Egypt holds its first Islamic exhibition in Saudi Arabia
Egypt is trying to attract Saudi tourists by holding an exhibition of Egyptian Islamic antiquities in Saudi Arabia, which includes 84 artifacts from the collections of Islamic art in Cairo.
CAIRO — Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities signed an agreement Nov. 9 with the Saudi Aramco company, to hold the first Egyptian artifacts exhibition in Saudi Arabia. According to the agreement, Egypt will lend 84 artifacts from the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo to the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in the Saudi city of Dhahran for a period of two years, to be displayed at an exhibition titled “Bisector of the Mosque.”
The exhibition will include several archaeological pieces dating back to the ninth century, which will be provided by the National Museum in Riyadh. In addition, the artifacts to be loaned by Egypt include parts of historical mosques such as pulpits, mihrabs and prayer rugs, as well as other pieces that reflect the development of mosques throughout the ages.
The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities announced Nov. 5 that the exhibition will be held in December at the Ithra center in Dhahran.
On Sept. 17, the Egyptian Cabinet had approved the temporary exhibition. The Cabinet said in a statement that the exhibition will include 84 artifacts from the collections of Islamic art in Cairo.
