São Paulo – Mummies lying in glass cases, sculptures of men with bird and dog heads, scrolls written in letters unknown to Brazilians. Whoever passes through the ground floor at MorumbiShopping, in São Paulo, at least make a quick stop to glance at the Ancient Egyptian setting. From the 25th this month until April 20th, the mall is hosting the show Segredos do Egito (Secrets from Egypt), featuring items harking back to the age-old Egyptian civilization, some of which were brought in from the Arab country.
The show is set up in a hallway, and a dark carpet is all that separates the venue from the shops. The exhibit features 150 objects belonging to the Chilean agency Agosin, 108 replicas and 42 originals from the Museum of Cairo. The items include the Ushbeti sarcophagus, a small funereal statue, a small god Osiris, and pharaoh Tutankhamun’s throne. The three objects are originals.
Replicas and giant items, however, attract the attention of the lay public. The sphinx, a body of a man with a lion’s head painted gold, is one of them. Visitors also take lots of pictures of the sculptures of the gods Anubis, Horus, Amon and Thot, with men’s bodies and the heads of a dog, falcon, lamb and ibis, respectively. A large-sized mummy, her head showing but her body wrapped in bandage, elicits curious, somewhat frightened expressions.
The show features a life-sized reproduction of the sarcophagus of Nespamai, a 26th dynasty priest; and a large skiff of Mrs Madja, a woman who used to organize delegations of nurses, dancers and musicians who came to Egypt from other countries to serve the families; the sculpture of a black cat, Bastet, which represented fertility, home and motherhood.
The exhibit includes panels recounting a bit of life in Ancient Egypt, including information on how they viewed death and mummification. The Ancient Egyptians believed in the immortality of the body. The show explains that upon death, the spiritual portion leaves the body, but returns to it every night. That is why they made mummies, so as to conserve the body through the years.
According to information released by MorumbiShopping, the show is an initiative from its owner company Multiplan. Apart from the shopping centre in São Paulo, the exhibit will feature at RibeirãoShopping, in Ribeirão Preto, in May and June, and at BarraShoppingSul, in Porto Alegre, in July and August. Admittance is free.
Service
Secrets from Egypt Exhibit
MorumbiShopping (ground floor)
Av. Roque Petroni Junior, 1089 –São Paulo – SP
March 25th to April 20th, 2014
Free of charge
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum