Egyptian Museum with amazing artifacts found by Polish archaeological mission

Today we celebrate 113 anniversary of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Ministry of Antiquities prepared special programme for tourists. The nicest part was free entrance the this astonishing museum! According to Associated Press cable published in Yahoo, the tourist where outnumbered by officials, but still it was really nice treat crafted especially for visitors.

When we think of amazing artifacts stored in Egyptian Museum we usually think about Tutankhamun tombs golden outfit, monumental statues and so on. Here I would like to draw your attention to two glass-casses just at the beginning of the exhibition at the ground floor, close to the Narmer Palette:

It depicts unification of Upper and Lower Egypt - simply speaking it's symbolical representation of origins of Egyptian civilization as we know it - ruled by pharaohs. And it dates back to this time - it's slightly older than 5000 years.

What's in those glass-casses? Amazing things found by Polish archaeological mission at Tell el-Farkha in the Nile Delta. In 2006 in one of the rooms excavated on the western kom (hill) scientists found a pot covered with a bowl. It was full of miniature figurines made of hippopotamus tusk. Objects are 500 years older than pyramids in Giza plateau! "Some of the figurines are unique pieces of art, that were not known before from such an early period of Egyptian history" - one can read in the catalog of the exhibition "Ivory and gold. Beginnings of the Egyptian Art" (It was photo exhibition shown in Poland - it's really difficult to borrow artifacts from Egypt nowadays. Upload free ebook and admire described artifacts). But thats not enough. In the opposite part of Tell el-Farkha archaeologists found numerous golden plate fragments together with very large (50 cm long!) carefully crafted flint knives. For archaeologists it was a sign that their purpose was ritual. Painstaking process of conservation took many months. It resulted in reconstructing dozens of small golden foil parts into two separate golden statues representing standing men. Originally cores was prepares in perishable material - probably wood. Thats how Polish connservators prepared them for permanent exhibition at the Egyptian Museum. According to scientists they represent one of the first Egyptian rulers together with his son.

So if you happen to step in to the Egyptian Museum - do not necessarily run straight to the royal mummies room or to Tut. Have a look on jewels found by the Polish mission. And enjoy them! :) If you want to learn more on the Polish excavations at Tell el-Farkha check this publication.

Polish contribution to Tutankhamun tomb research?

Exactly 94 years ago workers at the Valley of the Kings encountered first steps leading to famous Tutankhamun's tomb. Finally! That was the last season to be financed by millionaire lord Carnarvon.

 

All of us heard about amazing stuff found inside really modest in size tomb for ancient Egyptian standards. Who knows, maybe it's bigger then we thought? In couple of weeks radar will penetrate its walls in search of Nefertiti - Pharaoh Akhenaten wife burial chamber.

But have anybody heard that Polish artist was engaged in documenting decoration from Tut's tomb? His name was Aleksander Laszenko (1883-1944). For the first time he visited Egypt as a child. As we know - "Once you drink from the Nile you will always come back again." So he keept coming back, he even went for adventurous trip up to Sudan. Happily he was in Luxor during the official tomb opening. According to his account Howard Carter allowed him to draw some sketches in the tomb. If that was true - he would have been the only Pole to visit tomb at this time. Dr. Hieronim Kaczmarek in his book "Poles in Egypt after until 1914" (Polish edition) doubt Laszenko's account because in August his son was born and in December he presented his new painting in Warsaw - Laszenko's visits to Africa usually lasted at least 6 months. 

I am not going to judge here. But in our world we have presumption of innocence rule. So why we should doubt his report? For sure he was great orientalism painter representative not a researcher in our present understanding.