council, Swiss National Science Foundation, and the Polish National Science Centre.
Visiting and honorary positions
Visiting Fellow:
- Heidelberg University, as part of the research group “Material Text Cultures: Materiality and Presence of Writing in Non-Typographic Societies” (1–31 May 2018).
Membership of professional associations
American Society of Papyrologists
International Association of Coptic Studies
International Association of Egyptologists
International Association of Papyrologists
Interests and expertise
My research focuses on two key strands: the social and economic history of late antique Egypt (5th–8th centuries CE) and the representation of ancient Egypt in popular culture, specifically digital and analogue games. My areas of interest include:
- Coptic (language and texts)
- Social life (childhood and the family) in the ancient Mediterranean world
- Late Antique and early Islamic Egypt
- Education in the ancient world
- Language use in imperial contexts
- Egyptian Monasticism (in particular daily life based on non-literary texts)
- Papyrology
- Egypt in digital and analogue games
My main research interests lie in the social and economic history of ancient Egypt, especially in late antiquity and the early Islamic period (broadly 4th to 9th centuries CE). I am especially interested in the use of Coptic (the last form of the indigenous Egyptian language) after the Islamic conquest of Egypt in 641 CE – my book Recording Village Life: A Coptic Scribe in Early Islamic Egypt explores the role of an Egyptian village administrator and scribe in the first half of the 8th century.
In more recent years, I have developed new research interests in the reception of ancient Egypt in both digital and analogue games. In addition to publishing on this topic, including editing a forthcoming volume on Ancient Egypt in Video Games, I am also the lead for history and heritage in the Manchester Games Centre and am curator of our new gaming archive (to launch June 2024).
Between 2021–2024, I was Principle Investigator, with Caitlin Nunn (Sociology, MMU), on the multidiscipline (Ancient History, Sociology, Arts, and Heritage) and multi-institutions (University, Museum, Arts) UKRI-funded project: Ancient History, Contemporary Belonging. The project is a creative exploration of the migration of ancient historical objects with migrant-background young people.
Projects
Current Funded Research Projects
- UKRI Citizen Science Project, with co-Investigator Caitlin Nunn (Sociology, MMU) and Partners Manchester Museum and Sheba Arts: “Ancient History, Contemporary Belonging”. Manchester Metropolitan University, 2021–2023 (with extension to April 2024).
Previous Funded Research Projects
- Marie Sklodowska-Curie European Fellowship: “Monasteries as Institutional Powers in Late Antique and Early Islamic Egypt” (MONASPOWER). University of Copenhagen, 2016–2018.
- Danish Research Council: “Monasteries as Institutional Powers in Late Antique and Early Islamic Egypt”. University of Copenhagen, 2015–2016.
- Australian Research Council Discovery Project Award, with co-Chief Investigator Malcolm Choat (Macquarie University) and Participating Investigator Heike Behlmer (Göttinger): “Knowledge Transfer and Administration in a Pre-Typographic Society: Observing the scribe at work in Graeco-Roman Egypt.” Macquarie University, 2012–2014.
- Macquarie University Research Fellowship:“Scribal Control in Early Islamic Egypt: Integration and Effect of the Administration of a New Regime.” Macquarie University, 2011–2014.
- Egypt Exploration Society Centenary Award: Coptic non-literary texts in the University of Copenhagen. 2010.
Teaching
Subject areas
Egyptology / Ancient History
Why study…
The study of Ancient History provides the opportunity to explore human behaviours, cultures, literature, and thought, which help shape our view of the world around us. We explore a range of topics that are relevant to the modern world: urbanism; multiculturalism; uses of the past for political and ideological purposes; religious life; genders; sexualities; ethnicities; and philosophical and political thought.
Postgraduate teaching
I would be delighted to offer supervision on topics related to:
- Egyptian social and economic history (any period)
- Late Antique and early Islamic Egypt
- Coptic (language and texts)
- Gaming (especially videogrames) and the ancient world
Administrative roles
I am currently programme leader for joint honours programmes in History, Politics, and Philosophy:
- History and International Relations
- History and Politics
- Politics and Philosophy
- Philosophy and English
Supervision
In Progress:
2022–present: PhD First Supervisor (MMU): Adam Aderman, “Psychological Trauma from War in the Roman Empire.” Principal supervisor: Dr April Pudsey (MMU).
2018–present: PhD Co-Supervisor (external/2nd): Roxana Gregor-Som (University of Manchester), “Landowning and Tenancy in Byzantine Hermopolis.” Principal supervisor: Dr Roberta Mazza (University of Manchester).
Completed:
2019: PhD Adjunct Supervisor: Samuel Cook (Macquarie University), “Legal and linguistic continuity in private documents from Late Byzantine and Early Islamic Egypt.” Principal supervisors: Assoc. Prof. Malcolm Choat and Dr Trevor Evans (Macquarie University).
2014: PhD Associate Supervisor: Richard Burchfield (Macquarie University), “Networks of the Theban Desert: Social, Economic, and Religious Interactions in Late Byzantine and Early Islamic Thebes”. Passed with minor corrections, April 2014. Principal supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Malcolm Choat.
Research outputs
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Books (authored/edited/special issues)
Blanke, L., Cromwell, J. (2023) Monastic Economies in Late Antique Egypt and Palestine. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ast, R., Choat, M., Lougovaya-Ast, J., Cromwell, J., Yuen-Collingridge, R.E. (2021) Observing the Scribe at Work Scribal Practice in the Ancient World. Peeters Publishers.
Cromwell, J., Grossman, E. (2018) Scribal Repertoires in Egypt from the New Kingdom to the Early Islamic Period. Oxford University Press.
McKechnie, P., Cromwell, J.A. (2018) Ptolemy I and the transformation of Egypt, 404–282 BCE.
Cromwell, J.A. (2017) Recording village life: A coptic scribe in early islamic Egypt.
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Chapters in books
Cromwell, J. (2024) 'Papyrology.' In Potts, D.T., Harkness, E., Neelis, J., McIntosh, R. (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Ancient History Asia and Africa. John Wiley & Sons Inc,
Cromwell, J. (2023) 'Cultural Mediation in Early Islamic Egypt: The Role of Coptic.' Shaping Letters, Shaping Communities: Multilingualism and Linguistic Practice in the Late Antique Near East and Egypt.
Blanke, L., Cromwell, J. (2023) 'The Monastic Economies in Late Antique Egypt and Palestine: past, present, and future.' In Blanke, L., Cromwell, J. (ed.) Monastic Economies in Late Antique Egypt and Palestine. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 1-38.
Cromwell, J. (2022) 'Scribal networks, taxation and the role of coptic in Marwanid Egypt.' In Bruning, J., de Jong, J.H.M., Sijpesteijn, P.M. (ed.) Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean World: From Constantinople to Baghdad, 500-1000 CE. Cambridge University Press, pp. 353-378.
Cromwell, J. (2022) 'Religious expression and relationships between christians and muslims in coptic letters from early islamic egypt.' Religious Identifications in Late Antique Papyri: 3rd-12th Century Egypt. pp. 232-247.
Cromwell, J. (2022) 'Language policy and the administrative framework of early Islamic Egypt.' In Candelora, D., Ben-Marzouk, N., Cooney, K.M. (ed.) Ancient Egyptian Society: challenging assumptions, exploring approaches. London: Routledge, pp. 299-312.
Cromwell, J. (2022) 'Western thebes and the arab administration of pre-abbasid egypt.' Christians and Muslims in Early Islamic Egypt. pp. 135-147.
Cromwell, J. (2021) 'The Problems of Anonymous Scribes at Wadi Sarga.' In Ast, R., Choat, M., Cromwell, J., Lougovaya, J., Yuen-Collingridge, R. (ed.) Observing the Scribe at Work: Scribal Practice in the Ancient World. Peeters, pp. 117-138.
Cromwell, J. (2020) 'On Erring Monks, Literacy, and Materiality: A Re-edition of O. Crum VC 6.' In van Loon, G.A.J.C., Stolk, J.V. (ed.) Text Editions of (Abnormal) Hieratic, Demotic, Greek, Latin and Coptic Papyri and Ostraca. Brill,
Cromwell, J. (2020) '“Forgive Me, Because I Could Not Find Papyrus”: The Use and Distribution of Ostraca in Late Antique Western Thebes.' In Caputo, C., Lougovaya, J. (ed.) Using Ostraca in the Ancient World: New Discoveries and Methodologies. De Gruyter,
Cromwell, J. (2020) 'A Village Scribe on the Eve of Change.' Living the End of Antiquity Individual Histories from Byzantine to Islamic Egypt. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG,
Cromwell, J. (2020) 'Domestic Textile Production in Dakhla Oasis in the Fourth Century AD.' Egyptian Textiles and Their Production: 'Word' and 'Object' (Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Periods). Zea e-books,
Cromwell, J. (2020) 'Domestic Textile Production in Dakhleh Oasis in the Fourth Century AD.' Egyptian Textiles and Their Production (Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine Periods): 'word' And 'object'.
Cromwell, J. (2020) 'Textiles in Shenoute’s Writings.' The Textile Centre Akhmin-Panopolis (Egypt) in Late Antiquity. Material Evidence for Continuity and Change in Society, Religion, Industry, and Trade. Reichert Verlag,
Cromwell, J. (2019) '“Listen to My Mistreatment”: Support Networks for Widows and Divorcées in the Coptic Record.' The Single Life in the Roman and Later Roman World. Cambridge University Press,
Cromwell, J.A. (2018) 'Greek or Coptic? Scribal decisions in 8th century Egypt (Thebes).' Scribal Repertoires in Egypt from the New Kingdom to the Early Islamic Period. Oxford University Press,
Cromwell, J.A., Grossman, E. (2018) 'Scribes, repertoires, and variation.' Scribal Repertoires in Egypt from the New Kingdom to the Early Islamic Period. Oxford University Press,
Cromwell, J.A. (2017) 'The Threads that Bind Us: Aspects of Textile Production in Late Antique Thebes.' The Cultural Manifestations of Religious Experience Studies in Honour of Boyo G. Ockinga. Ugarit Verlag,
Cromwell, J. (2016) 'Aristophanes Son of Johannes: An Eighth-Century Bilingual Scribe? A Study of Graphic Bilingualism.' The Multilingual Experience in Egypt, from the Ptolemies to the Abbasids. pp. 221-232.
Cromwell, J.A., Choat, M. (2016) 'Thebes in Late Antiquity.'
Cromwell, J.A. (2016) 'Coptic Documents in Two Copies: Examination and Context of the Duplication Process.'
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Journal articles
Linn, S., Nunn, C., Hall, O., Cromwell, J. (2024) 'Participatory museum projects with refugee-background young people.' Museums and Social Issues,
Cromwell, J. (2022) 'From Pyramids to Obscure Gods: the creation of an Egyptian world in Persona 5.' thersites. Journal for Transcultural Presences & Diachronic Identities from Antiquity to Date, 14pp. 1-40.
Cromwell, J. (2021) 'Writing Exercises from Wadi Sarga: O.Sarga II 1–14.' Archiv für Papyrusforschung und verwandte Gebiete, 66(2) pp. 359-376.
Cromwell, J., Hickey, T. (2018) 'The Coptic and Greek Papyri of the Istituto Nazionale di Archeologia e di Storia Dell'arte.' RIASA Rivista dell'Istituto Nazionale d'Archeologia e Storia dell'Arte, 73pp. 129-142.
Cromwell, J., Berkes, L. (2018) 'An 'amir between Umayyads and Abbasids: A Note on P.KRU 70.' Chronique d'Egypte; bulletin periodique de la Fondation egyptologique reine Elisabeth, 93pp. 218-220.
Cromwell, J.A. (2017) 'Five Tax Receipts from Djeme in the Collection of Columbia University.' Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists, 54pp. 143-155.
Cromwell, J.A. (2017) 'New Texts from Early Islamic Egypt: A Bilingual Taxation Archive.' Zeitschrift FÜr Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 201pp. 232-252.
Cromwell, J.A. (2016) 'Identifying New Scribes in Old Documents: P.KRU 34 and 55.' Enchoria, 34((2014/)
Cromwell, J. (2015) 'Coptic writing exercises in the Petrie Museum with a concordance of its published coptic texts.' Zeitschrift fur Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 195pp. 205-218.
Cromwell, J. (2014) 'Managing a year's taxes: Tax demands and tax payments in 724 CE.' Archiv fur Papyrusforschung und Verwandte Gebiete, 60(1) pp. 229-239.
Cromwell, J. (2013) 'Keeping it in the family: Property concerns in eighth century a.d. Thebes.' Journal of Near Eastern Studies, 72(2) pp. 213-232.
Cromwell, J., Grossman, E. (2010) 'Condition(AL)S of repayment: P.CLT 10 reconsidered.' Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 96pp. 149-160.
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Non-peer reviewed articles / reviews
Cromwell, J.A. (2017) Warm hoopoe's blood and cardamom: a Coptic medical text.