Joyce Tyldesley

Joyce Ann Tyldesley was born on February 25, 1960, in Bolton, Lancashire. She pursued higher education at the University of Liverpool, earning a first-class honours degree in archaeology in 1981, specializing in the Eastern Mediterranean. She then attended the University of Oxford, where she was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree in Paleolithic archaeology in 1986, with a thesis focusing on Mousterian bifaces in Northern Europe. Her academic journey began with a lecturing position in Prehistoric Archaeology at Liverpool, followed by work as a freelance Egyptologist, author, and broadcaster.

In 2007, Tyldesley joined the University of Manchester, holding a joint appointment with the Manchester Museum and the Faculty of Life Sciences. She currently serves as a Professor of Egyptology in the Department of Classics, Ancient History, Archaeology and Egyptology. In this role, she directs and teaches extensive online Egyptology programs, including a three-year Certificate, a two-year Diploma, and a two-year Master of Arts degree, alongside various online Short Courses. Her work includes developing free online Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in collaboration with the Manchester Museum, such as “Mumford the Mummy” for primary school children. Joyce Tyldesley is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Research Associate of the Manchester Museum.

Tyldesley’s career highlights include authoring numerous books and articles on ancient Egypt, some of which were tie-ins for television series. Her book “Cleopatra, Last Queen of Egypt” was a Radio 4 “Book of the Week,” and “Tutankhamen’s Curse: The Developing History of an Egyptian King” (also published as “Tutankhamen: The Search for an Egyptian King” in the USA) received the Felicia A. Holton Book Award from the Archaeological Institute of America in 2014. Her recent works include “From Mummies to Microchips: A Case Study in Online Learning at the University of Manchester” (2020) with Dr. Nicky Nielsen, and “Tutankhamun: Pharaoh, Icon, Enigma” (2022). She has contributed to various television series and media outlets, including “Cunk on Earth” (2022), “Empires: Egypt’s Golden Empire” (2001), and “The Nile: Egypt’s Great River with Bettany Hughes” (2019). In recognition of her services to Egyptology and heritage, she was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours.