SCA, SPK Ink MoU to Rediscover Manuscripts, Papyri in Egyptian Museums

Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), and Dr. Friederike Seyfried, Director of the Egyptian Museum in Berlin, inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the council and the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation in Berlin (SPK) to rediscover ancient manuscripts and papyri in Egyptian archaeological museums.

In his address at the signing ceremony, Dr. Khaled emphasized the MoU will help preserve ancient Egyptian papyri and manuscripts housed or displayed in all museums affiliated with the Council. These materials are at risk, and the scientific publication of them will aid in rediscovering the secrets of ancient Egyptian history and contribute to scientific research in Egyptology.

The MoU includes tasks such as recording, documenting, archiving, classifying, and digitally photographing papyri and manuscripts. It also involves organizing training courses and workshops in Egypt and Germany for restorers and museum curators working with the Supreme Council of Antiquities in the preservation and study of papyrus.

These courses will focus on modern methods of museum display of papyri, detecting folded papyri, reading difficult-to-unfold scrolls, and using CT scans to understand their content, in collaboration with the Egyptian Academy for Scientific Research and Technology.

Additionally, the memorandum aims to restore 400 artifacts from museum collections and 100 other pieces from various museum stores affiliated with the Council and transfer them for display in museums.

Upon the completion of the project, internal exhibitions and joint international scientific conferences will be held for the restored and preserved papyri.

Dr. Seyfried expressed her gratitude to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, represented by the SCA, for the significant support provided to the German side in archaeological work, including projects and scientific missions in various archaeological sites.

She expressed hope that the future will bring more fruitful and constructive cooperation in other areas of archaeological work.