Grand exhibition on ancient Egyptian civilization opens in Shanghai

Shanghai: A grand exhibition on the ancient Egyptian civilization, the largest of its kind held outside Egypt over the past 20 years, opened Wednesday in Shanghai.

A total of 788 artifacts from Egypt, along with ancient Chinese artifacts, are on display at the Shanghai Museum, offering visitors an artistic feast from the two ancient civilizations.

The exhibition, “On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt,” is co-hosted by the Shanghai Museum and the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) of Egypt.

Curated by Chinese scholars, the exhibition provides a comprehensive presentation of ancient Egyptian civilization and showcases the latest results of joint archaeological efforts between China and Egypt.

Luo Wenli, deputy head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, hailed the exhibition as a bridge for dialogue between China and Egypt, both ancient civilizations.

Among the exhibits are sculptures of deities that reflect the myths and philosophy of ancient Egypt, prehistoric painted pottery and cosmetic palettes, as well as treasures from different dynasties and various pharaohs.

Yan Haiying, the chief curator of the exhibition and a professor at Peking University, said the exhibition is all-encompassing, noting that “a condensed history of ancient Egyptian civilization is told in one exhibition.”

In the second hall of the exhibition, over 400 newly unearthed artifacts from Saqqara, an important burial site in ancient Egypt, are being exhibited for the first time worldwide.

The hall also showcases significant achievements from recent Sino-Egyptian joint archaeological efforts. Recently, a digital survey and research project of the newly unearthed artifacts from Saqqara was launched in Egypt. The project primarily involves digitally scanning, photographing, organizing, and researching thousands of wooden mummy coffins unearthed at the Saqqara site.

Xue Jiang, the project leader and an Egyptology scholar from Shanghai International Studies University, said in the future, a database of the Sino-Egyptian joint archaeological research will be established for global sharing and major findings are planned to be released worldwide in Chinese, English, and Arabic.

Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary General of the SCA of Egypt, said that the exhibition showcases the splendor of ancient Egyptian civilization and the diversity of Egyptian society.

He expressed the hope that all the exhibits can become cultural ambassadors of Egypt. He also invited the Chinese people to come to Egypt and experience its magnificent civilization firsthand.