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KAIRO, KOMPAS.com – Almost two dozen Egyptian mummies marched in a large parade in Cairo on Saturday (3/4/2021).
The twenty-two mummies consisted of 18 kings and four queens. All are treated like royalty when they are moved from the 120-year-old Egyptian Museum in Cairo’s central Tahrir Square, to the newly opened National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in the ancient Islamic city of Fustat.
Among the mummies is the mummy of Ramses II. He was a ruler of the New Age Kingdom of Egypt, whose reign lasted 67 years.
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Ramses II signed the world’s first known peace treaty. The contents deal with the theme of Hatshepsut, who defied gender norms to become queen in the era of the 18th dynasty; and Seqenenra Taa, best known for starting a liberation war against the Hyksos.
Many of the mummies on display had gone through the difficult process of being able to appear in Saturday’s parade, having been excavated from a cache at Deir El-Bahari on the West Bank of Luxor in 1881.
They were placed on a ship that sailed for three days, from Luxor to Cairo. But his arrival in the capital did not mark the end of his troubles.
At that time, customs clearance in the capital was mandatory. The person in charge could not find an official definition for the mummy.
“The customs authorities finally agreed to let them in, but only with the label that they were anchovies,” said Egyptologist Zahi Hawass. ABC News.
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The mummy was placed in a hydrogen capsule to protect it. All are transported in specially decorated vehicles.
Horse-drawn carriages and people in ancient costumes entered the procession, accompanied by military bands playing drums, creating an atmosphere of joy.
The name of the mummy is written on the side and front of the vehicle in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and in Arabic. The procession begins to move in chronological order, led by Seqenenra Taa of the 17th dynasty.
Historic square
The 19-meter-high Obelisk of Ramses II is surrounded by four sphinxes that decorate the historic Tahrir Square. The parade was scheduled for last year, but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
As the vehicle moved, they circled the obelisk and continued the 4.5 km journey to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, their final resting place.
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The road was closed as the caravan passed through empty streets before being greeted with 21 rounds of salute upon arrival.
The mummies will be displayed in the royal hall that was built to house them. The site will open to visitors on April 18.
“This magnificent sight is further proof of the greatness of the Egyptians, guardians of a vast civilization unique in history,” said Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, who welcomed the arrival of the mummy to the museum on his page. From Facebook.
