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Nevive al-Aref – Ahram Online
Several Egyptian museums are celebrating Valentine’s Day by showcasing artefacts, some of which are being displayed for the first time highlighting the concept of love in ancient Egypt.
The Alexandria National Museum is exhibiting the wedding invitation of king Farouk and queen Farida, which was sent to A-list guests.
The invitation is being showcased for the first time. It is a gold-plated pin with a photo of Farouk and Farida wearing the royal crown and bears the date 20 January 1938.
The Sohag National Museum is featuring a sandstone statue from the New Kingdom depicting seated husband and wife (cover image). The woman’s hand is laid behind her husband’s back, indicating the extension of her support and love.
The Sharm El-Sheikh Museum is displaying a painted wooden perfume box from the 19th Dynasty of the New Kingdom. It contains a set of eight different perfume pots featuring lids engraved with names of the scents.
Ancient Egyptians regarded perfume as the nectar of the gods. They made them by combining the juices of fragrant plants which they cultivated or imported. Perfumes were used in daily life and in religious and funeral rituals.
Meanwhile, the Hurghada Museum is exhibiting a double limestone statue of the deities Osiris and his wife Isis. The statue dates back to the Third Intermediate Period. Goddess Isis is an icon of love and sacrifice in the ancient Egyptian civilisation.
The Cairo International Airport Museum is displaying a round bronze mirror, which was dedicated to the deities of love and beauty, such as Aphrodite and Hathor. The mirror is decorated with interwoven floral and geometric motifs.
Cairo’s Gayer Anderson Museum is displaying a marble fountain resembling a swan’s head. The swan was a symbol of love in ancient times and since the Renaissance period. According to a famous Greek myth, “the god Zeus used to disguise himself as a swan to reach his beloved Leda”.
The Ismailia Archaeology Museum is showcasing a pottery vessel from the Graeco-Roman period. The vessel depicts a human face and was used to store perfumes.
