All the Gold of Egypt

Just to show that no matter how much time you spend in Egypt, you will always see something new. These coins are from 2005. In all my travels, I’ve never come across a LE 1 coin before (top), with that distinctive style, featuring the  mask of Tutankhamun. I would remember if I had done so! I have seen the 50 Piastre coin, with a profile portrait of Cleopatra VII only once or twice.

In Egypt, you rarely come across coins. Notes run right down to 25 Piastre, which is usually the smallest amount a foreigner is going to handle, being the price for a bus ride in most towns until recently (on my last visit the fare had gone up in some areas). So, to see that the Egypt mint has taken the trouble of producing a LE 1 coin is quite a surprise, though a welcome one. Why they don’t produce more of both coins and withdraw the huge piles of dog eared 25-50 piastre, and LE 1 notes from circulation, and replace them all with these beautiful bits of metal is anyone’s guess.

Lovely work, on part of the coin designers.

It is a general belief that the Ancient Egyptians had no coins. Throughout the vast majority of Egyptian history that is absolutely right. Instead a system of weights of metal were used to determine values – the deben (Old Kingdom and Middle Kingdom), and the deben-qedet systems (New Kingdom and Late Period). However, from the 26th Dynasty onward, Egypt hired large numbers of Greek mercenaries. Initially these mercenaries were paid as the Egyptians had traditionally rewarded their soldiers, by giving them fields. The problems with this solution however, are quite clear. Eventually, this situation gave rise to something relatively few people are actually aware of… Pharaonic coins.

This is not Ptolemaic, whose coins are quite widely known, or from the Persian occupation periods when Persians satraps did produce their own coins. Below, however is an actual pharaonic coin, minted in the 30th Dynasty reign of Nectanebo II, and is now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.

The hieroglyphs on the side shown above read nb nfr, “Good gold”, a reassurance, or perhaps a guarantee, that the gold is pure.  The coin itself is something of an interesting hybrid, with it’s inscription in hieroglyphs and then a decidedly Greek looking horse. Some other coins also existed that had demotic rather than hieroglyphic inscriptions, but all retain their quasi-greek flavour, since it is most likely they were introduced with the specific intent of paying hired Greek mercenaries. Few coins have been found, and they seem to have had little impact on the populace as a whole.

 

Thefts from Cairo Museum confirmed – DETAILS

Apologies for the delay, I know this already out there. Personal circumstances have intervened, but I feel it is important this information is re-broadcast as widely as possible.

Along with the damaged items at the museum, a list of items known to be missing has now been made available from the SCA. More items may also be unaccounted for, but these are confirmed:

1. Gilded wood statue of Tutankhamun being carried by a goddess
2. Gilded wood statue of Tutankhamun harpooning. Only the torso and upper limbs of the king
are missing
3. Limestone statue of Akhenaten holding an offering table
4. Statue of Nefertiti making offerings
5. Sandstone head of an Amarna princess
6. Stone statuette of a scribe from Amarna
7. Wooden shabti statuettes from Yuya (11 pieces)
8. Heart Scarab of Yuya

NOTE: Since the press release was issued, the Heart Scarab of Yuya , wooden fragments belonging to the damaged New Kingdom coffin, one of the eleven missing shabtis of Yuya and Thuya , and fragments belonging to the statue of Tutankhamun being carried by the goddess Menkaret have been recovered. These were found scattered across the museum grounds, or within the building itself. Furthermore, the statue of Akhenaten offering was found in one of the museum trash cans, though the offering table (detached) is still unaccounted for.

Source: SCA Press Release 12/feb/2011 – Link to PDF file

Updates: Zahi Hawass personal blog – http://www.drhawass.com/blog/update-current-state-antiquities – and other sources.

 

Wafaa el-Saddik on damage at the Egyptian Antiquities Museum

German publication Die Zeit has an interview with former director of the Egyptian Antiquities Museum, Dr. Wafaa el-Saddik. The interview is in German and can be seen here. A digital translation (revised slightly by yours truly) of the interview itself is given below. She believes strongly that the attempted robbery was an inside job, executed by former security staff posted at the museum.

Question: Looters attacked the Egyptian Museum in Cairo on Friday evening. What exactly happened?

WS: The situation is still very unclear. There are many pieces on the floor that were thrown and destroyed, including statues of gods from the treasure of Tutankhamun. A total of 13 display cases were smashed. We now know that the looters have not stolen any Pharaonic objects. The new extension with the big souvenir shop(1), which was opened in November, was totally robbed.

Question: Who were the perpetrators?

WS: They were the guardians of the museum. Some were policemen with their jackets pulled up, so as not to be identified as policemen.(2) A second group of offenders then entered through a fire escape and the skylight. The destruction is all on the first floor, where there is also the treasure of Tutankhamun.

Question: Are there other museums in Egypt affected?

WS: The magazines of the Museum in Memphis were completely robbed on Saturday. The leaders there have called me in desperation and begged: “Save us, do something.” I first called the police, but got no response. I’ve alerted an Army General I know, but it was too late. I was on the phone with the museums in Luxor and Aswan, and there is nothing happening there. The biggest problem is the lack of protection for our museums. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo and all museums in Egypt are not insured. I have asked for  many years for this to be done – without success.

Question: In Cairo, the protesters have protected the Egyptian Museum immediately with a human chain?

WS: When people in Tahrir Square noticed what was going on, they protected the entire site immediately. The perpetrators, however, were inside the building. The protesters were able to arrest some, but others have escaped. Fortunately, the military arrived quickly, as they were already deployed on Friday evening in Tahrir Square. Since then the museum is well protected.

Question: Is  the danger from the fire in the adjacent building (the headquarters of Mubarak’s ruling party) averted?

WS: Yes, fortunately, the danger is over. The skyscraper had been burning for nearly two days, and with gusts of wind,  it could have easily spread to the Egyptian Museum.

Question: Why would their own security guards commit such barbarism?

WS: They are paid very poorly. I wrote my fingers crooked asking for more money for these people, all for free. A security guard earns about 250 Egyptian pounds, or 35 € a month. We have about 160 security guards plus several dozen police officers who are basically conscripts in police uniforms. These policemen earn even less. Again and again, these young fathers came to me. They have nothing. One sold everything he had at home,  to get medicine for his sick child. Others are hungry, even at home. But the Egyptian ministry of culture celebrates itself with expensive projects and receptions.

Notes:

1 This is referring to the new shop and ticket office, which was robbed. ZH referred to it only as the ticket office.

2 Complex sentence not translated well by the computer. I have tried to break it down into blocks here so it makes better sense. However I am not familiar with the language and cannot guarantee accuracy. Refer to the original interview to see the german text.

Kunstraub in Ägypten “Das waren unsere eigenen Leute” Art theft in Egypt “Those were our own people”

Das Ägyptische Museum in Kairo wurde geplündert – von den eigenen Wachleuten. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo has been looted – by his own guards. Das liegt auch an den geringen Löhnen, sagt die ehemalige Museumsdirektorin Wafaa el-Saddik. This is partly because of low wages, says the former museum director Wafaa el-Saddik.

© Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty Images © Khaled Desouki / AFP / Getty Images

Panzer vor dem Ägyptischen Museum in Kairo am 29. Tank outside the Egyptian Museum in Cairo on 29 Januar. January. Daneben brennt das Hauptgebäude der herrschenden Nationaldemokratischen Partei (NDP) von Präsident Mubarak. In addition, burning the main building of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) of President Mubarak.

Frage: Plünderer haben am Freitagabend das Ägyptische Museum in Kairo angegriffen. Question: looter on Friday evening the Egyptian Museum in Cairo attack. Was genau ist passiert? What exactly happened?

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[Munched]

Wafaa el-Saddik: Die Lage ist noch sehr unübersichtlich. Wafaa el-Saddik: The situation is still very unclear. Es sind sehr viele Figuren auf den Boden geworfen und zerstört worden, darunter auch Götterfiguren aus dem Schatz des Tutanchamun. There are many pieces on the floor was thrown and destroyed, including statues of gods from the treasure of Tutankhamun. Insgesamt wurden 13 Vitrinen zertrümmert. A total of 13 display cases were smashed. Inzwischen wissen wir, dass die Plünderer keine pharaonischen Schmuckstücke gestohlen haben. We now know that the looters have not stolen pharaonic trinkets. Der neue Anbau aber mit dem großen Andenkengeschäft, was erst im November eröffnet worden ist, wurde total ausgeraubt. The new extension but with the big souvenir shop, which was opened in November, was totally robbed.

Frage: Wer waren die Täter? Question: Who were the perpetrators?

Wafaa el-Saddik Wafaa el-Saddik

© Eglau © Eglau

Wafaa el-Saddik (60) war von 2004 bis Ende 2010 Direktorin des Ägyptischen Museums in Kairo. Wafaa el-Saddik (60) was from 2004 to the end of 2010 Director of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Dort lagert eine der berühmtesten Antikensammlungen der Welt. There, one of the most famous collections of antiquities stored in the world. Ihren Doktor in Archäologie hat sie in Wien gemacht. Her doctorate in archeology, it has made in Vienna. Bevor sie den Chefposten in Kairo annahm, lebte sie 15 Jahre lang in Köln. Before she accepted the top job in Cairo, she lived 15 years in Cologne.

El-Saddik: Das waren die Wächter des Museum. El-Saddik: Those were the guardians of the museum. Einige von den Polizisten haben offenbar vorher ihre Jacken ausgezogen, um nicht als Polizisten erkennbar zu sein. Some have apparently by the police before their coats pulled out not to be recognizable as policemen. Eine zweite Gruppe der Täter ist dann von hinten über eine Feuerleiter durch die Dachfenster eingestiegen. A second group of offenders is then entered from the back of a fire escape through the skylight. Die Zerstörungen sind alle im ersten Stockwerk, wo sich auch der Schatz des Tutanchamun befindet. The demolitions are all on the first floor, where there is also the treasure of Tutankhamun.

Frage: Sind noch andere Museen in Ägypten betroffen? Question: Are there other museums in Egypt affected?

El-Saddik: Das Museum in Memphis und seine Magazine wurden am Samstag früh komplett ausgeraubt. El-Saddik: The Museum in Memphis, and his magazines have been completely robbed on Saturday morning. Die Verantwortlichen dort haben mich in ihrer Verzweiflung angerufen und gefleht: “Rette uns, mach etwas.” The leaders there have called me in desperation and prayed: “Save us, do something.” Ich habe zunächst die Polizei angerufen, aber die hat nicht reagiert. I first called the police, but did not respond. Dann habe ich einen Armeegeneral alarmiert, den ich kenne. I’ve alerted an Army General, I know. Aber es war bereits zu spät. But it was too late. Mit den Museen in Luxor und Assuan habe ich telefoniert, dort ist nichts passiert. With the museums in Luxor and Aswan I was on the phone, there is nothing happening. Das größte Problem ist der mangelhafte Schutz unserer Museen überhaupt. The biggest problem is the lack of protection of our museums at all. Das Ägyptische Museum in Kairo und alle Museen in Ägypten sind überhaupt nicht versichert. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo and all museums in Egypt are not insured. Ich habe viele Jahre lang verlangt, dass das geschieht – ohne jeden Erfolg. I have asked for many years that this happens – without any success.

Frage: In Kairo haben die Demonstranten das Ägyptische Museum dann sofort mit einer Menschenkette geschützt? Question: In Cairo, the Egyptian Museum protesters immediately with a human chain to protect?

El-Saddik: Als die Menschen auf dem Tahrir-Platz gemerkt haben, was vorgeht, haben sie das gesamte Gelände sofort umgestellt. El-Saddik: People on the Tahrir Square have noticed that as what is going on, they immediately converted the entire site. Die Täter aber waren im Inneren des Gebäudes. The perpetrators, however, were inside the building. Die Demonstranten haben einige festnehmen können, andere sind entkommen. The protesters were able to arrest some, others have escaped. Zum Glück war dann schnell das Militär zur Stelle, das am Freitagabend bereits auf dem Tahrir-Platz aufmarschiert war. Fortunately, the military was then quickly on the spot, which was deployed on Friday evening already on Tahrir Square. Seitdem wird das Museum gut geschützt. Since then the museum is well protected.

Frage: Ist die Gefahr durch das Feuer in dem Gebäude der benachbarten Zentrale von Mubaraks Regierungspartei gebannt? Question: Is the risk of fire in the building adjacent to the headquarters of Mubarak’s ruling party, the banned?

El-Saddik: Ja, die Gefahr ist zum Glück gebannt. El-Saddik: Yes, the danger is averted for happiness. Das Hochhaus brennt seit fast zwei Tagen, durch Windböen hätte das Feuer leicht auf das Ägyptische Museum übergreifen können. The skyscraper has been burning for nearly two days, with wind gusts had the fire can easily spread to the Egyptian Museum.

Mehr zum Thema More about

• Aufstand Die Gewalt in Ägypten nimmt zu The insurgency violence in Egypt is increasing
• Archäologie Zahi Hawass, Herrscher über Ägyptens Vergangenheit Archaeology Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s ruler of past
• Ägypten Ein Land in Chaos und Selbstzerstörung Egypt A country in chaos and self destruction

Schlagworte Keywords

Ägypten | Wissenschaft | Kultur | Museum | Hosni Mubarak | Unruhen Egypt | Science | Culture | Museum | Hosni Mubarak | riots

Frage: Warum begehen die eigenen Wachleute eine solche Barbarei? Question: Why commit their own security guards such barbarism?

El-Saddik: Sie werden extrem schlecht bezahlt. El-Saddik: They are extremely poorly paid. Ich habe mir die Finger krumm geschrieben und mehr Geld für diese Menschen verlangt. I wrote the fingers crooked and asking for more money for these people. Alles umsonst. All for free. Ein Wachmann verdient etwa 250 ägyptische Pfund, das sind 35 Euro im Monat. A security guard earns about 250 Egyptian pounds, or 35 € a month. Wir haben rund 160 Wachleute plus mehrere Dutzend Polizisten, die im Grunde Wehrpflichtige in Polizeiuniformen sind. We have about 160 security guards plus several dozen police officers who are basically conscripts in police uniforms. Diese Polizisten verdienen noch weniger. These policemen earn even less. Immer wieder waren diese jungen Väter bei mir. Again and again, these young fathers to me. Sie haben nichts. You have nothing. Einer hat alles, was er zuhause hatte, verkauft, um Medizin für sein krankes Kind besorgen zu können. One has everything he had at home, sold, to get medicine for his sick child. Andere hungern sogar daheim. Other hungry even at home. Aber das ägyptische Kulturministerium – das feiert sich mit teuren Projekten und Empfängen. But the Egyptian ministry of culture – that celebrates itself with expensive projects and receptions.

 

Video of damage inside the Egyptian Museum

News video footage of the damage inside the Egyptian Antiquities Museum. This is the same footage as that supplied to Al Jazeera, though this capture is from a local channel.

 

Egyptian Antiquities Museum attacked in riots

The Egyptian Antiquities Museum, Cairo, was attacked Friday night during the riots occurring across Egypt.

A large fire started on Friday in the neighbouring NDP HQ complex burned itself out Saturday, and has not affected the museum.

Al Jazeera has footage from the army who entered the museum and currently have the site secured from further looters or vanadals. Early images suggest that there has been damage to several well known artefacts, including some coffins, and some wooden statues of Tutankhamun from his burial goods.

Zahi Hawass made a statement from the museum this morning, and stated that the building was entered from above (i.e. through the skylights) and damaged mummies and the statues, but did not mention anything was missing. Al Jazeera also released footage of the damaged coffins, small private wooden statues, shabtis, and other small items.

Images of the damage:

A damaged model boat.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/el-amiro21/5398533418/

Possibly from the gilded statue of Tutankhamun spearing from a skiff
http://www.flickr.com/photos/el-amiro21/5397932267/

Possibly from a gilded statue of Tutankhamun standing the back of a panther

http://www.flickr.com/photos/el-amiro21/5397932203/

Also see:

• The Eloquent Peasent: Statues of Tutankhamun damaged/stolen from the Egyptian Museum
• ABC News: Looters destroy mummies during Egypt protests

 

 

Egypt warns pharaohs’ tombs could disappear

AFP – Wednesday, August 19

LUXOR, Egypt (AFP) – - The ornate pharaonic tombs in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings are doomed to disappear within 150 to 500 years if they remain open to tourists, the head of antiquities has warned.

Zahi Hawass said humidity and fungus are eating into the walls of the royal tombs in the huge necropolis on the west bank of the Nile across from Luxor, which is swamped daily by several thousand tourists.

Poor ventilation and the breath of the hordes of visitors are causing damage to the carvings and painted decorations inside the tombs, he told journalists on a tour of the royal necropolis on Monday.

“The tombs (in the Valley of the Kings and nearby Valley of the Queens) which are open to visitors are facing severe damage to both colours and the engravings,” Hawass said.

“The levels of humidity and fungus are increasing because of the breath of visitors and this means that the tombs could disappear between 150 and 500 years.”

The Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens, where pharaonic royalty was mummified, is home to the tombs of legendary pharaohs such as the boy king Tutenkhamun and Queen Nefertiti.

Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities have taken a series of measures to protect the tombs, including setting up new ventilation systems, restricting the number of visitors and closing some tombs.

Hawass said the authorities have also decided “to close some tombs definitively to tourists and replace them by identical replicas,” including those of Tutenkhamun, Nefertiti and Seti I.

“A team of experts is currently using laser technology to examine these tombs in order to build the replicas… which would then open to visitors in a place near the Valley of the Kings,” Hawass said.

Link to full article

The idea of building exact replicas of the most visited tombs has long been suggested, though this is perhaps one of the most concrete statements I have come across so far that the SCA is seriously looking into giving this idea the go ahead.

 

Revering The Ancestors : A Duty To The Past

I’ve written on here before concerning the exceedingly black image that most of contemporary society has of Ancient Egypt. A lot of these views are based on old stereotypes from Hollywood, the press hysteria over the “Mummy’s Curse” surrounding the tomb of Tutankhamun (a.k.a. “King Tut”) and views based on the myths and folktales of an entirely different culture (I.e. Exodus).

Archaeology and study of Egyptian literature and administrative documents long ago dispelled these black myths, but the public perception lingers. This may be because that much of work done in translation and excavation is published in journals and books that are largely inaccessible and undesirable to the general public because of it’s highly academic nature, and many of the specialist publications are also not available in more general bookstores. Meanwhile increasing amounts of information come from TV, whose study of Egyptian culture is limited to Hollywood blockbusters or embarrassingly bad “edutainment” documentaries that focus on the sensational.

However, what good is research if it’s huge advances in understanding utterly pass by the general population, whom still cling the notions of the sneering Pharaoh keeping his slaves in line with the lash?

I am interested in getting some views and comments on this, so please debate!

 

Bodies found in the tomb of ‘boy king’ Tutankhamun’s tomb are twin daughters

From The Times (London) – Full article

By Aditi Khanna

Two foetuses found buried with Tutankhamun may have been his twin daughters, an expert has claimed.

Professor Robert Connolly, an anatomist who is working with Egyptian authorities to analyse the tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh, says that preliminary tests on the mummified remains of the two still-born babies indicate that Tutankhamun may have fathered them both. He will present the new findings at the Pharmacy and Medicine in Ancient Egypt Conference at the University of Manchester today.

Professor Connolly, who first studied the remains of Tutankhamun in the Sixties, said: “The two foetuses in the tomb of Tutankhamun could be twins, despite their very different size and thus fit better as a single pregnancy for his young wife [Ankhesenamun]. This increases the likelihood of them being Tutankhamun’s children.”

“I studied one of the mummies, the larger one, back in 1979, determined the blood group data from this baby mummy and compared it with my 1969 blood grouping of Tutankhamun. The results confirmed that this larger foetus could indeed be the daughter of Tutankhamun.

“Now we believe that they are twins and they were both his children.”

Professor Connolly, a physical anthropologist at the University of Liverpool, said: “It is a very exciting finding which will not only paint a more detailed picture of this famous young king’s life and death, it will also tell us more about his lineage.”

The  complete results of the  tests are expected in December.  Otherwise I don’t feel there is much to add here besides what I have already written on this subject. I do not feel that these tests are ethically sound. They trouble me greatly.

 

More DNA Testamania…

From Daily News Egypt – Original article in full

Egypt to DNA-test 2 fetuses from King Tut’s tomb

CAIRO: Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities says the country’s scientists will start DNA tests on two mummified fetuses found in the tomb of King Tutankhamun to determine their link to the young pharaoh.

The fetuses were found in 1922 in the tomb in Luxor and have since been stored at Cairo University. They are widely believed to be King Tut’s stillborn children.

The tests will be carried out in collaboration with Cairo University’s Faculty of Medicine under the leadership of Dr Ashraf Selim, head of Cairo Scan.

Selim together with Dr Yehia Zakaria of the National Research Center have carried out CT scans of the two fetuses and took samples to make the DNA tests.

The council quotes in a statement Egypt’s Antiquities chief Zahi Hawass as saying the test will also try to determine the fetuses’ mother as well as Tutankhamun’s family lineage, a mystery that has baffled Egyptologists for years.

And what, precisely, do we hope to gain from this? A snippet from further into the article rasies some eyebrows for me…

Hawass said the tests will also help in identifying the mummy of Queen Nefertiti.

Which the last batch of DNA tests and CAT scans were supposed to have already established. I am not personally convinced that the ethical issues involved, and the time and cost spent on DNA testing of the royal mummies is consistently repaid in concrete advances in our knowledge. I am willing and ready to concede that some breakthroughs have been made, particularly in regards to the royal line of the early 18th Dynasty. But, at some point a line needs to be drawn between “testamania”, and ethically and practically justifable research, which we can reasonably expect to deliver a significant advance to our understanding.

In addition, most archaeology involves conservation and preservation of material. DNA testing is unusual in archaeology in that it is the opposite. DNA testing is damaging to, and invasive of, the human remains which are subjected to it.

 

Travelogue – Egyptian Museum (Feb/Mar 2008)

Base: Windsor Hotel, Cairo
Site: Museum of Egyptian Antiquites, Cairo

Surely, a vist to the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities (more commonly, simply the “Egyptian Museum” or “Cairo Museum”, though it’s far from the only one in either) is at the same time both one of the most rewarding and frustrating experiences possible for anyone with a passion for all things Ancient Egyptian.

The Egyptian Museum is blessed with the single largest collection of Pharaonic artefacts in the world, roughly 120,000, in a woefully inadequate 1900′s building in Midan Tahrir. The museum is the single biggest draw for tourists to Cairo city itself (the Pyramids being over the river in Giza). Although I have seen the Cairo museum several times before now, this is the first time I have seen it in peak tourist season (winter), and I truly had underestimated just how crowded the place can get. Surfacing from the metro and running the gauntlet with the traffic (the building work going on opposite seems not to have progressed a single block since last summer) I was faced with a procession of buses carrying a veritable United Nations of eager tourists.

Security at the Museum is taken more seriously than at other sites, perhaps due to the vulnerability of the collection, or perhaps because of it’s city centre location, which makes establishing a security “bubble” (a la the Luxor West Bank) impossible. Once through this though, the full Egyptian Museum experience begins. You are immediately greeted by a round entrance hall, immediately bringing you face to face with a splendid statue of Ramesses II, beyond which lies the long gallery leading up to a colossal statue of Amunhotep III with his Great Royal Wife, Tiye. It’s a splendid entrance, and is perhaps one of the few times in the museum where real thought has gone into how to awe the visitor. This I feel is an important point, since these pieces were, in part, designed to do precisely that, and never fail to achieve.

Here you have a choice as to how to tackle this building, either bearing left off to the Old Kingdom sculpture, or heading straight into the rather mixed main gallery, or right to a collection of Late Period sarcophagi. Heading to the OK section you are immediately faced with a statue of none other than Djoser himself. Pharaohs never had themselves depicted with the “sneer of cold command” beloved of Shelley, and Djoser is no exception. His statue, however, showing him sat upon his throne, does give a serious air of unsmiling authority that comes as something of a surprise, given the emphasis in most Old Kingdom art to project serenity and calm. It’s impact however, is immediate and powerful. One can only wonder what the impression would have been when the inlaid eyes were present.

Beyond this lies a forest of Old Kingdom pieces, including some beautiful small statues and models, even the walls of an entire burial chamber, as well as several false doors and interesting stela. Hidden at the back behind some sarcophagi is an unusual round offering table set into a oblong block of calcite. Note that most photographic equipment is banned in the museum, hence the lack of pictures with this post. The sarcophagi here are some of the finest carving I have ever seen. The details and preservation are truly amazing, as is some of the colouring which remains. The beautiful temple facade style (“Copyright Imhotep”) truly shines to the fore here, and as is so often the case, the cramped display conditions and poor lighting (as well as a lack of clear and accurate information on display) do hide some true gems. Realsing this, I took my time here and actually made several visits to the museum over a few days, and added an additional day at the end of my before flying back to the UK, to really get a feel for the place.

Following through from here and staying on the ground floor you will eventually come to the New Kingdom sculpture section, and some more of the museums highlights, one of which is hard to miss. A colossal statue of Ramesses II (naturally) as a child in front of a colossal Horus (some reports say the hawk actually, in this case, represents a Levantine hawk deity), made in basalt. The proportions and finish are both perfect. In one hand he holds a sw hieroglyph as if it were a staff or cane.

In the rooms around this gallery you will also find beautiful statury, both private and royal, including the famous diorite statue of Khafra, found at his valley temple (see post on the Giza Plateau). This piece, words do not do it justice. Go. See it for yourself. This statue is well over 4,000 years old. The stone from which it was cut lies hundreds of miles to the south in the Western Desert (near to modern day Toshka, between Aswan and Abu Simbel). It is beautiful.

Nearby in one of the other rooms of the gallery you will find the statues (almost perfectly preserved) of Rahotep and his wife, Nofret. Nothing, not the unchanging aspects of land and sky-scapes, animals or riverside life quite links the past to the present like this couple. I would not describe either as a truly beautiful sculpture but it is quite unnervingly life like, and leaves little doubt as to the nature and character of both man and wife.

Take time also in the rooms along here to see more beautiful statues of Thutmose III. Whilst not as beautiful as the statue of his in Luxor Museum (which can rightfully, in my own personal opinion, take the crown from the head of Michael Angelo’s “David”) they are nonetheless incredibly beautiful, just to appreciate.

Further along the main gallery I came to a statue I saw on my last visit here but had far too many people around to truly take in, the wooden Ka statue of the otherwise little known Pharaoh, Awibra-Hor. One of relatively few statues to survive complete with his inlaid eyes, you cannot help but get the impression that this statue has fulfilled the aim of it’s creation, to provide a place for the Ka of it’s owner. The impression of looking right into the soul is disturbingly intense. This is not simply a case of the eyes remaining, as other statues this complete – including dear old Rahotep – give little or no sense of this kind of depth. The artist truly has created something absolutely and totally unique, capturing not so much a particular emotion, or moment or time, or likeness, but a state of mind, outlook and individual character, literally immortalising an individual.

Back in the main central gallery, it’s impossible to miss the colossal statue of Amunhotep III and Tiye, his Great Royal Wife. Like any of the larger statues it’s actually best appreciated from a distance, as the faces are particularly beautiful, but cannot be seen close to due to the height. I admit to not really properly noticing and appreciating it, since it so dominates the room as to become something of a glorious architectural feature rather than an exhibit. As such my words fail to do it justice.

Also here you will find a preserved piece of flooring from Amarna. There are more Amarna artefacts to be found in the chamber beyond the statue of Amunhotep III and Tiye, including a colossal statue of Amunhotep IV/Akhenaten in typically bizarre Amarna style. Regardless of ones perspective on the brief yet surreal desert escapade that was the Amarna period, one undeniably beautiful artefact is the sarcophagus that is believed to have belonged to Tutankhamun’s elder brother, Semenkhare. A fragile mummy was found in the sarcophagus when it was discovered but was destroyed during investigation. Identification is compounded by the fact that on the sarcophagus itself the cartouches have been systematically destroyed. Some stamped gold leaf inside the coffin was all that remained for ID. Hacked out cartouches aside, it’s a beautiful sarcophagus, and worth detouring to see, as it’s much better displayed than the others in the main Sarcophagi collection upstairs.

Other things to note back in the main gallery is the two funeral barques displayed here. These were found in Dashur where six pits were found. A project was recently launched to try to find out more about the site from where they originate, as although six pits are mentioned, the archaeological records taken at the time only describe five of them. Satellite imaging has proven extremely useful in resolving the unanswered questions over the original investigation, and is one example of how modern advances can contribute to archaeology, as well as makes things more difficult with agricultural expansion and the likes. Google Earth, it seems, really can be a gift from the gods. Indeed, satellite imaging from the delta region shows clearly the two sides of modern technology. It has assisted in finding literally hundreds of sites, and also, at the exact same time, allow us to see and document precisely the danger that they are facing from modern building and agriculture works.

Still in the main gallery it’s hard to miss (not impossible, but hard) the restored Pyramidion of Amenemhat. Beautiful and perfect in every way, this piece would once have stood atop his pyramid as a capstone. It is probably (but not certainly) was gilded in electrum (a natural alloy of gold and silver) that the Egyptians routinely used on similar pyramidions that topped obelisks. With a capstone like this and the original polished limestone on the casing, all the pyramids would one have looked quite different to the modern “jagged” appearance, being extremely smooth and white on the main body, with a sharp, golden tip designed to reflect the sun.

There are many more beautiful artefacts on the ground floor, and it’s easy to spend many hours (and countless pages) on this floor alone, however I wish to keep this article reasonably brief, so shall skip over the remainder of the ground floor and go upstairs.

There are several areas of interest on the upper floor, but most visitors are drawn in the treasures from the tomb of Tutankhamun and the Royal Mummies room (separate tickets needed). The “Mummy Room” has something of an interesting modern political history. The current set up is very different to that which used to exist.

President Sadat, affected by accusations that the display of mummies in the museum was disrespectful and voyeuristic ordered the mummy rooms to be closed. They remained that way until 1985, when the display was re-opened in a different room. The lighting is kept much more subdued, and the display has been reduced and made more respectful. A separate entry charge has been implemented to also try and manage crowds. I have not visited it in person, so I cannot say if I myself feel the new display to be respectful.

Also here in the tomb treasures of Tutankhamun. Much of these are simply kept in the usual corridors and displays and include the outer sarcophagi, furniture and many of his canes. There is too much to describe, but the “animal hide effect” throne cannot be ignored. Less well known than the golden throne with the image of Tutankhamun, Ankhsenamun and the Aten, this design is in some ways even more intricate and truly beautiful. The quality of the workmanship, and time it must have taken is incredible. The impression of a folding chair (an Egyptian invention) is very real and it takes a second to realise that it is just that, an impression. The seat, being wood not hide, couldn’t fold. Like the golden throne, the Sema Tawy motif is very prominent.

On a sadder note, the collection of canes that is in many ways unique is clearly suffering from neglect. In the case lie close together (too close to really examine each individually) several canes, each different. All of them crumbling, flakes of gold leaf and wood lying on the bottom of the case. One cannot help but wonder how long they have lain there in that state.

The main exhibit room of the Tutankhamun section is glassed off and cleanly decorated, with modern spacious cases and modern lighting. The famous mummy mask of Tutankhamun is unsurprisingly the main draw. It’s not hard to see why. It is displayed quite high, and as such it is better to stand back. When you do, the eyes do not look at you. Like so many pieces of Pharaonic sculpture, the rekhyet stare at it, but it does not stare back. The piece captures perfectly the expression of the ruler as one who looks not through, but beyond the staring hordes to something unseen. It is difficult for the artists to capture but Egyptian sculpture does so extremely well. The mask is made from pure gold whilst the decoration is made up of glass and gemstones. Much of the jewellery also lies in this room. There is no point in trying to describe it, for it is all beautiful and has to be seen.

Also on this floor is the Tanis Treasure room. The Tanis treasures are in many ways every bit as beautiful as those of Tutankhamun, particularly the solid silver coffin of Psusennes I. It is one of the most beautiful sculptures in metal I’ve seen anywhere. Unfortunately, although this room has had a degree of modernisation, the lighting of several artefacts is still poor, and, bizarrely, Psuennes’ coffin is one of them that suffers most from this, along with thick layers of dust and grime on the glass, making it impossible to truly appreciate, and it truly deserves appreciation.

Some of the jewellery in the collection is also incredibly beautiful. Do not miss the wristbands of Shoshenq I, which are truly masterpieces of craftsmanship, and certainly rival the quality of goods left with Tutankhamun. As well simple things such as mirror handles display beautiful design and attention to detail that is incredible, as well as things like ear rings. Many people miss this collection and is a tragic shame, as it highlights some of the best craftsman ship in any Egyptian jewellery, dispels myths about the Third Intermediate period, and highlights some achievements in Egyptian jewellery and design that are simply not represented in the Tutankhamun collection.

Also on the upper floor, and of great interest for it’s insight into everyday life is the collection of models, including a very large section dedicated to model boats. These models (of workers of various kinds, boats, buildings, homes and animals) were included in tomb equipment for the deceased, to supply him (or her) with these things in the afterlife. The collection is spread over a few rooms and is often ignored by visitors, but gives a wonderful and realistic insight into everyday life beyond the formal ideals religious and royal artwork. The scene of the cattle count is particularly detailed and realistic, though there are many other fine ones, including a scene in a bakery.

Egyptian Antiquities Museum Practicalities (Visitors Info)

Location: Midan Tahrir, Cairo.

Transport: Excellent. Sadat metro station is a few minutes walk away. The exit nearest to the museum is signposted in English and Arabic within the station. From this exit it is a simple straight walk along one road, and just a few hundred metres to the museum. Cairo metro is safe, efficient and bi-lingual. Flat rate fare of LE1 per trip. Avoid rush hour when the system becomes very crowded, and be prepared to push.

Costs: LE50 entry. Extra for mummy rooms.

Times: Hours change, but generally 9am to 5 or 6pm.

Notes: No camera permits. Photography is completely prohibited, though many people use mobile phone cameras. Be discreet. Be aware lighting conditions are generally poor. A pocket torch is recommend. Also bring some drink (no A/C, so hot in summer) and food as the cafeteria is in the same building, but involves leaving the building to enter it, going past the ticket check.