(8h00) The journey is coming to an end. Tomorrow we shall be heading back to Barcelona, but today we still have a tight schedule of visits. The old Museum of Egyptian Antiquities of Cairo and the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. I would also like to visit the Contemporary Art Museum, but we'll see how the day develops...
Now, time to hit the breakfast buffet at the Sheraton. [To be updated later]
(9h30) First stop is the Egyptian Antiquities Museum. Crowds pile up to cross the fence and go through what passes for security. The collection started having several 'homes', but finally, with the insistence and hard work by Mariette, the Museum was open in 1902. The structure of the museum feels old as the building, some areas feel more like a warehouse than a museum, security of the exhibits is non-existent (well, some display cabinets have tiny padlocks, others simply some wire). Pieces tend to 'disappear' and no one notices for years (if ever!).
Anyway... We start our visit... at the beginning. The beginning of an united Egypt, with the Narmer Palette. Also several stelae. Psusennes Sarcophagus, the pyramidon of the Black Pyramid we saw in the distance in Dashur. Sekhmet and Amenhotep III and his wife Tyi. Israel stelae. Akhenaton, quartzite busts and Akhenaton's sarcophagus (the mummy has been found!). Sculpture with the name of Rameses II. Horus and Seth with Rameses III.
Items from the tomb of Yuya and Thuya (from the time of Amenhotep III). Possible mother of TutAnkhAmun, Sitamun. Yuya's Book of the Dead, the longest papyrus in Egypt. The rooms of TutAnkhAmun and Psusenes I (from Tanis) are unfortunately closed, and most of their exhibits on their way to the new Antiquities museum.
Characteristic art from Middle Kingdom, literature. Sphinx of Hapshepsut. Tutmosis III. Hapshepsut's chapel. Sesostris III and other examples of Middle Kingdom art style. Senet the dwarf and his wife. Rakhotep and his wife Nofret. Statue of Khafre in diorite. Micerinos's regional triades.
A quick visit to the souvenir shop and time to go on to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation.
No comments:
Post a Comment