With yet another tribute to Egypt’s rich and profoundly amazing history, an exhibition scheduled to be held in France will unveil the coffin of ancient Egypt’s pharaoh, Ramses II, and will be showcased as the centerpiece of the major exhibition.
For the unversed in ancient Egyptian history, Ramses II ruled Egypt between 1276 and 1213 B.C., during which time he established domination over Nubia and built the temple of Abu Simbel. Ramses II is credited to be the longest-reigning and one of the most famous pharaohs of Egypt. Ramses II’s cedar coffin was not originally designed for him, keeping in view his grandeur. The coffin is assumed to belong from the end of the 18th dynasty and was likely covered with gold and laden with gems or glass.
As part of an exceptional loan to the French, the priceless sarcophagus will be the star of the show among the 180 items on display at the Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris. While Ramses’s coffin will be on show in Paris from April 7 until September 6, his mummy will remain in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
According to media outlets, French Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak said, “It is an extraordinary opportunity for children and the public of all ages. It’s completely different to see it in real life rather than seeing it in pictures or on the internet.”
In addition to the coffin, the exhibition, titled “Ramses the Great and the Gold of the Pharaohs,” will include a plethora of ancient Egyptian artifacts, including solid gold and silver jewelry, statues, amulets, masks, and other sarcophagi.
In January, Egypt’s Cabinet approved the transfer of the coffin to France following a request from the head of the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, which is organizing the exhibition.
The traveling exhibition is being held in several major cities of the world and was inaugurated in Houston in November 2021 before moving to San Francisco in August last year.
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