Mamdouh Eldamaty

Mamdouh Mohamed Gad Eldamaty (; born December 6, 1961 in Cairo) is Professor of Egyptology at the Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Arts, Ain Shams University in Cairo. On May 15, 2011, he became Cultural Counselor and Head of Educational Mission at the Embassy of Egypt in Berlin.
Early life and education.
He attended high school in Cairo. In 1979, he registered at the Faculty of Archeology, Cairo University. In July 1981, he was looking for a summer job as a student. He went to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and met with Dr. Mohamed Saleh, the vice director of the museum. He worked there for one month. In summer 1982, he worked at the museum again for a summer student job. He did work that brought him in contact with all departments of the museum. In 1983, he graduated at the Faculty of Archeology, Cairo University.
After his graduation, he worked again for the museum for one month for free. After that, he joined the restoration team of the Coptic Museum for several months. In January 1984, he started his 15 month long conscription service. He worked at the museum again from April 1985 to September 1987. He rejoined his Faculty at Cairo University to resume higher studies. The thesis of his Master's Degree was "St- Meskhnet hall at Dendara Temple, linguistic and cultural study" under supervision of Prof. Abdelhalim Noureldin and partnership of Dr. Ola El-Aguizy.
Through his work at the Museum he became acquainted to many Egyptologists and archaeologists who visited the Museum. Among those was Prof. Erich Winter at Trier University, who along with his wife visited Egypt in 1987 and were accompanied by the young Mamdouh Eldamaty during their 3-day visit to Siwa Oasis. This new contact proved to be quite useful as Prof. Winter encouraged the young Egyptologist to continue his studies under his supervision at the Department of Egyptology at Trier University.
In October 1988 he worked as a curator at Faculty of Archaeology Museum of Cairo University. During his work he got his Master Degree in April 1989 in Egyptology from the same faculty. Immediately he left Egypt for Germany on leave to prepare his PhD. 
Trying his luck without any state sponsored scholarship it was rather difficult to get an entry visa to study in Germany without guarantor. Thanks to the help and support of his Professor and guarantor, Prof. Dr. Mohamed Saleh, an entry visa was issued and he started his German courses at Cologne University as soon as he arrived to Germany. He supported his life by working during summer vacation. While in Cologne he held correspondence with Trier University. He got an acceptance from Trier University, which he joined from winter semester 1989/ 1990. He started his Trier residence by learning German until he acquired the ‘Prüfung zum Nachweis der Deutsch Sprachkenntnis’ that qualified him to regular study at the university. He registered for Egyptology as major subject with classical archaeology and ethnology as minor subject in summer semester 1991.
At the winter semester 1992/ 93 he registered for his PhD with thesis ‘Sokar- Osiris- Kapelle im Tempel von Dendera’ for which he received a study scholarship from Ministry of Culture at Rhineland Palatia that enabled him to conclude his study in June 1995. 
During his stay in Germany, on February 26th 1992 he married Aida Abdelghany Ahmed, who studied sociology at Zagazig University. She accompanied him to Germany where gave birth to their first daughter, Mariam (11.Feb. 1993) in Trier.
Having concluded his PhD, he returned to Egypt in September 1995 but kept visiting Trier frequently in the years 1996, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2007 in order to follow recent publications and studies on Egyptology.
Back in Cairo, where the family got a son and another daughter, he resumed his work for the Faculty’s Museum until January 1996.
Starting from January 1996 he started as lecturer for Egyptology at Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Cairo University, Fayoum Branch. Upon founding an archaeological department at the Faculty of arts, Ain Shams University in August 1998, he moved to the new department as a lecturer for Egyptology until end of 2001.
Career.
Director General of Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
At the beginning of 2001 he was appointed Director General of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, a post that he held until End of January 2004.
During his directorship the Museum witnessed several far reaching activities, developing its cellar (April 2001), restoration of old records of the Museum (May 2001), preparing for the second chamber for royal mummies (June 2001) and establishing restoration laboratory for papyrus, in cooperation with Corrado Basile, Director of Istituto Internazionale del Papiro, Siracusa in Italy (March 2003).
In July 2001 he laid forward a concept for the centennial of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which included several projects to promote and develop the old institution. This concept was approved by Dr. Gaballa Ali Gaballa, the then Secretary General of the Higher Council for Monuments and by the Minister of Culture as well.
These activities were performed in late 2002 in the time of the successor of Gaballa, Dr. Zahi Hawas, who gave this ceremony special attention.
Eldamaty was assigned also to supervise the external exhibitions committee from May 2002 till February 2004.
Professor at Ain Shams University.
Having concluded his assignment at the Egyptian Museum he returned to his main work in teaching at the Ain Shams University. There he got the post of associate professor of Egyptology at the Faculty of Arts from 25.03.2001 till 20.08.2006. As of 21.08.2006 he became a full professor of Egyptology and presided over the archaeological Department of Faculty of Arts at Ain Shams University from 12.09.2006 till 12.09.2009.
Besides he was assigned to head the college center for studies, consultations and training from 15.10.2008 till 13.10.2009 when he overtook the post of director of open education center from 22.03.2009 till 15.11.2009.
Starting from 13.09.2009 till 14.05.2011 he was the Dean of Faculty of Arts at the Ain Shams University. During his deanship he supervised the project for sustainable development and qualifying for Accreditation. This sustainable development specified certain criteria for selection of university cadres, which was approved by the college council, albeit not by the university council due to the political conditions accompanying the Arab spring in January 2011.
Following the revolution he organized the first election process in Egyptian universities to choose his successor as Dean of the Faculty in March 2011, as he left the country on 15.05.2011 in the capacity of cultural counselor at the Egyptian Embassy to Berlin and head of educational mission there. At this post he supervises all Egyptian students in Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway.
Teaching in international Universities and Schools.
Trier (Germany).
Teaching in Egyptian Universities.
Ptolemaic period” in the faculty of archaeology, Cairo university.
the Ptolemaic time” in the faculty of archaeology, Cairo university, branch of
Fayiom.
Tourism and Hotels.
Membership and other professional activities.
ICOM-Arab (Sep. 2001 – Oct. 2003).
(Bibliotheca Alexandrina).
Museum of Egyptian antiquities to be built in Giza (from Sep.1999 to
31.01.2004).
31.01.2004).
Awards and Honors
Legion of Honor “Cavalier” from the Italian Government (Oct. 10. 2004).
State Award for Excellence in Social Sciences (Jun. 21. 2010)
Articles in Catalogs of special exhibitions.
Egypt, Washington 2002. (in USA).
(together with Mohamed Saleh), Athens 2003. (in Greece).
Switzerland).
2004, 17-26. (in Switzerland).
Editing of