Cairo – Egyptian Museum
Admission to Amarna art is room no 8. The eye-catcher is the famous coffin from the KV55 tomb in the Valley of the Kings: after long research and many doubts were established, that he might belong to the heretic pharaoh Akhenaten. The colossi of Echanton from the Temple of Aten of Karnak tower above all the exhibits (ok. 1350-1333 p.n.e.). You can also see paintings on plaster mortar from the palace in Akhetaton (Tell el-Amarna), depicting papyrus thickets and ducks, statues of Echanton and the unfinished head of Nefertiti in dark quartzite.
Amarna art reflected the reconstruction of relations in Egypt, related to the change of state religion, which was made by Amenhotep IV Akhenaten. The art of this period is characterized by a specific realism, and even naturalism. A new subject matter and a new style distinguish the art of those times from the works of Egyptian history. The Colossus of Echanton from the Temple of Karnak depicts a thin man with a marked tendency to gain weight, wide, almost female hips, about not nice, oblong face and thick lips.
In room no 13 the famous Merenptah Victory Stele stands in front of the atrium (ok. 1212-1202 p.n.e.), describing the king's triumph over the Sea Peoples, where the word "Israel" appears for the first time in the history of Egypt: not yet as a country, but a tribe. Colossal statues of Amenhotep III and Teje from Western Thebes stand in the atrium (ok. 1387— 1350 p.n.e.), sarcophagus Hatszepsut, naos of Ramesses II and Merenptah's sarcophagus, reused by Psusennes.
There are also some relics from other eras: wooden boats of Senuseret III (XII dynastia) from the vicinity of the pyramid in Dahsura and the pyramidion (the end of the pyramids) made of black granite from Saqqara.
The art of the nineteenth and subsequent dynasties is collected in the next rooms. In room no 9 there are several statues of Ramses II. In room no 10 a polychrome bust of Merenptah dominates (granite), painted limestone depicting Ramses defeating his enemies (ok. 1279-1212 p.n.e.). Among these sculptures, a small statue of Tutankhamun of Western Thebes is almost lost.
In room no 15 attention is drawn to the polychrome statue of Queen Meritamon holding a menat necklace in her hand. Here you can also see the statue of Ramses III standing (ok. 1184-1153 p.n.e.) as well as figures of Nakhonkin and his wife (2nd half of the 14th century. p.n.e.).
In the eastern wing there are relics from the Late Period, and then Greco-Roman. Traditionally, the end of the New Kingdom is considered the end of the 20th Dynasty: the fall of Egypt's power, split into many principalities fighting for hegemony. Among the many works, a small statue of Osorkon III from the Temple of Amun in Karnak stands out (ok. 788-760 p.n.e.), cubic statue of Jahmes (basalt; ok. 664-525 p.n.e.), head of the statue of Shabaka (713-698 p.n.e.; pink granite) or the statue of Amenirdis, Pharaoh Shabaka's sisters, from the Theban temple (713—
698 p.n.e.). Next are examples of Egyptian art of the Sait period (26 dynasty), when consciously alluding to the former power of Egypt, At first glance, it is hard to distinguish the works from the monuments of the Old Kingdom.
First floor
There are many themed exhibitions on the first floor, of which the most frequented is the collection of Tutankhamun's antiquities and rooms with mummies.
The most interesting collection is with relics from the tomb of Tutankhamun, occupying rooms no 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 i 43. Usually, the tour starts from room no 10 i 9, with funeral beds with a golden chest, where the canopic urns were hidden, containing the entrails of the pharaoh. In room no 8 there are four funerary chapels covered with gold plate, guarding the king's sarcophagus. There are also personal belongings of the pharaoh: range, canes, trumpet etc.. The collection of gloves makes an amazing impression, including a child's glove, which someone had kept until the ruler's death. Room no 13 is an exhibition of the king's chariots, bows and arrows. In room no 20 boat models are standing, and next to it the pretty head of Tutankhamun-boy catches the eye, emerging from the lotus flower. In room no 35 are: senet tables, a gold-plated chapel for a statue and the famous thrones of the young ruler, including the one with the scene in the garden and the image of Aten and the names in the Amarna version (hence the dating to the beginning of the reign of Tutankhamun).
A curiosity is the numerous shabti – figurines, which accompanied the ruler on his way to the other world. In room no 45 it is worth seeing two statues of the pharaoh made of gilded wood covered with black resin, two gilded statues of the king in a white and red crown and a ceremonial shield.
The most magnificent monuments are in the treasury (room no 3). Tutankhamun's famous golden mummy mask reigns in the center, and jewels are displayed around the walls and in the display cases, daggers (one with an iron blade), necklaces and pectorals of gold, electron, lapis-lazuli, carnelian, feldspar and glass paste, golden badges, bracelets, ceremonial vest (more jewel than armor), scepter and whip. There are two coffins to the left of the entrance. Next to it you can see the golden sandals of the king, funeral gift.
To watch the royal mummies, you need to buy a separate ticket before entering, entitling to enter two rooms (on opposite sides of the building: room no 52 in room no 56; 100 EGP).
In room no 56 there are mummies of the most important rulers of Egypt: Sekenenre III. Ahmose I, Amenhotepa I, Thotmesa II, Thotmesa III, Amenhotepa III, Thotmesa IV, Seti I., Ramesses II, Merenptaha, Ramesses III and other Ramses In room no 4 the finest Egyptian jewelry has been collected. There are, among others. simple bracelets and gold vessels of Queen I Hetepheres, the head of the falcon of Hierakonpolis (VI dynasty). The most beautiful jewels come from the times of the Middle Kingdom - they were found in Dahshura and at the pyramid in al-Lahun. They're necklaces, diademy, bracelets, ureuses and pectorals made with such precision and delicacy, that they cause delight. Finds from the tomb of Queen Jahhotep (early XVIII Dynasty) they bring us into the era of the New State. The famous necklace with fly-shaped pendants comes from this period, a scarab necklace or King Jahmes' ceremonial ax (ok. 1550-1525 p.n.e.). There are gold bracelets of Ramesses II with two duck motifs in the display cases (lapis-lazuli) and gold items from Bubastis from the time of Ramesses II. Among the Ptolemaic and Roman treasures, a gold bracelet from the vicinity of Bubastis should be distinguished, agate bracelets from the time of Hadrian, the so-called. treasure from Dush (oaza Charga): tiara with the image of Serapis (II w.), and a necklace of gold badges (II/III w.).