ABOUT ME

Hi! I'm Briana! I hold a PhD in Egyptian art and archaeology from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. Recently, I concluded my work as a Digital Humanities postdoctoral fellow at the American Research Center in Egypt, and was the project coordinator for Theban Mapping Project. My research interests are in ancient Egyptian art, solar and lunar religion, the Amarna Period, international relations during the second millennium BCE, and archaeogaming. I'm currently writing a book that examines the spread of Atenism throughout Egypt and Sudan, how Aten temples across this space are connected, and what effect the religion had on society. My archaeogaming interests focus on the representation of state development, urbanization, and power systems in games set in antiquity. I also work for the NYU Ramesses II Temple in Abydos project, helping with publications and outreach, and I'm engaged with other academic digital projects. I have taught courses at New York University, City College New York, Manhattanville College, Pratt Institute, Baruch College, and the University of Hartford on ancient Egypt, Roman history, and art history. From 2013 to 2019, I worked for the IFA-NYU North Abydos Expedition on artifact processing, archiving, and surface collection, and I've recently rejoined that team.

As part of my dedication to public scholarship, I have a YouTube channel where I provide videos on playthroughs of video games set in Egypt, as well as documentaries on ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian themes and art. With regard to ancient history, I strongly believe it is best to engage a wide audience not only informatively but also creatively. Now I'm on sabbatical, focusing on publishing articles, writing my book, and making more YouTube videos. I have three cats, all formerly strays: Topaz, Ta-Miu (name means "the girl cat" in ancient Egyptian), and Mewatalli, King of the Cattites, the latter of which I adopted from Egypt!

Furthermore, I enjoy playing video games, especially city-builders. My favorite game is Cyan Inc.'s Riven: the Sequel to Myst (1997) that I played for the first time in 1998, and I've been obsessed with the Myst series ever since, and even gave an academic conference paper on it! Therefore, I was really excited when I had the opportunity to write, design, and illustrate the solution guide for Cyan Inc.'s Obduction (2016) (preview here). Recently, I had the privilege of consulting on Pharaoh: a New Era (2023), which is a remake of my favorite game about ancient Egypt, Pharaoh (1999).

Links to my socials are found on the Contact & Donate page.

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Digital Projects

Ongoing

Documentaries on ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia and video game playthroughs on YouTube

2023-2025

Content development and site management for Theban Mapping Project & created Dig Houses of the West Bank

2022-2023

Consulting Egyptologist for Triskell Interactive's Pharaoh: A New Era

2021

Building the First Cities: Urbanism in Egypt and Mesopotamia, archaeogaming teaching module for Save Ancient Studies Alliance

Publications - Ancient Egypt

In Review

"The Veneration of Amenhotep III and Lunar Cult during the Reign of Akhenaten," in Exalted Spirits: The Veneration of the Dead in Egypt through the Ages. American University in Cairo Press.

2025

"The Smiting Kiosks on the Royal Boats of Akhenaten and Nefertiti." In Prakash, Tara, Jennifer Miyuki Babcock, and Lisa Saladino Haney (eds.), Rethinking Ancient Egypt: Studies in Honor of Ann Macy Roth. Harvard Egyptological Studies 22. Leiden: Brill.

2024

"The 'Harem Conspiracy'." Ancient History Magazine 52, 40-44.

2023

"Akhenaten’s Nubian Campaign." Ancient Warfare Magazine 16.6, 46-49.

2022

"Akhenaten and His Aten Cult in Abydos and Akhmim." In Bonnet, Corinne, Thomas Galoppin, Elodie Guillon, Max Luaces, Asuman Lätzer-Lasar, Sylvain Lebreton, Fabio Porzia, Jörg Rüpke, and Emiliano Rubens Urciuoli (eds.), Naming and Mapping the Gods in the Ancient Mediterranean: Spaces, Mobilities, Imaginaries. Berlin: De Gruyter, 729-744.

"Aten, the Sole God." Ancient History Magazine 41, 22-25.

"Akhenaten's Temple Program." The Akhenaten Sun 27 no. 2 (2022), 1-14.

2021

The Geographic and Social Spread of Aten Cult throughout Egypt and Sudan (PhD dissertation, New York University)

2016

Review: Mary Ann Eaverly. Tan Men/Pale Women: Color and Gender in Archaic Greece and Egypt, a Comparative Approach. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press, 2013. caa.reviews.

2013

"Universalizing Tendencies and the Exchange of Art and Luxury Goods in the Reigns of Amenhotep III and Akhenaten” (MA thesis, New York University).

2011

Co-authored with Marinatos, Nanno. “The Pseudo-Minoan Nestor Ring and Its Egyptian Iconography.” Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections. Vol. 3:2 (2011), 6-15.

Publications - Video Games & Reception

Forthcoming

"Egyptology and Archaeogaming: Exploring and Teaching Egypt through Video Games." International Congress of Egyptologists XIII conference proceedings.

"Decontextualization and Inauthenticity: the (Mis-)Representation of Hermopolis and Elephantine in Assassin’s Creed Origins," in Ancient Egypt in Video Games. De Gruyter.

"State Development and Power Systems in Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar," in Depictions of Power: Strategy and Management Games. Bloomsbury.

In Review

Co-authored with Kate Minniti. "The roots of the tech tree. City-building games as a learning tool for early urbanization."

2025

Co-authored with Paprocki, Maciej, Alexander Vandewalle, Joel Gordon, Kate Minniti, and David S. Anderson. "Divine Ontology and Multicultural Representation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe." Thersites 20.

2018

Obduction: Walkthrough Guide. Morrisville, North Carolina: Lulu Press, lulu.com.

Media - TV, Podcasts, YouTube

2025

Interview with Bible & Archaeology, “War, Peace, and Lies: Propaganda in Ancient Egypt”

"The Battle of Megiddo" on RMC Découverte, France

"The Battle of Kadesh" on RMC Découverte, France

2024

Interview with Owain Williams, Ancient History Podcast

Guest (Part II) on The Reading Party Podcast with Megan Lewis and Lexie Henning

Guest (Part I) on The Reading Party Podcast with Megan Lewis and Lexie Henning

2022

Interview with Michael Granado

Interview with Lexi Henning, Ancient Office Hours Podcast, The Ozymandias Project

Interview with Let's Talk Assassin's Creed

2021

Interview with Dominic Perry, The History of Egypt Podcast

2020

Interview with Megan Lewis, Digital Hammurabi