Cairo Museum

We spent the day at the Cairo Museum. It is known all around the world for its extensive collection, and upon walking into the huge building, we could see that it was packed full with artifacts of all types. On the lower floor there are collections of the statues from each dynasty separated into rooms. By seeing the collections first hand, we were more able to identify iconography and hieroglyphics of the Ancient Egyptian religion. By the end of the day, I could tell if a pharaoh had ruled Lower (the Nile Delta region), Upper (the rest of the country) Egypt or both by the type of crown that the ruler wore. I could also identify the symbols for eternal life (ankh), protection (Tayt, Eye of Horus, Sa), stability (Djed pillar), valor (Ahhotep fly), and rebirth (kheper i.e. scarab). There were some statues made completely from beautiful solid blocks of diorite and some columns made from the Roman porphyry that we will go to see in a few days at Hurgadda.

One of the most impressive collections at this museum is that of Tutankhamen. Since the tomb had been buried beneath another, it was not plundered before archaeologists found it. The wealth of gold adornments, stones such as green feldspar and amethyst, and preserved detailed painting from the tomb was astounding. Tut's sarcophagus had been hidden within a box, within a box, etc and those were preserved as well as the chariots, bows, dolls, and more that were given to him to take with him to his afterlife. There was also a mummy room where you can see the actual mummified bodies of the pharaohs (and a cat or two as well).

Theresa Diehl
Geosciences Sophomore
Greece, May 2001