INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF MUSEUMS

CONSEIL INTERNATIONAL DES MUSEES e-News | 2015 | 03

Editorial — Gabriele Pieke

everal members of CIPEG organisers of the Congress, who have S recently met in Turin, , to kindly agreed to include such a session participate in the grand reopening in the official conference programme. of the Museo Egizio. This wonderful and unique collection is finally Further planning is related to the ICOM visible again and we congratulate General Conference 2016 in , Italy. our colleagues at the museum on Linked with this, CIPEG will meet next their efforts. The opportunity was year at the Museo Civicio Archeologico taken to hold a meeting of the CIPEG in Bologna for a workshop on “Museums board, the most important item on as Egyptological Landscapes”. There Crush of people at the opening of the the agenda being the organisation of are thus a number of forthcoming Museo Egizio di Torino . © Fondazione future conferences. In addition to the occasions for members and friends of Museo Della Antichita’ Egizie di Torino. official annual meeting in Munich in CIEPG to gather. September, an informal meeting of projects, exhibitions, conferences or colleagues involved in museum work We further invite colleagues to publications. n is planned as part of the International contribute in the next issues of the Congress of Egyptologists in August in CIPEG e-News and look forward to > cipeg.icom.museum Florence. Thanks are already due to the receiving your articles on museums, > Facebook

CIPEG Annual Conference in Munich, 1-4 September 2015 From historism to the multimedia age Content - Concept - Design of Egyptian Museums and Collections he annual CIPEG Meeting 2015 The CIPEG Conference 2015 is to be a paper, please also write to the T will be hosted by the new not only a forum for the discussion of conference office. Please see the call for Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer recent developments and projects for papers for further information. n Kunst München, which was the future, but also for the presentation inaugurated in June 2013. of historical changes in Egyptian > Conference office museums; attention is also to be given to > Call for papers The world of museums is characterized current trends in the field of temporary © Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer by new buildings and extensions; exhibitions. A special workshop will Kunst München Egyptian collections have undergone review the interaction of object, design many changes during the last few and architecture, including practical decades, Berlin, Brooklyn, Copenhagen, aspects such as labelling, lighting Florence, Leiden, London, Naples, and the application of digital media. Turin being just a few of the largest A museological tour through various ones. Often established in existing newly-built or refurbished museums in historic buildings and integrated into the Munich area will embed the theme multidisciplinary institutions, Egyptian into a broader scope. collections and displays take many different forms and also fulfil a range of The deadline for submitting abstracts is functions in their locality’s cultural and 15 June 2015. If you wish to attend the educational scene. annual meeting without presenting INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF MUSEUMS e-News | 2015 | 03 CONSEIL INTERNATIONAL DES MUSEES

“Taharqa – The Black Pharaoh” Exhibition at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, 9 April - 28 June 2015 — Tine Bagh

he exhibition begins with an T introduction to the relationship between Egypt and Nubia, illustrated by two Nubian heads in the far corner of the Glyptotek’s large Egyptian Hall. Through donations from the Ny Carlsberg Foundation, the museum acquired finds from the excavations of John Garstang in Meroë during 1910– 12 and of F. Ll. Griffith in Kawa during 1930–31. The Kawa finds come mainly from the Napatan Period, while the Meroë finds are from the Meroitic and Post-Meroitic Periods, so that a Nubian From the large Egyptian Hall, the three small finds from Kawa from the exhibition based on these two groups exhibition continues into four smaller National Museum of Denmark. The of objects naturally concentrates on the rooms, the first two introducing later reclining man is accompanied by Post- late Nubian history. The 25th Dynasty, Nubian chronology and focussing on Meroitic tomb finds of pottery, thumb exemplified by the most prominent Taharqa and his Temple T. In the first rings and faience necklaces. pharaoh, Taharqa, is chosen as the (round) room, a palm column in the focal point through the title ‘Taharqa middle is flanked by a headless statue Some of the sculptures were previously – The Black Pharaoh’. A loan from the of Taharqa and a baboon with raised displayed in the large Egyptian Hall British Museum of the Taharqa sphinx, arms. Walking into the next room, one among the Egyptian sculptures, but it from Temple T in Kawa like most of the meets the Taharqa sphinx eye to eye, is the first time that the Nubian finds Glyptotek’s Kawa finds, is the ‘face’ of the piece being accompanied by four in the Glyptotek have been presented the show: a fine Egyptian sphinx with large stelae. All four were damaged together in the context of the history an African face. in transport from Sudan in 1931, with of Nubia. A publication has been the two larger and more broken stelae produced to accompany the exhibition now restored for the current exhibition. – T. Bagh, Finds from the Excavations of The two other rooms encompass later, J. Garstang in Meroe and F.Ll. Griffith in Meroitic, history and themes such as Kawa in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. n religion, Egypto-Nubian iconography and burial customs. The scene is set > www.glyptoteket.dk/ in all four rooms by large photos of landscapes and sites taken in Sudan in November 2014 by the photographer Janne Klerk.

The last two rooms are dominated by a large sandstone statue of the Nubian Taharqa god Sebiumeker, and a reclining Den Sorte man from the so-called Royal Bath in Farao Meroë. Sebiumeker is accompanied 10.4 - 28.6 by Egyptian gods: a relief of Bes and figurines of Amun, Osiris, Harpocrates, a falcon headed god and others. The latter are in a showcase together with

Tirsdag-søndag 11-18, torsdag 11-22 Egyptian amulets and symbols, plus Glyptoteket Gratis adgang hver tirsdag INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF MUSEUMS e-News | 2015 | 03 CONSEIL INTERNATIONAL DES MUSEES

A Cosmopolitan City: Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Old Cairo A temporary exhibit at the Oriental Institute Museum, University of Chicago — Emily Teeter

n February 17, 2015, the Oriental Vorderstrasse. She noted spectacular people who lived there. These I Institute Museum opened one of manuscripts, including part of the recordings include people describing the first exhibits to focus on Fustat, archive of Qurra ibn Sharik, the governor their city and everyday experiences, a city founded in AD 614 that was of Fustat in the early 8th century, which music, selections from the writings later absorbed into Cairo. The overall although published in the 1930s, had of the 12th century poet Moses ben theme of the show is to demonstrate largely been forgotten, and Hebrew Abraham Dari, and the daily routine through manuscripts, ceramics, and and Judeo-Arabic manuscripts that of the famed 12th century physician objects of daily life how Christians, originated in Cairo’s Ben Ezra Genizah. Moses Maimonides. The audio can also Jews, and Muslims lived together to Many of the 75 objects in the exhibit be accessed on the museums’ YouTube create a vibrant multi-cultural society. were excavated at Fustat by George channel. The exhibit is co-curated by Tasha Scanlon for the American Research Vorderstrasse and Tanya Treptow. Center in Egypt in the mid-1960s. They The exhibit design evokes architecture were later given to the Oriental Institute of Cairo, with a pavilion in which An exhibit on early Islamic Egypt by the Akron Art Museum. Few of the documents from the communities are organized by and presented at the objects have ever been exhibited. The exhibited, and walls decorated in faux Oriental Institute may be a surprise to artifacts from the permanent collection ablaq (striped masonry) with grilled those who know the Chicago museum are joined by loans from the Walters Art windows. primarily for its comprehensive Museum (Baltimore) including an 11th collection of artifacts from the ancient century wood door of the Ark from the A fully illustrated catalog with essays Middle East, Egypt, and Nubia. In Ben Ezra Synagogue. by scholars throughout the world is fact, the Institute has an important available in hard copy, and also for collection of Islamic objects, including The show is divided into sections a free pdf download through the the oldest known written fragment of addressing the different communities; Institute’s special exhibit website. The Thousand and One Nights dating the administration; industry and trade; dress Through September 13, 2015. n to the 9th century. and adornment; entertainment; food and hospitality. Audio features in the > http://oi.uchicago.edu The exhibit was the result of a survey exhibit allow the visitor to hear voices of the museum’s Islamic holdings of Old Cairo through modern readings conducted by exhibit co-curator Tasha of the thoughts and memories of the

Fustat exhibit. Left to right, cases on dining and hospitality; dress and adornment, and the home. The ipad allows the visitor to View of the exhibit A Cosmopolitan City: Muslims, Christians, “Hear Voices of Old Cairo,” including contemporary descriptions and Jews in Old Cairo. The pavilion evokes architecture of the of the city, and a letter from a concerned mother to her son. medieval city. Photo: The Oriental Institute, Anna Ressmann. Photo: The Oriental Institute, Anna Ressmann. INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF MUSEUMS e-News | 2015 | 03 CONSEIL INTERNATIONAL DES MUSEES

The Harvard Semitic Museum — Peter Der Manuelian

Semitic Museum reated in 1889, the Harvard special lectures are now recorded from the Giza tomb of Queen Hetepheres C Semitic Museum (HSM) embodies and posted on the Museum’s lecture (wife of Snefru, mother of Khufu; Dynasty the vision of its founder and first page, and we hope eventually to 4). Visitors are welcome! n director, Professor David Gordon Lyon post our entire catalogue of scholarly (1852–1935), to display, teach, research, publications online. The first volume > Harvard Semitic Museum and publish about ancient Near Eastern of a new monograph series, Harvard > Lecture videos history, languages, and civilizations Egyptological Studies (HES) will also be > Harvard Semitic Museum advert (fig. 1-Museum exterior). (The term appearing soon. “Semitic” refers in this case to the related languages and culture groups Upcoming changes will involve updates of the Ancient Near East: Egyptians, to the galleries on all three floors, along Israelites, Phoenicians, Arameans, with a planned permanent Egyptian Babylonians, Arabs, and many others.) gallery on the second floor. We hope A new exhibition currently highlights to highlight aspects of the forty-year some of Lyon’s diverse acquisitions, Harvard University–Boston Museum his diaries and photography, and his of Fine Arts Expedition, directed by overall vision for the Museum. George Reisner (1867–1942), as well as showcase a number of important pieces: Today, in addition to housing Harvard’s a sandstone relief of Ramesses II from the Department of Near Eastern languages Fourth Pylon at Karnak; inscribed stelae and Civilizations, the Museum from Serabit el-Kadim; and gifts from and its collections have grown Theodore Davis, including three Third through acquisitions and sponsored Intermediate Period coffins from Thebes archaeological excavations in Egypt, Iraq, (fig. 2-Padimut coffin), and canopic Israel, Syria, and Cyprus. The Museum equipment from the tomb of Userhet has now embarked on an ambitious in the Valley of the Kings (fig. 3-Userhet new program of modernization and canopic). Gallery reinstallations will outreach, renewal and revitalization. complement the recently revived Recent accomplishments in our modest Egyptological teaching mission at building include the rehousing of the the University, as well as overlap with 40,000-object storage collection; the Harvard’s Giza Project. For example, reclamation of the grand third floor as based on HU–MFA Expedition records, gallery space; the construction of an we are using computer-controlled elevator; and the recent opening of 3D-milling technology in cedar wood, the second floor special retrospective and the recreation of faience inlays and exhibition “From the Nile to the gilding to create and display a full-scale Euphrates: Creating the Harvard Semitic reproduction of the elaborate second - Museum.” Egyptological and other and never before reconstructed - chair INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF MUSEUMS e-News | 2015 | 03 CONSEIL INTERNATIONAL DES MUSEES

The Egyptian Collection of the Civic Archaeological Museum of Milan Work in progress towards a new permanent Egyptian gallery — Sabrina Ceruti and Anna Provenzali

he Egyptian collection of the T Archaeological Museum of Milan boasts two centuries of history, its origin significantly predating the foundation of the ‘Museo Patrio d’Archeologia’, forerunner of the Civic Archaeological Museum, in 1864.

At the beginning of the 19th century, a small but outstanding collection of Egyptian antiquities arrived in Milan and was housed in two different institutions, the Gabinetto Numismatico and the Library of Brera, both located in the Brera Palace. These antiquities became the nucleus of the Egyptian collection of the newly-established museum, among them the beautiful Late Period coffin of Tesbastetperet, the Ptolemaic A view of the current exhibition gallery: mummy of Paeftjauauyaset with his coffins Book of the Dead of the priest Hornefer, © S. Ceruti, Archaeological Museum and the Late Period mummy and material coming during the 1930s from as overcrowding, lack of space and coffins of Paeftjauauyaset, donated by the excavations carried out by Achille obsolete showcases (inadequate for Consul Giuseppe Acerbi. Vogliano at Tebtynis and Medînet Mâdi. conservation needs) have motivated Artefacts from Tebtynis were mainly the curatorial team to plan a complete Over time, private donations enlarged daily life objects, while those coming refurbishment of the Egyptian gallery, the original core of the collection, with from the temenos of Renenutet- and the project for its renewal will be Thermuthis at Medînet Mâdi (ranging soon under way. Particular attention will Statue of Amenemhat III from the Middle Kingdom to the be given to the materials coming from (ca. 1853-1805 BC), from Medînet Mâdi Graeco-Roman occupation of the the Vogliano excavations, many of which © Archaeological Museum site) added votive and architectural have never been on display before. material to the collection. Particularly noteworthy is one of the two statues of It is our hope that this important Amenemhat III recovered by Vogliano Egyptian collection will eventually in the Middle Kingdom temple. find its proper place both in the Egyptological sphere and in the heart The last ten years of the museum’s recent of the Milanese people. n history have been dedicated to an overall re-examination of the collection > Civic Archae. Museum of Milan through inventory and cataloguing work. As of today, the collection includes almost three thousand objects.

The current permanent exhibition – housed in the in the city centre – still maintains its essential features from 1974, when it was first opened to the public. Problems such INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF MUSEUMS e-News | 2015 | 03 CONSEIL INTERNATIONAL DES MUSEES

Hidden Egyptian treasures at Freiburg — Lars Peterson, curator

he Museum ‘Natur und Mensch’ In addition to the finds of the ‘Baden Hasan, a Roman mummy mask, several T at Freiburg, Germany houses a excavations’, the collection contains a bronze statues and numerous shabtis small collection of Egyptian Antiquities: number of Egyptian objects that came dating to the Late Period. n approximately 1,000 further objects to Freiburg during the late 19th century are located in the central storage and early 20th century, including > Freiburg Museum facility of the museum, which cannot material from the Middle Kingdom unfortunately be exhibited at the excavated by John Garstang at Beni moment. Städtische Museen Freiburg, Museum Natur und Mensch, Ae 150. About 850 finds derive from the so- Photo : Viesser (Sarg), Kilian (Perlennetz) called ‘Baden excavations’, conducted during 1913/1914 as a joint mission by archaeologists from the Universities of Freiburg and Heidelberg at el-Hibeh and at Qarara, an important Greco- Roman and Byzantine town and necropolis district some 150 km south of Cairo.

These excavations brought to light an enormous number of finds, which were shared amongst the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the German institutions in Freiburg and Heidelberg. The collection at Freiburg received a representative selection of Ptolemaic, Roman and Byzantine objects.

These mainly comprise simple grave goods such as metal bracelets, pendants and ‘Coptic’ textiles from the cemeteries at Qarara, which were used for people of a relatively low economic status.

One highlight of the Freiburg collection is a decorated coffin from el-Hibeh, dating into Ptolemaic Times.

Inside the wooden coffin is an extremely well preserved faience bead-net that once covered the female mummy.

This outstanding ensemble was found together with a wooden statue of Ptah- Sokar-Osiris and a small box for shabtis. INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF MUSEUMS e-News | 2015 | 03 CONSEIL INTERNATIONAL DES MUSEES

The new Museo Egizio di Torino — Christian Greco

he inauguration of the Egyptian by the Vatican Coffin Project, a T Museum was first and foremost sophisticated investigation protocol the winning of a challenge. The applied to ancient Egyptian coffins for 50-million-euro renovation project the first time. was carried out without closing the museum to the public. The objects For the public, the visit will be like a were moved according to an elaborate journey through time, concluded on schedule from 2010 until the opening the ground floor amongst monumental on April 1, 2015. statues, which were called by The Director Christian Greco guiding Champollion “a marvelous gathering of through the collection. © Fondazione The visit, based on a scientific project kings and gods.” Museo Della Antichita’ Egizie di Torino developed by the Director, Christian Greco, and eight curators with different The completely renewed museum world, constituting an important specializations, extends across four is housing within its Baroque walls research hub for the international floors in chronological order, covering thousand-of-years-old artefacts scholarly community, and addressing a time span ranging from 4000 BC to alongside state-of-the-art technology. its own heterogeneous publics. This 700 AD. The rooms about the history of The visitors will be treated to virtual concern is reflected in the decision the museum highlight the dual nature reconstructions of archaeological to make the museum video-guides of the Turin collection, which is partly contexts, collaboratively produced by available in six languages and to antiquarian and partly archaeological. the Egyptian Museum and the IBAM translate the introductory room texts Among the many innovations is a very Institute of the CNR. Through 3D videos into Arabic as well as English, to stress impressive thematic area, the Coffin based on historic excavation records the museum’s close ties with the land Gallery on the first floor. Here are and photographs, visitors will relive the the collections of the Egyptian museum displayed some of the finest coffins of discovery of the tomb of Kha, the tomb come from. n the Third Intermediate Period and the of Nefertari, and the chapel of Maya, beginning of the Late Period (1100-600 all three brought to light by Ernesto > Egyptian Museum of Turin BC), many of which have been restored Schiaparelli, one of the first directors at the Venaria Reale Restoration Center of the Egyptian museum, in the early with the contribution of Gli Scarabei, twentieth century. the association of the sponsors of the Egyptian Museum. The installation The new Egyptian Museum is in incorporates research results achieved constant dialogue with the outside

New Egyptian Late Period Gallery Findings from Gebelein © Fondazione Museo Della Antichita’ Egizie di Torino © Fondazione Museo Della Antichita’ Egizie di Torino www.bigben.be

Editor: ICOM | CIPEG Editorial board: Tine Bagh, Aidan Dodson, Claire Derriks, Gabriele Pieke | Contribution for future editions should be send to: Gabriele Pieke