Assoc. Prof. Filip Coppens, Ph.D.

Filip.Coppens(at)ff.cuni.cz
+420 221 619 609
Academia

Filip Coppens graduated in archaeology and egyptology at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. He was a member and deputy field-director of the Belgian Archaeological and Epigraphical Mission to Shanhur (1995-2000) before joining the Czech Institute of Egyptology in 2001. He is interested in all aspects of the history and religion of Egypt in the Late and Ptolemaic and Roman period and specialises in the temples of Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt and the Ptolemaic language. He is a member of the Foundation Egyptologique Reine Elisabeth and Egyptologica Vlaanderen. Filip Coppens is the chair of the editorial board of the scientific journal Prague Egyptological Studies and a member of the scientific council and editorial board of Journal of the Hellenic Institute of Egyptology, Athens.

Education

2020: Associate Professor of Egyptology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Prague (habilitation paper: Continuity, Discontinuity and Change. Reflections on Egyptian Temples in the Ptolemaic and Roman Era)

2008: Ph.D. in Egyptology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Prague (Ph.D. dissertation: The Complex of Wabet and Court in Temples of the Thirtieth Dynasty and Ptolemaic and Roman Period)

1995: M.A. in Egyptology, KU Leuven, Belgium (M.A. thesis: Egyptian Temples of the Roman Period in the Thebais)

1993: M.A. in Archaeology, KU Leuven, Belgium (M.A. thesis: The Royal Tombs of the New Kingdom. An Architectural Study)

Grants

2023 Tradition and Innovation II. Traditional Customs and Creative Redefinitions in Ancient Egypt (CENTRAL Joint Workshop grant)

2022 Tradition and Innovation. Opposite Concepts as an Engine of Advancement within the Ancient Egyptian Society (CENTRAL Joint Workshop grant)

2019-2021 Continuity, Discontinuity and Change. Adaptation Strategies of Individuals and Communities in Egypt at Times of Internal and External Transformations (GA ČR 19-072685)

Awards

2017 Christoffel Plantin Oorkonde – Belgian civilian prize, intended to reward a Belgian citizen who resides abroad, and has made significant contributions to cultural, artistic or scientific activities.

Ph.D. supervisor

Jiří Honzl, Latin in Egypt (since 2016)

Dorotea Wollnerová, Rituals with linen in Ptolemaic and Roman Temples (since 2017)

Selected bibliography:

Monographs

Coppens, F., The Wabet. Tradition and Innovation in Temples of the Ptolemaic and Roman Period, Prague: Charles University 2007.
Vymazalová, H. – Coppens, F., Moudrost svitků boha Thovta. Vědecké poznání za vlády faraonů, Prague: Charles University 2011.
Bárta, M. – Coppens, F. – Vymazalová, H. et al., Abusir XIX. Tomb of Hetepi (AS 20), Tombs AS 33–35, and AS 50–53, Prague: Charles University 2010.
Coppens, F. – Smoláriková, K., Abusir XX. Lesser Late Period Tombs at Abusir. The Tomb of Padihor and the Anonymous Tomb R3, Prague: Charles University 2009.
Willems, H. – Coppens, F. – De Meyer, M., The Temple of Shanhûr I. The Sanctuary, the Wabet, and the Gates of the Central Hall and the Great Vestibule (1-98), (Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 124), Leuven: Peeters 2003.

Edited volumes

Coppens, F. – Janák, J. – Smoláriková, K. (eds.), Knowledge and Memory. Festschrift in honour of Ladislav Bareš, Prague: Charles University 2022.
Coppens, F. (ed.), Continuity, Discontinuity and Change. Case studies from the New Kingdom to the Ptolemaic and Roman Era, Prague: Charles University 2021.
Bárta, M. – Coppens, F. – Krejčí, J. (eds.), Abusir and Saqqara in the Year 2020, Prague: Charles University 2021.
Coppens, F. – Vymazalová, H. (eds.), XI. Tempeltagung: The Discourse between Tomb and Temple, Königtum, Staat und Gesellschaft früher Hochkulturen 3/6, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag 2020.
Bárta, M. – Coppens, F. – Krejčí, J. (eds.), Abusir and Saqqara in the Year 2015, Prague: Charles University 2017.
Coppens, F. – Janák, J. – Vymazalová, H. (eds), 7. Symposium zur Königsideologie / 7th Symposium on Egyptian Royal Ideology: Royal versus Divine Autority. Acquisition, Legitimization and Renewal of Power. Prague, June 26-28, 2013, Königtum, Staat und Gesellschaft früher Hochkulturen 4/4, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz 2015.
Bárta, M. – Coppens, F. – Krejčí, J. (eds.), Abusir and Saqqara in the Year 2010, vols I–II, Prague: Charles University 2011.
Bareš, L. – Coppens, F. – Smoláriková, K. (eds.), Egypt in Transition. Social and Religious Development of Egypt in the First Millennium BCE, Prague: Charles University 2010.
Bárta, M. – Coppens, F. – Krejčí, J. (eds.), Abusir and Saqqara in the Year 2005. Proceedings of the Conference Held in Prague (June 27– July 5, 2005), Prague: Charles University 2006.
Coppens, F. (ed.), Abusir and Saqqara in the Year 2001. Proceedings of the Symposium (Prague, September 25^th – 27^th 2001), Archiv Orientální Supplementa 70.3 (2002), 261–425.

Articles

Coppens, F. – Molčan, K., “Casting the harpoon towards the hippopotamus. The stt (wa) r db ritual scene in the Horus temple at Edfu”, in: Maravelia, A. (ed.), Sous le Ciel Étoilé: Proscynème cordial au Dr Nadine Guilhou-Ambroise, Athens: Serapis, in print.
Coppens, F., “The Ptolemaic Basileus slaying Apophis for the gods of Egypt. Observations on the ritual smA aApp in a Ptolemaic temple context”, in: Iwaszczuk, K. – Kapiec, K. – Popielska-Grzybowska, J. (eds.), 10th Symposium on Egyptian Royal Ideology: Rites, Rituals and Festivals as Instruments of Stability of the Royal Power, Königtum, Staat und Gesellschaft früher Hochkulturen 4/7, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, in print.
Coppens, F., “‘Removing the Footprints’. A rare Ptolemaic version of the int-rd (m hdn) ritual”, in: Coppens, F. – Janák, J. – Smoláriková, K. (eds.), Knowledge and Memory. Festschrift in honour of Ladislav Bareš, Prague: Charles University 2022, 105–111.
Coppens, F., “The “rejuvenating waters” (mw-rnp) of the Nile inundation in hydrological processions of Ptolemaic and Roman temples”, in: Fernández Pichel, A. I. (ed.), Of Gods and Men. Research on Egyptian Temples from the New Kingdom to the Graeco-Roman Period, Monografías de Oriente Antiguo (MOA) 2, Alcala de Henares: Universidad de Alcalá 2022, 213–239.
Coppens, F., “Kingship of God and Man. Continuity, Discontinuity and Change in the Transfer of Authority in Egyptian Temples in Ptolemaic and Roman Times”, in: Juhás, P. – Lapko, R. – Müller, R. (eds.), Theokratie. Exegetische und wirkungsgeschichtliche Ansätze, Berlin 2021: de Gruyter, 33–61.
Coppens, F., “The Ptolemaic Basileus and the Roman Emperor Slaying the Enemies of Egypt. The smA sbi/xftyw/XAswt/%Tt ritual scene in context”, in: Coppens, F. (ed.), Continuity, Discontinuity and Change. A Perspective from the New Kingdom to the Roman Era, Prague: Charles University 2021, 405–489.
Cassor-Pfeiffer, S. – Coppens, F. – Pfeiffer, S., “Aspects of Continuity, Discontinuity and Change: A Perspective from Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt”, in: Coppens, F. (ed.), Continuity, Discontinuity and Change. A Perspective from the New Kingdom to the Roman Era, Prague: Charles University 2021, 549–558.
Coppens, F., “‘Stairway to Heaven’. Synergy and Divergence in the Rite of ‘Ascending the Staircase’ in Temples of the Ptolemaic and Roman Era”, in: Beinlich, H. (ed.), 12. Ägyptologische Tempeltagung. Synergie und Divergenz. Zum Zusammenwirken von Bild und Text in ägyptischen Tempeln, Königtum, Staat und Gesellschaft früher Hochkulturen 3/7, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag 2021, 45–60.
Coppens, F., “Light into Darkness. Reflections on Light and Light-well Chambers in Tombs and Temples of the First Millennium BC”, in: Coppens, F. – Vymazalová, H. (eds.), XI. Tempeltagung. The Discourse between Tomb and Temple, Königtum, Staat und Gesellschaft früher Hochkulturen 3/6, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag 2020, 73–88.
Coppens, F., The Ptolemaic Basileus in proskynesis before the Gods of Egypt. The ritual sn-t3 (“Kissing the Earth”) in Temples of the Ptolemaic Era, in: J. Budka (ed.), 9th Symposium on Egyptian Royal Ideology. Egyptian Royal Ideology and Kingship under Periods of Foreign Rulers ‒ Case Studies from the First Millennium BCE, Königtum, Staat und Gesellschaft früher Hochkulturen 4/6, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag 2019, 207–231.

Updated 20.6.2024