Egypt’s GEM receives more artifacts from Egyptian Museum

CAIRO - 20 September 2020: Director General of the Archaeological Affairs at GEM Al-Tayeb Abbas stated that theartifacts transferred to the Grand Egyptian Museum include a collection of 54 pieces from the treasures of King Tutankhamun.

The transferred treasures of Tutankhamun include a set of gold jewelry and necklaces, as well as a gilded wooden statue depicting the golden king with a stick in one hand and a flail in the other, standing on the back of a leopard, and wearing the white crown of Upper Egypt, with the sacred uraeus on his forehead and a wide beaded necklace covering his chest and shoulders.

A number of valuable artifacts dating back to the Old and New Kingdoms were transferred as well such as a double statue of the writer of Atun Temple in Tal El-Amarna, Mery-Re, who later changed his name to Mery-Atun.

The double statue which was discovered years ago at Saqqara Necropolis is distinguished by its unique features, clothes and excellent details of wigs, and pleated clothes.

Abbas added that the GEM received also pottery vessels, silver coins and a group of metal statues from Tel El-Yahoudeya. 

General Supervisor of the GEM project and the surrounding area Atef Moftah said that two red granite columns of King Ramses II, each weighing 13 tons and measuring 6 meters high, werealso transferred from the Egyptian Museum to the Grand Egyptian Museum to be displayed at the Grand Staircase.

Moftah confirmed that the artifacts were transferred amid tight security measures by the Tourism and Antiquities Police, pointing out that GEM has received a total of 54,000 objects, so far.

On his part, Eissa Zidan, Director-General of the Executive Affairs for the Restoration and Transportation of Antiquities at the GEM, affirmed the museum will open in 2021. He added that 47 wooden pieces were transferred from Khufu’s second solar boat at the Pyramid, bringing the total number of wooden pieces transferred to the GEM from the boat to 1,053.

The Grand Egyptian Museum will be the largest museum in the world dedicated to ancient Egyptian culture.

This is one of a kind museum is tailor made to preserve and exhibits Egypt precious national heritage with state-of-the-art conservation laboratories, along with educational facilities, temporary exhibition halls, a children’s museum, a conference centre, restaurants, cafes, shops and large gardens for everyone to enjoy.

GEM will house over 5000 artifacts of Egypt’s most famous king Tutankhamun, from his royal tomb, many never seen in public before. The Main Galleries show material from the Prehistoric to the Roman periods, while our entrance areas focus on Kingship and Power.

All GEM exhibitions will be contextualised for the visitor, with stories, texts, digital interactives and media displays.

The cherry on top that Grand Egyptian Museum will contain the first ever hanging obelisk on show at the entrance of the museum.

GEM’s Executive Affairs for Restoration and Transportation of Antiquities Eissa Zidan said that the restoration and construction of the world's first hanging obelisk will be completed soon and placed in front of the main facade of the museum, the bottom of the obelisk will contain the cartridges of King Ramses II.

Zidan added that the aim of the obelisk design made by General Supervisor of the Grand Museum Atef Moftah, is to make GEM’s visitor able see the cartridge from below.

The design allows the visitor to enter the obelisk base to see the archaeological base below it and by looking at the top of the obelisk, cartridges of King Ramesses II can be seen.

Zidan further explained that the design of the obelisk is unique in the world, where the obelisk will be hung on four columns, taking into account the loads and vibrations on the body of the obelisk. The hanging obelisk will be the first artefact to receive the visitor outside the lobby of the museum.

GEM’s Executive Affairs for Restoration and Transportation of Antiquities confirmed the completion of the obelisk restoration work, including mechanical and chemical cleaning, and strengthening of cracks in it, pointing out that the reassembling the obelisk is currently being completed.

He added that the word (Egypt) will be engraved in all languages of the world on the the columns and on the sides of the base bearing the obelisk, so that this design becomes a mix between the Egyptian genius in the past, present and future.

The inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum is one of the main events that Egypt and the whole world is waiting for in 2020.

More than 49,603 artifacts were moved to the Grand Egyptian Museum so far.

One of the most important transferred artifacts were the statues of King Ramses II, Sekhmet and Seti, in addition to a huge pink-granite portray of Ramses VI, and another distinguished set of statues that express the mastery of ancient Egyptian art.

Also a statue of King Khafra made of alabaster and a statue of the priest Kay made of colored limestone, depicting the priest sitting on a seat with a half backrest, beside his left foot is a small statue of his wife and a sarcophagus of king Senusert I was transferred to GEM.

On October 19 ministry of antiquities announced the discovery of the largest cache in the cemetery of El-Assasif by the Egyptian archaeological mission. A total of 30 coffins spanning back to the 22nd Pharaonic Dynasty were discovered and placed in a warehouse to protect them from thievery.

The 30 archaeological coffins have been transferred to the Grand Egyptian Museum.

The cache was buried one meter from the surface of the ground. The first row consisted of 18 coffins and the second consisted of 12 coffins for men, women, and 3 children.

For the first time GEM will display Tutankhmaum treasures in one place. The total number of antiquities belonging to King Tutankhamen is 5398. Among king Tut’s artefacts that was transferred is his coffin.

The transferred coffin is one of the three coffins of Tutankhmaum, portraying the golden king as God Osiris. The coffin was discovered in King Tut’s burial chamber in 1922. The outer ark is made of gilded wood.

The hands are clipped with gold foil, crossed across the chest, while holding royal decals inlaid with blue and red glass beads. It is 223.5 cm in length, 86.8 cm in diameter, while its height is 105.5 cm. The ark contains silver handles on both sides that were used to move the lid.

Minister of Antiquities announced that 50000 artifacts will be displayed in the Grand Egyptian Museum.