CAIRO — Egypt will soon witness a solemn procession in which 22 Pharaonic royal mummies are to be transported from their current exhibit in the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square to their new permanent display in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat. The move is expected to take place in the next few weeks.
The mummies date to the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties. They count 18 kings and four queens, including King Ramses II, King Thutmose III, King Seti I, Queen Hatshepsut and Queen Merit Amon, wife of King Amenhotep I, as well as Queen Ahmose Nefertari, wife of King Ahmose I.
On July 27, the Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism announced that the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat had received 17 royal coffins to be restored in preparation for receiving the royal mummies from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir.
Manal al-Ghannam, director of restoration at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, told Al-Monitor, “There is an Egyptian team working with the latest equipment to preserve, maintain and pack the mummies with the highest efficiency. The materials used are all safe and will not harm the mummies. Each mummy is examined and restored separately, taking into account several factors, including temperature, humidity, lighting and the surrounding environment of each of them. Each mummy is placed inside a nitrogen capsule with specific standards, and the transporting will be done inside specially designed boxes.”
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