Grand Egyptian Museum receives 269 huge artifacts from Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, Saqqara & Ismailia

CAIRO – 20 December 2021: The Grand Egyptian Museum received from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir and the two antiquities areas of Saqqara and Ismailia, 23 huge artifacts.

The artifacts are set to be prepared to be showcased in the main exhibition halls, according to a statement by Atef Moftah, the general supervisor of the Grand Egyptian Museum and the surrounding area.

Part of the transferred antiquities - Min. of Tourism & Antiquities

Part of the transferred antiquities - Min. of Tourism & Antiquities

For his part, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Archaeological Affairs at the Grand Egyptian Museum Al-Tayeb Abbas explained that among the most important pieces of the transferred artifacts is a huge granite statue of Queen Hatshepsut in a kneeling position, offering disinfection utensils.

Part of the transferred antiquities - Min. of Tourism & Antiquities

The artifacts also include a large limestone panel inscribed with the royal titles of King Sneferu, another distinctive panel of King Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti, three large-sized panels with large inscriptions from the tomb of Rahotep from the Old Kingdom, and two pink granite panels of a door with an inscription depicting King Ramses II in the Osiris position.

Part of the transferred antiquities - Min. of Tourism & Antiquities

Executive Director of the Restoration and Transfer of Antiquities Department at the Grand Egyptian Museum Issa Zidan indicated that the work team from the museum and the Supreme Council of Antiquities documented and conducted an initial restoration before storing the artifacts in the Saqqara Antiquities Store.

Part of the transferred antiquities - Min. of Tourism & Antiquities

Part of the transferred antiquities - Min. of Tourism & Antiquities

Zidan explained the transfer process included a huge limestone wall with texts from the pyramids of Queen Ankhesenpepi II from the Old Kingdom. The limestone wall was divided into 269 pieces and the team will soon restore and assemble these pieces inside the main hall.

Zidan added that a set of colorful fake doors and offering tables were also received, in addition to the statue of King Amenemhat I from the Ismailia Museum.

Moreover, Zidan noted that the heavy objects are now being restored and maintained at the Museum's Antiquities Restoration Center in preparation for their transfer to the main exhibition halls.