Zena Kamash
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zenakamash.bsky.social
Zena Kamash
@zenakamash.bsky.social
3.9K followers 1.5K following 600 posts
Writing - archaeology - heritage.
British Iraqi.
Faber Academy 'Writing Your Novel' graduate.
Editor: European Journal of Archaeology.
Winner: EAA Book Prize 2025.
Working Classicist of the Year 2025.
She/her
(NB: no access to DMs)
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zenakamash.bsky.social
Anyone for a Cyril purrito? 😻
A tabby cat is cuddled up in a knitted yellow blanket; only his head and right shoulder are visible from inside the blanket.
November 2, 2025 at 5:27 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
But this misses out the best part of this mosaic! To the left of Odysseus' ship is a smaller boat with a man holding what looks suspiciously like a gigantic prawn. This man is likely to be the homeowner who commissioned the mosaic.
(Mosaic from Dougga, Tunisia; C3rd AD; currently in Bardo Museum)
3rd-century mosaic from Tunisia, currently in the Bardo Museum, Tunis. In the centre is a ship with oats, in which four men with shields sit either side of a man (Odysseus) who is tied to the ship's mast. To the left of this ship is a smaller boat in which one man stands holding what looks like a huge prawn. Fish and dolphins swim in the sea around both vessels. Not pictured: to the right of Odysseus' ship is a group of three women (sirens) with wings and bird-like legs and feet.
October 24, 2025 at 4:42 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Went to the new Humanities Building in Oxford today for a little mooch around. It might just become a new favourite place to write...
A view of the ceiling in the central lobby. The ceiling is made of glass with intricate geometric wooden slats filtering light. The centre of the ceiling only has glass, through which can be seen a blue sky and fluffy clouds. On the ground floor are tables and chairs filled with people eating lunch and working
October 24, 2025 at 3:03 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
My fabulous husband @thundercabbage099.bsky.social thought this was a brilliant shadow puppet of a hare. Howard (of hare pair, Howard and Hilda) was overjoyed by the praise for his shadow puppetry skills...
#TinyJoys
A grey shadow on a duck-egg blue wall. The shadow is in the shape of a hare's head and shoulders. Howard, an upright ceramic hare bust decorated with impressed lace, sits on a duck-egg blue windowsill, in front of window with a grey wooden frame. The sun shines brightly in a blue sky outside. Howard was made by ceramicist Jackie Needham.
September 25, 2025 at 5:16 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Just started Erin E. Adams' Jackal. I bought this after hearing her speaking @capitalcrime.bsky.social and it is more than living up to expectations. The tension is simmering away beautifully - what the hell happened in those trees??
A book cover in red, black and white. A picture of a Black woman's face is superimposed by looming trees at the top; underneath are two blurbs and the main text, which reads "Erin E. Adams Jackal".
September 21, 2025 at 8:19 AM
zenakamash.bsky.social
This marks the culmination of a tremendous six months with @faberbooks.bsky.social I've come away with a myriad insights into the craft of writing and a gaggle of wonderful and talented new writer friends 😍 #TinyJoys (huge joys, really!)
A photograph of the front and back covers of a paperback book. The grey scale front cover shows a bistro table and chairs set up for writing; above is the title "Writing a Novel Anthology January-June 2025 Faber Academy". There is also a horizontal yellow stripe on the front cover. The back cover shows the same bistro chair and three columns of names; "Zena Kamash" has been highlighted in yellow.
September 20, 2025 at 6:09 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Cyril hard agrees 😻
A tabby cat sits on a yellow with his tummy on display. He is propped up against a blue sofa arm and a blue and grey floral cushion.
September 20, 2025 at 4:42 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Feeling despondent about all the *waves hands* in the world? Then I offer you this BLEP as a much-needed timeline cleanse #TinyJoys
A tabby cat lies on a yellow knitted blanket. His paws are tucked up by his head and his pink tongue is sticking out.
September 13, 2025 at 5:23 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
These suggestions from the EAA on next steps seem potentially sensible, if far too vague (timelines, anyone?). I'm still left asking: are the current Executive Board really listening to members & do I trust them to undertake this critical reflection?
Full statement: www.e-a-a.org/EAA/News___P...
Screenshot from EAA statement on next steps. The extract reads: "Going forward, the EAA must design a larger project, in which we revisit the nature of politics and political activism with regards to the EAA Statutes, spirit and ethos. We must critically reflect on the EAA internal practices. The ExB [Executive Board] will be working with the Nomination Committee, Advisory Committee, and others. We further ask for your necessary patience as we deal with this crucially significant situation. All...".
September 8, 2025 at 9:23 AM
zenakamash.bsky.social
It's been an exhausting week, so I plan to channel my inner Cyril this weekend...
A tabby cat lies floopily on a sofa with one front paw resting on the other. The sofa is covered in a yellow knitted blanket and has a floral blue and grey cushion.
September 6, 2025 at 8:17 AM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Went blackberrying today just before the rain came 😍 As always I left a small mammal tithe by dropping a few on the ground and made sure there were plenty still on the brambles for any other passing creatures #TinyJoys
A tangle of ripe and not-quite-ripe blackberries in a vibrant green hedgerow. In the background, a grey rain cloud looms.
August 28, 2025 at 4:06 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Raindrops on rose(s) #TinyJoys
A close up of an orange rose in full bloom; raindrops are visible on its petals.
August 27, 2025 at 2:09 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Met this lovely speckled wood butterfly on our walk this afternoon, who obligingly sat very still for a photo 🤎💛
@thundercabbage099.bsky.social
#InsectThursday #TinyJoys
A butterfly sits with wings outspread on a small rock surrounded by leaf litter. The butterfly's wings are brown with creamy white speckles and cream-ringed eyespots.
August 21, 2025 at 2:31 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Made a new friend 😻 They take their responsibilities as (unofficial) hospice therapy cat Very Seriously #TinyJoys
A long-haired grey and white cat with a magnificent tail snoozes on a black garden chair in the shade.
August 15, 2025 at 4:43 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Cyril enjoying a box #TinyJoys
A tabby cat with white whiskers and a white patch on his chest sits in an empty cardboard box.
August 3, 2025 at 7:44 AM
zenakamash.bsky.social
SWAG! Thank you @workingclassicists.bsky.social 🙏🏻 I will treasure these 🥰
A framed certificate reads "Working Classicist of the Year Zena Kamash Working Classicists Awards 2025"; the certificate is beige with a border of Greco-Roman pottery in brown. Hanging on the top left corner of the frame is a burgundy lanyard, which is decorated in gold with the Working Classicists logo of a closed fist holding a thunderbolt. By the bottom left corner is a blue pin badge in the shape of a shield that reads "Classicist" in gold. In front of the frame to the right is an olive branch sculpture on a black rectangular base. Propped up against the base is a circular, burgundy badge with the Working Classicists logo in gold. All of these are against a background of oak at the bottom and a painted duck egg blue wall above.
July 15, 2025 at 5:34 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Out for a celebratory meal and wearing my thunderbolt earrings in honour of @workingclassicists.bsky.social
A white-passing woman is wearing a pair of shiny earrings, one blue and one green, in the shape of thunderbolts. She has blue eyes, glasses, pink lipstick and curly, brown hair cut in an asymmetrical pixie style.
July 5, 2025 at 8:33 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Might I introduce you to the hashtag #TinyJoys? It is full of wonderful moments, like Ruth the chicken 😍 Mine today is meeting this little fella while I had breakfast in the garden.
A bright green damselfly sits on the end of a stem of ceonathus, whose leaves are the same vibrant green. In the background is a grey-framed window set into a stone wall.
June 30, 2025 at 12:39 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
In our class at Faber Academy yesterday, we had a Summer Solstice Book Swap 😍 I received "Cuddy" by Benjamin Myers; I'm on p. 14 and have already laughed and been inspired - thank you @thomasbrewster.bsky.social 💙💛🤍
#TinyJoys #BookSky
A paperback book, titled "Cuddy", on a yellow, knitted blanket. The cover shows a sun over a watery landscape and a person walking in the sun; the main colours are blue, yellow and white. Two piles of books wrapped in lots of colours and patterns sit on a wooden table. There is a hand on top of one pile of books, and two empty, white mugs in front of the books.
June 22, 2025 at 2:42 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Right, messy middle - I have coloured pens and index cards and I'm not afraid to use them! And tea, I also have tea. #TeamPlotter #AmWriting #CrimeWriting
A stack of index cards and pens if different colours sit on a wooden desk. Next to them is a mug with floral decoration.
June 16, 2025 at 10:10 AM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Yesterday's haul from @capitalcrime.bsky.social Not planned, but delighted to realise these are all by women and/or writers of colour 🤩
A pile of six books with brightly-coloured spines by crime authors: AA Dhand, Erin E Adams, Jessie Elland, Jennie Godfrey, Erin Kelly, CJ Tudor
June 14, 2025 at 12:24 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
We got out our new garden furniture today. Cyril's bum was the first to try it out. It's his sofa now. #TinyJoys
A tabby cat sits on a pale outdoor sofa in the sunshine. Behind the sofa are a stone wall, two hanging baskets and a log pile.
April 27, 2025 at 2:41 PM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Thursday's art club @britishacademy.bsky.social was such a heartwarming experience. We had a wonderful crowd, who asked interesting questions about our 'Crafting Heritage for Wellbeing in Iraq' project and engaged wholeheartedly in the needle-felting workshop afterwards 😍 @dremmaclaire.bsky.social
Groups of people sit around circular tables that are filled with crafting materials. A woman (me) stands at the front giving a demonstration about how to needle-felt. A large screen on the wall shows a photo of women wearing headscarves crafting textile art outdoors; these women are from the Lamassu Group in Mosul, Iraq. Four women (from l-r: Laura Moseley, Zena Kamash, Anne Ferrey, Emma Palmer-Cooper) sit on chairs on a wooden stage. There is a round table in front them. Above them is a large screen with black writing on a yellow and blue background. The main writing reads: Art Club: Crafting our culture. A table covered with a black cloth displays a collection of books about crafting and the archaeology and heritage of Iraq. A table covered with a black cloth displays a collection of embroidery and needle-felting made by me. Each piece is inspired by Iraqi heritage. Behind the table is a framed painting.
April 19, 2025 at 8:44 AM
zenakamash.bsky.social
A purring Cyril on my lap in the sunshine should qualify easily for #TinyJoys, were it not for my school girl error of leaving my cup of tea just out of reach...
A tabby cat with tattered ears sits comfortably on a lap in a garden chair in the sunshine. Just beyond the chair is a grey garden table with a mug of tea on it.
April 3, 2025 at 11:15 AM
zenakamash.bsky.social
Woohoo! 20k words in the bag (21, 601 words for those who like accuracy) 🤩 Time for my next little treat 🌟🌟 #TinyJoys #AmWriting #WritingSky
A word count chart in 250 word blocks and divided into 10k columns. The blocks in the 10k and 20k columns are coloured in with bright felt-tip pens. At the bottom of each of these columns is a gold star sticker.
March 30, 2025 at 6:10 PM