Ancient Egypt Exhibition Opens in Shanghai

As part of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' strategy to host numerous temporary archaeological exhibitions abroad, the "'On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt'" exhibition was inaugurated at the Shanghai Museum in China. This initiative aims to provide a window for people worldwide to learn about the rich Egyptian heritage and the genius of the ancient Egyptians in various fields such as science, engineering, and art, fostering cultural exchange and understanding.

The inauguration was attended by Zhao Jiaming, a member of the Standing Committee and head of the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai, Liu Duo, Deputy Mayor of the Shanghai Municipal Government, Egypt's Ambassador to China, Assem Hanafi, Egyptian Consul General in Shanghai, Mohamed Raslan, Luo Wenli, Director General of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, and representatives from cultural institutions in China and various other countries.

Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, reported that the exhibition has seen an unprecedented turnout in China since its opening, with all tickets for the first day sold out and a total of 250,000 tickets sold so far. Despite not being the first of its kind in China, this exhibition is the largest since 2003 and is expected to significantly promote Egyptian tourism, especially cultural tourism, in the Chinese market, which is a key target market.

The exhibition features 787 carefully selected artifacts from various prestigious Egyptian museums. These pieces highlight the grandeur of ancient Egyptian civilization from the Naqada period and the early dynastic periods to the New Kingdom. The exhibition explores themes such as royalty, daily life, adornment, writing, religious beliefs, and the afterlife, showcasing statues of notable kings including Ramses II, Akhenaten, Tutankhamun, Amenemhat III, and Merneptah, as well as Egyptian deities like Osiris, Isis, Bastet, Hathor, Apis, and Thoth. Additionally, it includes a collection of gold and gemstone-inlaid bracelets, vessels, royal crowns, and cartouches, along with artifacts representing the ancient Egyptian concept of the afterlife, such as colorful wooden coffins and canopic jars.

To enrich the exhibition, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has also included artifacts discovered by the Egyptian mission in the Saqqara archaeological area, the oldest and largest necropolis in Egypt. These include colored coffins, mummified animal remains, faience shabti figurines, and a collection of statues from the Old Kingdom, made of painted limestone.

The exhibition is organized into three main halls: "Land of the Pharaohs," "Secrets of Saqqara," and "The Era of Tutankhamun." It will remain open until August 2025.