About Me
I'm Adam R. Hemmings, an interdisciplinary archaeologist, producer-curator, and community builder finding connections between past, present, and future.
Preserving the Past
Academically, I am an Archaeologist and Heritage Law Specialist with a focus on protecting cultural treasures, developing international laws to combat antiquities trafficking, and examining cultural heritage law through a postcolonial lens. My academic interests lie in Egyptian and Near Eastern archaeology, particularly the historical and linguistic connections between these regions. I am particularly interested in the etymology and comparative study of Egyptian and Biblical Hebrew, as well as broader comparative cultural studies of the ancient world. A key area of my work explores the enduring legacy of ancient Egypt and its often overlooked influence on modern civilization. I serve as Editor of Studies of Biblical Interest, a journal that takes a factual, scientific approach to biblical studies and the ancient Near East. I am also a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society and a Member of the Egypt Exploration Society. My research and excavation experience includes work with the American Museum of Natural History, Butser Ancient Farm, the University of Kent, the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (University of Chicago), the Rabat Catacombs in Malta, anthropological research in the Negev Desert, and heritage preservation in Greece.
Shaping the Present
As a Producer and Curator, I develop museum exhibitions from the ground up, combining historical narratives, creativity, and socially-aware research to make stories come alive. I am particularly interested in developing museum experiences that give voice to unheard, marginalised, and diasporic communities. In this capacity, I've collaborated most recently with Museum of Homelessness, the House of Commons, Rich Mix, The Gallery at Foyles, Four Corners, Depot Mayfield, Manchester Art Gallery, Graeae Theatre Company, and Coventry City of Culture.
Imagining the Future
As the Founder of Citizen State, I'm working to reimagine societies as citizen-centric, self-sustaining, and unique. Our goal is to build a borderless community independent of existing systems, where individuals can meet their basic needs, thrive, and contribute to the collective good. It’s an ambitious and unconventional movement, but given the space to dream, people can achieve the extraordinary.
Other Pursuits
Beyond my main work, I’m also proficient in web design, communications, and writing - skills I enjoy using to shape ideas and share stories.
When I’m looking to unwind, you’ll likely find me exploring my musical side as a bass-baritone, taking in a play at the theatre, writing gothic horror, getting lost in science fiction (confessed Trekkie here), or adventuring through immersive worlds. I also love to travel off the beaten path, always in search of a bit of magic, mystery, or meaning.
Everything I do, whether I'm excavating ancient civilizations, building exhibitions with communities that history has overlooked, or imagining new ways for people to live together, comes from the same place: a conviction that the past holds answers we haven't found yet, and that the future belongs to people willing to go looking for them. If that sounds like something you want to be part of, I'd love to hear from you.
