São Paulo- From October 26th to 29th, visitors at the Forum of Sciences and Culture of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) will be able to view items portraying the age of the pharaohs, such as Akhenaten and Tutankhamun. They are replicas of Egyptian objects and are part of the collection of philosopher Marisa Castello Branco, a specialist in Ancient Egypt who has studied the matter for 40 years now, and the author of the book “Do Egito Milenar à Eternidade” (From Millenary Egypt to Eternity).
The exhibition is part of the project “O Egito no Brasil” (Egypt in Brazil), devised by journalist Márcia Machado and assembled under the guidance of Marisa, with the contribution of the Egyptian university professor Aziz Aly. He has donated papyruses that will also be shown at the exhibition.
The Egypt in Brazil project began around a year ago, with an exhibition, also on the Arab country, held at the Copacabana Fort in Rio. Now, the project counts on the partnership of the Forum, which maintains another project, “Oriente/Ocidente” (East/West), featuring exhibitions from countries on both sides of the globe. Other actions should also take place under the Egypt in Brazil project.
Márcia explains that the exhibition is very instructional, and was designed to meet the needs of students, so that visitors may learn, chronologically, the history of Ancient Egypt. The display will open with the lecture “Hino ao Sol de Akhenaton – Uma exaltação à vida” (Hymn to the Sun of Akhenaten – An Exaltation of Life) and should close with a lecture on the pharaoh Tutankhamun, who died at 19 years of age. Both lectures will be given by Marisa.
"The goal of the exhibition is to make use of Ancient Egyptian knowledge in order to explore values such as justice, solidarity and respect to life,” explains Márcia.
Those who visit the exhibition but cannot attend the lectures will count on the guidance of students from the Museum Studies course of the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Unirio), who will be dressed as pharaohs and queens, and who will help those interested to uncover the meaning of the items.
"Egyptian art is not decorative, it is magical-religious. All of them (items) have a purpose. They used to go into the tombs to help the deceased in life after death. In the lectures, I will translate all of the symbolism of the items,” says Marisa.
Belly dancing will also feature at the opening and closing of the event, with presentations by dancer Tahira Marrach.
Service:
The splendour of the 18th Dynasty
October 26th to 29th
Sciences and Culture Forum of the UFRJ
Praia Vermelha University Palace
Av. Pasteur, 250/2nd floor – Rio de Janeiro
Visiting time: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Free entrance
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
