Colossal sculptures, artistry from royal tombs and everyday objects among more than 500 ancient artefacts on loan from the British Museum
hat is it about ancient Egypt that holds such enduring fascination? The word Pharaoh itself – from Egyptian pr-’o, meaning great house – conjures images of immeasurable wealth: gold and silver, towering monuments, bejewelled sarcophagi. But surely there is more to the epoch’s allure than the loot?
The exhibition hopes to expand our knowledge of the ancient culture, to see beyond the shimmering glamour and godlike royal lineages.Photograph: The Trustees of the British MuseumRamses and the Gold of the PharaohsPart of Egypt’s enduring attraction is its sheer archeological bounty. This is due to the nature of its preservation, explains the British Museum’s international touring exhibitions curator, Dr Marie Vandenbeusch, who is helping put the NGV show together.
Ostracon showing Khnummose worshipping the snake goddess Meretseger, Deir el-Medina, Egypt. 19th–20th Dynasty, about 1295 – 1069 BC. Limestone H 16.5cm, W 20.2cm.It is, however, a skewered, top-down view of the civilisation. These stunning burial treasures were reserved for the richest members of society, including its royal families; most of the artefacts only reflect the culture’s elite.
Of course, the treasure – all that bygone bling, from the carved green siltstone head of Thutmose III to the quartzite seated statue of Sety II, grandson of Ramses II – remains the key drawcard. That such artistry could be perfected thousands of years before the birth of Christ and marvelled at all these millennia later touches something in us. It might be the detritus of a fallen civilisation, but it connects us to the beauty and grandeur of human expression.
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