Roma – Relations between Egypt are ancient and renowned. Don’t know much about the plots developed between Cleopatra and the Roman Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony? Love, lovers, wars, treason and deaths. Ingredients of soaps, but part of the history of humanity. Two people who met and faced each other several times, generating mutual influences in the field of arts, culture and customs. Part of this incredible adventure may be found in the city of Turin, in northern Italy, at the Egyptian Museum which, like the Cairo one, is turned to the art and culture of Ancient Egypt. There are over 30,000 objects and artefacts.
The museum’s collection is broad, made up of several components: items found in Italy – or in the Roman empire, as they date to that period -, fruit of pillaging and contraband of the 18th Century and of exploration of archaeological sites in a joint agreement between both states, from 1900 to 1935, when the European country financed missions in the Arab nation. At the time, all that was found was shared between Italy and Egypt. Currently, the rules have changed. Archaeological objects are of priority to the country in which they were found and cannot be taken out. What belongs to Egypt now stays in Egypt.
The history of the Egyptian Museum began in 1630, when the concept of art exhibitions had not yet arisen – it only came up in 1667, in Paris. The first object was the Mensa Isiaca, a kind of altar, built in Egyptian style, probably in 1st Century Rome, for a temple of Isis, the Egyptian goddess of love. The table was bought by Carlo Emanuele I, Duke of Savoy, the royal family of Italy.
Some years later, in 1724, another Savoy, Vittorio Amadeo II, established the Turin University Museum and donated a small collection of family antiques to the institution. In 1757, the Savoy family continued investing in the museum. Carlo Emanuele III named botanic professor Vitaliano Donati researcher for the East. His job was to travel to Egypt seeking ancient objects, books and manuscripts that spoke about the Mensa Isiaca, exhibited in the museum since 1755. Donati came back full of objects and surprises, among them large statues.
France
Another important donations for the start of the museum came from Carlo Felice di Savoia, who bought from Bernarino Drovetti some 5,300 new items, like statues, papyruses, sarcophagi, mummies, bronze objects and everyday objects. A North-Italian, Drovetti had close relations with Napoleon Bonaparte and, for this reason, the ruler of France named him Consul of France in Egypt. The position brought him close to Egyptian viceroy Mohamed Ali and, with his help, Drovetti was able to transport to Italy the objects from ancient Egypt.
When the collections were jointed, the museum gained shape and started financing excavations in the Arab country in the best Indiana Jones style. In 1894, works were progressing at full throttle. Turin financed exploration of archaeological sites in Giza, the Valley of the Kings, Asyut, Qau El-Kebir, Deir El-Medina, Gebelein, etc. The works continued up to 1935 and granted the Italian city one of the richest Ancient Egyptian collections in the whole world. There are 6,500 objects shown to the public and another 26,000 in storage, due to special conservation needs, and also items that are used in research and scientific research.
Treasure hunt
One of the main treasures of the museum was discovered in 1906, by Italian Egyptologist Ernesto Schiapparelli. It is an the untouched tomb of royal architect Kha. Kha and his wife, Merit, lived in around 1,400 b.C. and knew at least three pharaohs: Amenhotep II, Thutmose IV and Amenhotep III. They died at the age of around 60, a ripe old age for the period, and fair, as is written on the papyrus: “after 20 years of youth, 20 years of studies and 20 years of profession”. Merit died first. Kha, in a great gesture of love, gave her the sarcophagus he had built for himself. They left three children, one son and two daughters.
Kha reveals the customs and objects of the period due to the volume of artefacts he stored: around 500 pieces. There is furniture like beds, benches and chests. There are also pictures, garments, fabrics and ceramics. Bottles of perfume and, of course, work objects of Kha, which made it possible to identify him and an architect, like kinds of tape measures and drawing material.
Rescued temple
The last acquisition of the museum dates back to 1970 and is the little Ellesija temple. The item has an interesting story. It was donated to the state of Italy by the Arab country in thanks to the technical and scientific support provided by the country during the Unesco campaign to save monuments threatened by the construction of Aswan dam. The temple was going to be swallowed by the waters of Lake Nasser.
Service
Site: www.museoegizio.it
Address: via Accademia delle Scienze, 6, Turin, Italy
Time: from Tuesday to Sunday, from 8:30 am to 7:30 pm (admittance closes at 6:30 pm)
*Translated by Mark Ament
