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Indepth Arts News:
"Egypt Revealed: Life and Death in Ancient Egypt"
2001-06-23 until 2001-09-23
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Birmingham, ,
UK
Egypt Revealed: Life and Death in Ancient Egypt, which opens on June 23, will
feature many rare artefacts from the joint collections of Birmingham's Museum &
Art Gallery and The British Museum, including a 5,000 year old mummy. Most people associate ancient Egypt with the pharaohs and their dynasties, but
these rulers
only came to power after circa 3,000 BC. Many objects have been discovered from
the 'pre-dynastic' period before 3,000 BC.
One of the exciting discoveries on show will be 'Gingerella', who will be
exhibited for the first time ever in a UK city outside London. The naturally
dehydrated body of this early ancient Egyptian woman was buried in the desert
around 3,200 BC and her name derives from the red hair still visible on her
head.
Another star attraction will be the unique kneeling statue of Rameses II, also
known as Rameses the Great. Considered to be deities, it was unusual for
pharaohs to kneel, other than to gods greater than themselves. This impressive
pharaoh ruled Egypt for 67 years during the 13th century BC, and his statue will
be the first to greet visitors to the exhibition.
Rameses II is famous for erecting more statues and building more monuments than
any other pharaoh, including the temples at Abu Simbel.
Other items on view will include: head statue of Amenhotep III, a mighty hunter
and pharaoh who killed over 90 wild bulls on one hunting expedition; figure of
Imhotep, a talented scribe who lived 4,500 years ago, he also designed the first
pyramid at Saqqara; a sarcophagus of the priest Padimut, dated 1200-1000 BC, on
loan from wariwckshire Museum; several cat and other animal mummies; the mummy
of Bakrenes in coffin; canopic jars which contained the internal organs of the
dead; jewellery, cosmetics, household goods and examples of literature and
written text.
The exhibition will cover the following themes: the King and Society, Daily
Life, Scribes and Writing, Priests and gods and The Dead.
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