Their has been recent interest on the forum about Egypt. I thought I would share this fascinating article. How exciting that the new Grand Egyptian Museum will be opening mid year in Cairo. The minister of antiquities announced that 50,000 artifacts will be displayed in the Museum aka GEM. Can hardly wait for trip reports from the many forum friends who will be visiting!
The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/photography/interactive/2021/parade-for-royal-egyptian-mummies/
Janis, I saw some of the pictures on CNN's website this morning! That would have been such a cool thing to have been there in person to see!
It’s so pleasing to know there’s a modern new museum. On my visit decades ago, artifacts were on display in rooms without temperature or humidity control, and many items were just sitting out, not behind glass. This should allow a more secure exhibit space, and help ensure the preservation of ancient relics.
Planning on going to Egypt late October. I hope the new museum is up and running!
Quite the spectacle and worthy of these old pharaohs. I couldn't help compare to the 'old school' environment of the current Cairo museum. I still like that old school set up and will miss it.
I studied abroad in Cairo in the mid-80s. I remember the Egyptian museum and its astounding artifacts; the Tut mask was breathtaking....I also remember, like Cyn, that many artifacts were totally unprotected. At least one case was 'locked' with twisties.
Thanks for sharing! This is so cool. I have always dreamed of going to Egypt. When I was a kid, I went to the World Expo in Vancouver. The Egyptian pavilion was a pyramid and housed amazing artifacts from Ramses. I was enthralled, and a dream of being an archaeologist was born. It didn’t hurt that the Indiana Jones moves came out around this time!
I haven’t been to Egypt but I have memories of the Treasures of Tutankhamun Exhibit, Seattle 1978. The exhibit featured 55 artifacts from the famous tomb. It was planned to coincide with America’s bicentennial celebration starting in 1976. The exhibit attracted approximately eight million visitors over the 2 years.
Tutmania ensued and Tut appeared in movies, documentaries, television series and an unforgettable bit of Americana. Can’t forget comedian Steve Martin’s costumed musical “King Tut.” Known as the Toot Uncommons. “How’d you get so funky?” King Tut.
One of our guides from our trip to Egypt last March alerted me to the mummy parade yesterday. The Antiquities Department live-streamed it, and I watched the whole thing.
Visiting the Egyptian Museum last year was quite an experience. Friends had told me that it would feel a little like exploring your grandmother's attic. I still was not prepared for the open windows and the exhibit labels typed on manual typewriters. I was there about a week before the Covid shutdown, and the packing for the Grand Egyptian Museum was in full swing. Objects were being removed from the cases, recorded in huge leather bound volumes that must have dated from the opening of the museum in 1902, and then photographed before being packed into crates. The record keeping appeared to be totally manual.
I agree, though, that there is a certain charm in the "old school" methods. I will miss the 19th century feel of it all.
We were in Cairo January 2020 right before COVID. The old museum was being painted and refurbished , all going on with museum visitors almost tripping over the construction equipment and tarps. It will still have some important artifacts.
In the new museum, the numbers of King Tut’s artifacts that have not been displayed before is staggering, something around 5000. We saw the new museum from the outside and this will contemporary building will draw more visitors. New hotels are going up out there.
I would have loved to have seen this parade! The streets were repaved to make for a smooth transition for these ancient Pharoahs.
I would love to return to see the new museum and also to spend more time in Luxor.
This won’t happen, of course, but what if the mummy parade vacant an annual event, like Macy’s Thanksgiving, or the Tournament of Roses? There could even be floats, with wheeled sarcophagi and balloons, maybe of scarabs or cats.
Instead of Mummers, it’d be Mummies!
I watched almost the whole nine yards (two hours) of it this morning - mind-boggling. Google Egypt Mummies Golden Parade - forget which result had the whole thing, but look for the 2+ hr timing & give in to it. Or do fast-forwards, though the cumulative effect sure was an experience. Jaw-dropping spectacle, much more than just the parade ("just"!). English voice-over started maybe 45" in. There's footage inside the new museum, at Luxor et al, & Cecil B. DeMille evidently has Egyptian descendants: singing, dancing, costumes & bling, horses & chariots, limousines (aww, the politicians didn't stand in the chariots), a symphonic orchestra... The phrase 'over the top' is inadequate.
@Cyn, I can also envision Steve Martin on a float doing his thing with the Toot Uncommons. The music blaring... Heck, he could be the Grand Marshal.
Not to be too cynical, but is all of that hoopla just part of an elaborate Pyramid Scheme?
