Solange Ashby facts for kids

Solange Ashby is an American expert who studies ancient Africa and is also an archaeologist. She focuses on the languages, religions, and the important roles of women in ancient Egypt and Nubia. She teaches at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as an assistant professor.

Solange Ashby's Journey in Archaeology

Solange Ashby began her college studies at Bard College at Simon's Rock. There, she earned a degree in Intercultural Studies, which means she learned about many different cultures.

Later, she went to the University of Chicago. She earned a special advanced degree called a PhD in Egyptology. Egyptology is the study of ancient Egypt. For her research, she visited the ancient temple of Philae in Egypt. She also helped dig at an old burial site called El-Kurru in Sudan. This site belonged to the Kingdom of Kush, an ancient African kingdom.

Her research looked closely at writings and even graffiti left by people from Kush. These people traveled to Egyptian temples in a region called Lower Nubia.

Teaching and Fellowships

In January 2021, Dr. Ashby started teaching at Barnard College in New York. She was an adjunct professor in the Department of Classics and Ancient Studies.

In 2023, she became an assistant professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She teaches in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures.

Dr. Ashby has also received special awards called fellowships. These allowed her to do research at places like the Institute of Christian Oriental Research and the American Research Center in Egypt. She has also taught at the American University in Washington.

She also helped start the William Leo Hansberry Society. This group works to teach people of African descent about the history of Ancient Africa.

Featured in Films

Dr. Ashby has appeared in films that help explain ancient history. In 2018, she was in a documentary by Taaqiy Grant. This film explored different parts of ancient Egyptian life. It also looked at how they traded goods using a barter system, where people exchanged items instead of using money.

In 2020, she was featured in a film series called Hapi. This series focused on how economic systems, like trading and money, played a role in ancient civilizations.