Related Articles
Nevine al-Aref – Ahram Online
Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled al-Enany inaugurated ‘Exalted Spirits: The Veneration of the Dead in Egypt through the Ages’ exhibition at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo on Tuesday.
The exhibition, which will run till the 9 February 2022, is a partnership between the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the American Research Center in Egypt and the American University in Cairo.
A three-day conference is held as a follow up at the Tahrir Cultural Centre of the American University in Cairo starting on 10 November 2021. The conference features academic papers and panel discussions focusing on current practices related to the veneration of the dead and their origins.
The exhibition sheds light on the veneration of deceased figures in Egypt between the Pharaonic period and current era, using a series of various evidence available in texts, images, and lived traditions.
A display of 41 pieces from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the Coptic Museum and the Museum of Islamic Art, it focuses on tracing traditions that link ancient Egypt to the modern day. It explores who was venerated, why and how, whether they were kings, revered individuals, or family members.
The exhibits feature several selected objects including the Stela dedicated to Amenhotep I, the Icon of St. Mena, two sleeves from a Clerical Costume, Anthropoid Bust of Khandjer, Silk Textile from the Mosque-Mausoleum of Sayyid Ahmad al-Badawi and Hilya Sharifa by the Master Calligrapher, Mustafa Ezzat Effendi.
The American Research Centre in Egypt is expected to reveal during the exhibition and conference the individuals who were revered. At the highest level were royal figures, the Holy Family, and the Prophet Muhammad. These were followed by prominent pious individuals with miraculous powers, including different saints. Lastly, certain deceased family members were also venerated.
The opening of the exhibition was attended by Nicole Shampaine, deputy chief of mission at the US embassy; Louise Bertini, executive director at the American Research Center in Egypt; Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities; Sabah Abdel-Razik, director general of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo; in addition to a number of public figures and leaders of the ministry and the American Research Center in Egypt.
