Ushabti was chosen as February Artifact in Malawi museum

CAIRO – 12 February 2019: Malawi National Museum announced that an Ushabti statue was chosen to be "February Artifact".

The statue was chosen based on public vote on the museum’s official Facebook page.

The museum was founded in June 1962 in Malawi village, Minya governorate of Upper Egypt during the era of the late Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser.

The museum contains an important collection of Ancient Egyptian artifacts.

It houses several pieces from nearby sites like Tuna al-Gebel and Hermopolis.

The objects displayed in the museum include animal mummies and statues.

In August 2013, following the dispersal of the Rabaa and Nahda sit-ins, pro-Muslim Brotherhood protesters stormed the Malawi Museum, leaving it almost completely looted. But, after three years of renovation, the Malawi National Museum stands in even better shape than before.

A total of 1,090 artifacts were stolen, and about 48 other pieces were destroyed, as they were too heavy for vandals to carry.


The winning Ushabti statue - Egypt Today

The stolen objects include coins, jewels and statues dating from the beginning of Pharaonic history to Islam’s conquest. Over three years, the museum was restored with a cost of LE 11 million ($620,070) to re-open again in September 22, 2016.

Now, the museum contains more than 1,000 objects, 503 of which are new pieces that were added after renovations.

Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anany inaugurated the museum along with Essam al-Bedawy Minya’s governor, in addition to a number of foreign ambassadors and heads of foreign archaeological institutes.

Anany declared during the opening ceremony that the Malawi Museum restoration and re-opening is a step towards winning the battle against terrorism, in addition to highlighting how Egypt is continuously exerting efforts to preserve archaeological heritage.