Today we are touring The Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo, Egypt. And, my TOTAL focus is on seeing the mummies.
To give a little background on this amazing collection:
Opening in 1902, it was purpose-built to house the antiquities of Ancient Egypt. Inside is the greatest collection of Ancient Egyptian archeological history in the world.
This is the ONLY collection of it’s kind in the Arab world. They are slowly relocating pieces to the new Museum opening later this year.
Apologies for the “less than sharp” photos…..dark rooms – glass enclosures – lots of people…
What I noticed immediately was that all of the mummies we small in stature. I was looking for Charlton Heston in white linen wrap! They were very small and often had red hair!
It was amazing that so many physical aspects were so well preserved in these mummies. Omar, our Egyptologist, shared that many times pieces of bone or small trinkets of value were placed inside of the bodies of royalty during mummification so that they could take them to the afterlife.
These stone enclosures were used to “house” the sarcophagus. Their entire life story was carved onto the sides so the Gods would recognize them in the afterlife. I cannot tell you how impressive the colors and details are….these pieces are thousands of years old!
Of course….we’ve worked up quite an appetite at the Museum…we ask Omar to select a “local” restaurant. He chose Felfela in the city.
Founded by A. Zaghloul in 1959, in the heart of the greater Cairo, Felfela has become one of the most iconic restaurants in Egypt. Felfela is the first restaurant to promote the Egyptian and the Mediterranean cuisine inside and outside of Egypt. With its very authentic decoration, Felfela offers a unique experience and not just a place to eat.
Waddling back to the car for the day….hope you love our day as much as we did!
Wandering Until Found,
xo Rosanna