If you come to get acquainted with the history and culture of the country of the Great Pyramids, do not miss the main attraction of the capital. The Great Egyptian Museum in Cairo holds a rich collection of exhibits from the Pharaonic era. To view the entire exposition, it will take more than one day. The museum is located in the city center near the Urabi metro station. Address: 15 Meret Bash, Ismailia, Qasr-a-Nile, Cairo, Egypt.
History of creation
The National Egyptian Museum in Cairo was founded by the French archaeologist Auguste Mariet in 1858. The young employee of the Louvre was sent to study ancient texts in the Nile Valley. But instead of working in a stuffy library, the archaeologist became interested in excavations.
It was Mariet who discovered the oldest building in the world - the step pyramid of Djoser. During his expeditions, priceless artifacts were found, many of which went to Paris. In 1858, Egyptian authorities offered Mariet a position in the Department of Antiquities. The scientist happily agreed, and this time left France forever.
The first museum building was next to the Nile, but after the flood in 1878, many exhibits were damaged. The exhibition was taken to Giza, where it was stored until a new two-story building was built in Cairo.
In front of the main entrance
Exhibits greet guests in the museum’s garden. Here is a full-length statue of Marieta. She is surrounded by busts of other Egyptologists. In the middle is a pond with blue lotuses - the sacred flowers of Ancient Egypt.
Sculptures found by Mariet are exhibited along the road to the main entrance. Noteworthy is the statue of Thutmose III, carved from red granite. Two sphinxes on either side of the museum entrance represent Upper and Lower Egypt. A very unusual sculpture of Amenhotep III with his wife, who stands behind the back of the pharaoh and holds him by the shoulders. The spouses are depicted of the same height, which is uncharacteristic of the fine art of Ancient Egypt.
It is worth taking pictures as a souvenir, there will be no such possibility inside. In all the halls of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, photography and video are prohibited.
Rotunda and Atrium
Visitors begin to get acquainted with the history of the ancient state immediately at the entrance to the museum. The rotunda located in the lobby has collected sculptural images from different eras. Here is a statue of Djoser, the ancestor of the III dynasty and the first pharaoh of the Old Kingdom. At the corners of the rotunda are the colossi of Ramses II, the greatest ruler in the history of Egypt. The oldest exhibit in the museum is the Narmer palette, depicting the union of the Upper and Lower Kingdom.
The atrium exhibits pyramidions found in Dashur. These granite stones were installed on the tops of the pyramids. Sarcophagi, which date back to the New Kingdom period, attract attention. A unique exhibit is located in the center of the atrium. This is a fragment of the floor from Akhenaten Palace. Another artifact is the Stela of Merneptah, describing the military exploits of the pharaoh. Its main value is the first mention of Israel in history. An interesting model of an ordinary house of the Amarna period.
Exhibits of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo: Ground Floor
The exposition is arranged in such a way that, moving clockwise, one can trace the development of civilization in chronological order. The review begins with exhibits from the Old Kingdom. This is the era of the greatness of Memphis and the active construction of the pyramids. Along the walls are statues of nobles and their servants. Sculptural images accompanied their masters into the afterlife. The bas-reliefs with scenes of hunting, farming and handicraft give an idea of the life of ordinary Egyptians in the III millennium BC. It also stores the only image of the builder of the Great Pyramid of Cheops.
The period of the Middle Kingdom is represented by statues of the pharaohs and sarcophagi. Images of individuals are arbitrary and in many ways resemble the images of ancient Egyptian gods. The views of anthropomorphic figures have nothing human. This emphasized the superiority of the rulers, hinting at their divine origin. Unlike statues, the internal painting of sarcophagi is full of life and colors.
The halls of the New Kingdom demonstrate the heyday of ancient civilization. Such great names as Thutmose III, Hatshepsut, Amenhotep III and Ramses II belong to this period. An interesting sculpture of the goddess Hathor in the form of a cow. Ahead of her is the conquering pharaoh Thutmose III. In this part of the museum you can see a column from the Hatshepsut temple, as well as several busts of the great queen. Completes the exposure of Ramses II in the image of a child. He holds a plant in his hand, and the god Chorus breast covers the back of the boy.
Amarna Hall
Historians and art historians distinguish the short period of Akhenaten's reign in an independent era. According to the same principle in the Cairo Museum, part of the exposition is reserved for the masterpieces of Amarna art.
In the place of the former heretic pharaoh’s palace in modern Tel el Amarne, amazing artifacts have been discovered that are very different from other Egyptian finds. The four statues of Akhenaten have disproportionate faces with large lips and nostrils. Similar anomalies can be seen in the images of the heads of the members of the pharaoh’s family. The opinions of scientists were divided: some adhere to the hypothesis of a genetic disease, while others consider this a stylistic device.
In the Amarna era, secular scenes with the participation of the royal family first appeared. Earlier in Egyptian art, household sketches described the life of commoners. Images of the pharaohs were like gods, and the plots were based on mythology and were inextricably linked with the afterlife. Here you can see the stele on which Akhenaten holds his daughter, and Nefertiti shakes the cradle.
Behind the Amarna Hall, the exposition of the New Kingdom and the Greco-Roman period continues, and the treasures of Tutankhamun occupy most of the second floor of the museum.
Pristine tomb
The tomb of the pharaoh, who lived only 18 years old, has preserved priceless artifacts for posterity. It is hard to imagine how much wealth the robbers took from the neighboring tomb of Ramses II, if all the treasures of Tutankhamun cannot be placed on one floor of a large museum.
The exposition of burial objects of the young pharaoh totals 1700 exhibits. A separate room is reserved for the gold of Tutankhamun. These priceless exhibits are often exhibited in other countries. The most famous of them is the funerary mask of Tutankhamun, which, along with the head of Nefertiti, became a symbol of ancient Egyptian art.
It is impossible to pass by golden thrones, chests and caskets. The Ark of Anubis occupies a special place in the exposition. The guide to the realm of the dead is depicted as a black jackal with gilded ears. A pair of wooden chariots is displayed at the exit towards the atrium. Their gilded bas-reliefs depict scenes of the enslavement of enemies.
Halls of Mummies
The most mystical exposition is located on the second floor. Entrance fees apply. In the halls there are mummies of pharaohs and animals. Tours are not allowed here and are not even allowed to talk loudly, so as not to offend the memory of the dead.
Many mummies are so well preserved that you can make out hair and facial features. The remains of the pharaohs are exposed in hermetic display cases, in which constant temperature and humidity are maintained.
Development prospects
In 2020, it is planned to open a new museum near the Great Pyramids. The treasures of Tutankhamun will move to Giza, since it is impossible to completely place them in the halls of the old building in Cairo.
The architecture of the Great Egyptian Museum provides an opportunity to exhibit huge exhibits. At the entrance, visitors will be greeted by a statue of Ramses II. Gardens are set around the building, and windows overlook the pyramids. In total, the museum will house about 50 thousand exhibits.