National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation: Parade as royal mummies moved in Cairo

A specially designed vehicle transports the mummy of King Ramesses III in a convoy from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square to the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilization during The Pharaohs’ Golden Parade in Cairo, Egypt. Credit: Getty Images

Cairo: Egypt has held a gala parade celebrating the transport of 22 of its prized royal mummies from central Cairo to their new resting place in a massive new museum further south in the capital.

The ceremony, designed to showcase the country’s rich heritage, snaked along the Nile corniche from the Egyptian Museum overlooking Tahrir Square to the newly opened National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation in the Fustat neighbourhood, where Egypt’s first Islamic capital was located.

The mummies were being transported on Saturday (Egypt time) in climate-controlled cases loaded onto trucks decorated with wings and pharaonic design for the hour-long journey from their previous home in the older Egyptian Museum. The vehicles were designed to appear like the ancient boats used to carry deceased pharaohs to their tombs.

The convoy of vehicles transporting the royal mummies.Credit: AP

Most of the mummies belong to the New Kingdom, which ruled Egypt between 1539BC to 1075BC, according to the Ministry of Antiquities.

They include Ramses II, one of the most famous pharaohs, and Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s only woman Pharaoh — who wore a false beard to overcome tradition requiring women to play only secondary roles in the royal hierarchy.

The mummies — 18 pharaohs and four other royals — were originally buried around 3,000 years ago in secret tombs in the Valley of Kings and the nearby Deir el-Bahri site. Both areas are near the southern city of Luxor. The tombs were first excavated in the 19th century.

Specially designed vehicles transport mummies in a convoy from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square to the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation during The Pharaohs’ Golden Parade.Credit: Getty Images

After excavation, the mummies were taken to Cairo by boats that sailed the Nile. Some were showcased in glass cases, while others were stored. The remains of Ramses II were taken to Paris in 1976 for intensive restoration work by French scientists.

The made-for-TV parade was part of Egypt’s efforts to attract foreign tourists by publicising its ancient artifacts. The tourism industry has been reeling from political turmoil following the 2011 popular uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak, and more recently, the coronavirus pandemic.

“This parade is a unique global event that will not be repeated,” declared Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Anany.

A screening about the royal mummies inside the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.Credit: Getty Images

Security was tight in the capital, with authorities closing off major streets and intersections along the route for the slow-moving vehicles. Guards on horses and Egyptian celebrities and signers followed the motorcade.

“Again, Egypt dazzles the world with an unrivalled event,” said movie star Hussein Fahmy in an official promotional video.

The event started in the late afternoon and was broadcast live on the country’s state-run television and other satellite stations. The Tourism and Antiquities Ministry also live-streamed it on social media platforms.

The “Pharaohs’ Golden Parade” circled Tahrir square, where authorities officially unveiled an obelisk and four sphinxes to decorate Cairo’s most famous square.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, who will welcome the mummies at the new museum, tweeted: “This majestic scene is a new evidence of the greatness of this people, the guarding of this unique civilisation that extends into the depths of history.”

Once at the new museum, 20 of the mummies will be displayed, while the remaining two will be stored, according to the ministry.

AP