The Egyptian museum in Cairo was founded in 1835 to prevent the robbery and export of the finds of the archeological sites, to bring an order into the valuables and to exhibit them to he public. There is so much to be seen now as you walk among mummy's, jewelry, sarcophaguses, eating bowls and all other trinkets that have been found in the pyramids and graves. All is reasonably well ordered by time period in different rooms. Highlights are still the richness's found in the tomb of Toetanchamom, esp. his pure golden death mask. Inside the museum we are not allowed to make pictures but the outside is interesting enough to give you an impression.
14 May 2010
Cairo and the pyramids of Giza
We leave the boat in the marina of Ismailia, halfway the Suez Canal, and it is a bright sunny morning when we see the three pyramids of Giza (being in a suburb of Cairo). They are huge triangular buildings that stand already there for over 4000 years. They serve both as a tomb and a memorial for the pharaohs that had them build. Over the years still thousands of tourists show up daily to get impressed and admire the pyramids. Most make a ride on a camel around them. Great and intriguing is also the sphinx, a more than life size statue of a man's head (or is it a female head?) on a lion's body. They suspect it is the head of the then ruling pharaoh and the lion symbolises the extra-human powers. Still very mysterious.
