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The current Egyptian Museum was
completed in 1902.
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museum is located on a central Cairo square and
within walking distance of our hotel,
Shepheard's. The square is a central bus depot.
Locals catch transport and sell the tourists
papyrus and trinkets when the opportunity arises.
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The
original museum was built in 1857, but proved too
small to hold the growing collections. Once
proper export controls were established and the
professions of Egyptologist and Archeology
focused on researching the 4000 year old
civilization, antiquities flowed in. The museum
was moved once to a palace, and finally the
existing building was constructed. |
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entrance courtyard there is a shrine to the
founders of the museum and the sarcophagus of
Auguste Mariette who first gathered the vast
collection together in 1858. |
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We
visited the museum on four separate days, and
still didn't see it all. There is a 300 page list
of all the artifacts available at the ticket
booth, and more useful guides which cover the
museum room by room can be bought at the gift
shop to the right of the entrance. |
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The museum is the
home of most of the objects from the tomb of Tutankhamun.
Click on the pictures below to see the objects from the
Tutankhamun collection. Then move down the page for other
museum objects. |
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Tutankhamun's funerary
mask. The mask is inlaid with semi precious
stone, faience, and glass. |
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Second and inner coffins.
The inner coffin is solid gold and weighs 110 kg
or 296 lbs Troy. The second coffin is wood
covered in gold. |
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The alabaster canopic
chest from Tutankhamun's Tomb. The four heads
used as stoppers for the compartments are Isis,
Neith, Selkis and Nephthys. Also the canopic
shrine with the sublime statues
that guard it. |
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The
sarcophagus
and the three nested inner coffins were
surrounded by four nested gilded shrines
inscribed with the Book of the Dead and other
funerary spells. |
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Tutankamun's throne.
The throne shows Tutankamun and his wife
Ankhesenamun under the benevolent rays of Aten. |
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