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On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt

Date:2024-07-19 - 2025-08-17
Location:Shanghai Museum on People's Square, Exhibition Gallery (1st Floor)
Directing:National Cultural Heritage Administration of the People's Republic of China, Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Organizer:Shanghai Museum, The Supreme Council of Antiquities of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Special Support:Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, Shanghai Media Group

Overview

The majestic Nile River meanders through thousands of miles of desert before flowing into the Mediterranean Sea. It nurtures the vast fertile black land where ancient Egypt flourished, becoming the epicenter of Mediterranean civilization and one of the earliest cradles of human civilization. Always awe-inspiring and mysterious, ancient Egypt is where remarkable achievements in civilization were realized: here, the earliest forms of writing, city, and state emerged, and an advanced belief system about the afterlife was established. Indeed, a complex process of integration took place here between Greek civilization and ancient Eastern civilizations, leading to the preservation and promotion of diverse cultures towards their future iterations.

Both Egypt and China boast rich histories. Egypt was not only the first Arab country but also the first African country with which China established diplomatic relations. Since then, Egypt has remained a steadfast brotherly ally and friend to China. In 2024, a year that coincides with the tenth anniversary of establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Egypt and is officially designated as the China-Egypt Partnership Year, we are delighted to collaborate with Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities to present a fourth major exhibition at the Shanghai Museum in our "Dialogue with the World" series. This exhibition showcases from multiple angles ancient Egyptian civilization and its latest archaeological discoveries. It is not only the first collaboration of a Chinese state-run museum with the Egyptian government but also the largest exhibition ever held outside Egypt and the highest-level exhibition ever held in Asia displaying Egyptian artifacts, signifying a golden age when the longstanding friendship between China and Egypt enters a phase of leapfrog development.

The exhibition unfolds through one historical narrative, "The Land of the Pharaohs", along with two themes: "The Secrets of Saqqara" and "The Age of Tutankhamun". This grand exhibition on ancient Egypt, independently planned by the Shanghai Museum, is not just a milestone in the history of Egypt-themed exhibitions but also a watershed moment for Egyptology. Unique interpretations by Chinese scholars will inject more diverse perspectives into our understanding of ancient Egyptian culture and history. Hosting this event will initiate wonderful contacts and exchanges between the two great civilizations, marking the beginning of broader and more extensive humanistic cooperation between the two countries.

Let's embark on this transcendent journey through time and space together, from the Nile to the Yangtze and then to the Huangpu River. Let's savor this world-class feast celebrating splendid civilizations together. Let's listen to the joys and sorrows experienced by both great nations while engaging in a profound dialogue connecting the two great river valley civilizations and linking the present with the past.

I. THE LAND OF THE PHARAOHS

This part starts with creation myths, focusing on the symbols of ancient Egyptian civilization: temples and pyramids, to explore the essence of the civilization and to trace the trajectory of its growth. With the establishment of order and the rise of royal power, the historical narrative of the pharaohs' era unfolds, laying the foundation for the ensuing millennia. Ultimately, the civilization merged into the broader Mediterranean world, eternally preserved through its integration with other civilizations. This journey through three thousand years showcases ancient Egypt's cosmology, sacred monarchy, nobility, artisan skills, literati lifestyle, religious beliefs, and burial customs, encompassing every facet from social systems and daily life to the spiritual realm, lifting the veil on many mysteries. Also displayed here are some Chinese artifacts, as we aim to spark a dual dialogue between ancient civilizations and between ancient and modern.

II. THE SECRETS OF SAQQARA

Saqqara is the most significant necropolis of Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt during the Early Dynastic and the Old Kingdom periods.

Stretching approximately 6 kilometers long and 1.5 kilometers wide, Saqqara is renowned for housing Egypt's first pyramid, the Step Pyramid of King Djoser, along with 15 other pyramids from the 3rd Dynasty to the 13th Dynasty. The site also contains numerous tombs of nobles and animal mummies from various periods. As a sacred place for ancient Egyptians to forge their cultural memory, the necropolis retains traces of religious practices, rituals, and celebrations from various eras.

Since 2018, Egyptian archaeological teams have made remarkable discoveries in Saqqara, including Egypt's largest animal mummy cemetery, the most intact mummification workshop, the only remaining temple dedicated to Bastet, and thousands of intact painted wooden coffins in dozens of underground burial chambers. For the first time, mummies of snakes, dung beetles, and lion cubs have been uncovered. These discoveries have brought Saqqara into the global spotlight, culminating in its recognition as one of the top ten archaeological discoveries in the world in 2020.

III. THE AGE OF TUTANKHAMUN

On the night of November 26, 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings in Thebes. The clearance work took more than ten years. Nearly 5,000 precious artifacts were unearthed from the mausoleum, which were so luxurious and spectacular as to shock the whole world. Tutankhamun's golden mask became the most familiar Egyptian face to the public, giving rise to Egyptomania in the West and a sustained interest from popular culture in the "wonderful" things and figures of ancient Egypt.

Over the past hundred years, archaeologists, linguists, and historians have more comprehensively reconstructed the life scenes of the era of Tutankhamun. Today, we are more concerned about what was happening in the 18th Dynasty during his reign. Why did monotheism appear in Egypt at this time? What forces enabled a young pharaoh to orchestrate a national return to tradition?

"The Age of Tutankhamun", based on the precious collections of the Egyptian Museum, starts from the background of the Mediterranean region's entry into the imperial era around 1500 BCE, details the earth-shattering changes of the Amarna period, recounts the causes and consequences of Akhenaten's religious reforms, and interprets the legendary life of Tutankhamun.

Highlights
Standing statue of King Merneptah
Large pot decorated with boats, animals and birds
Figure of resurrecting Osiris
Plaque with two serpents and a griffin
Funerary stela of Semerkhet
Wesekh collar and Menkhet
Squatting statue of Thoth in his baboon form
Stela of gifts to King Thutmose III
Block statue of Pakharkhonsu, son of Padias
Funerary papyrus of a priest of Amun
Mummy portrait of a girl
Wooden box and 186 shabtis
Statue of a hippopotamus
Senet gameboard and 13 gaming pieces of the scribe Kha
Figure of a calf
Standing figure of cat-headed Bastet holding cult equipment
Cat mummy and its wodden coffin
Painted wooden coffin in anthropoid shape
Head from a statue of Nefertiti
Balustrade depicting Akhenaten and his Family with the Aten
Colossal Osiris statue of Amenhotep IV in the nemes headdress and the double crown
Colossal statue of Tutankhamun, usurped by Ay and Horemheb
Seated statue of Ramesses II between Isis and Hathor
Gold diadem with cartouches of Seti II and Tawosre
Wooden chest decorated with gold, ivory and faience, with cartouches of Amenhotep III and Tiye
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