Lecture as part of the Ruperto Carola Lecture Series by Academy Member Prof. Dr. Joachim Quack (Institute of Egyptology, University of Heidelberg) 
 

Against the backdrop of the climate crisis, war, the pandemic, and a radically changing world order, the question of the tension between end and beginning seems highly relevant. To what extent do catastrophes and crises not only pose a potential threat, but can also mark the beginning of radical transformations and new models of the world? How can we understand catastrophe as an opportunity, as a chance for a new beginning, for the reemergence of a different creation story? The questions posed by the Ruperto Carola lecture series touch upon our lived experiences across generations and cultures and serve as a starting point for bringing together scholars, public figures, and artists in dialogue with one another and with a broad audience through various event formats (lectures, panel discussions, concerts, readings, and film screenings).
 

About the Lecture: An Upside-Down World and Surviving Snakes: Dystopian and Apocalyptic Visions of the Future from Ancient Egypt

There are several texts from Ancient Egypt that foreshadow a dystopian future in somber tones. Massive climatic changes also play a role in this, particularly the failure of the Nile to flood. What is striking, however, is a strong schematism that primarily depicts a simple and complete reversal of all conditions. The aim is to explore the extent to which a certain way of thinking can be detected here, one that can also be traced in explicit religious texts in which the end of the world is announced or threatened.

For more information and the program: www.uni-heidelberg.de/de/transfer/kommunikation/ruperto-carola-ringvorlesung 

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