Guardians, Tricksters, and Terrors

When we hear the word demon, we often imagine malevolent, evil beings. But in ancient Egypt, demons could be protectors and punishers, guardians of sacred spaces or terrifying creatures lurking in the underworld. They appeared in spells, tomb paintings, and magical texts, shaping how people understood and experienced danger, illness, justice, and the afterlife.

Please join Rita Lucarelli at Clio's on April 15th to explore the fascinating world of Egyptian demons: strange hybrid beings with knives, animal heads, and supernatural powers who stood at the borders between life and death, order and chaos, safety and threat. Discover how ordinary Egyptians tried to control these forces with magic, why some demons protected mothers and children, and how others tested the souls of the dead.

With vivid images and stories from ancient texts, Rita will lead us through a hidden side of Egyptian religion—one rich in mystery and imagination, and populated by creatures that were neither gods nor monsters but something in between and beyond. This is an evening for anyone curious about ancient beliefs, mythology, and the dark corners of the ancient world.

Rita Lucarelli is an Associate Professor of Egyptology at UC Berkeley and Faculty Curator of Egyptology at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology. Her research centers on ancient Egyptian religion, especially funerary texts, demonology, and the modern reception of ancient Egyptian religion. She is currently completing a monograph on ancient Egyptian demonology and teaches courses on Egyptian and comparative religion through the Mount Tamalpais College program at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. Her work highlights an interdisciplinary approach that blends digital innovation, public scholarship, and the study of ancient religious thought.

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