National Museum of Egyptian Civilization receives huge statue of King Merneptah, Hathor

CAIRO – 24 November 2020: The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization

received a double statue of King Merneptah, the son of King Ramses II and the fourth king of the Nineteenth Dynasty, and the goddess Hathor, coming from the Mit Rahina area, for display within the museum’s display scenario of the Central Hall, as part of the efforts made by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to prepare for the imminent opening of the two central exhibition halls and mummies hall in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat.

This statue is one of the largest statues of King Merneptah that were ever found, with a height of about 2.60 meters, a width of one meter, a depth of 0.75 meters, and a weight of more than four tons.

The statue is carved from the pink granite stone that was cut from the Aswan quarries. King Merneptah is depicted holding the hand of the deity Hathor, who is standing to his left, wearing the double crown.

The statue is decorated with hieroglyphic inscriptions on all four sides of the titles of the king and the deity Hathor.

Ahmed Ghoneim, head of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, explained that the mummy of King Merneptah will be received with the royal mummies, which will be transported in a majestic procession and a large popular and international celebration from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat to be displayed in the Royal Mummies Hall, stressing that the museum, when all its details are complete, will be a highly interesting destination for all visitors, whether locally or internationally, which in turn increases the importance of the museum and its tourism and economic return, and will contribute to making the place more lively and attractive.

It is worth noting that the city of Memphis and its Saqqara cemetery retained great administrative, religious and funerary importance and prestige throughout the ancient Pharaonic, Greek and Roman eras.

King Merneptah had a special interest in this city. Huge remains of massive columns from his palace was found there. His name means “beloved Ptah”.

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization is one of the most important national projects adopted by the state, as it is one of the largest international museums, as well as the only museum of its kind in Egypt, the Arab world, the Middle East and Africa, as it includes all the manifestations of the richness and diversity enjoyed by the Egyptian civilization during various eras starting from pre-eras  to the present time.