Great Egypt exhibition
Ramses II travels to Cologne in his sarcophagus
The sarcophagus of Ramses II is removed from a transport box in the Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris. photo
© Sabine Glaubitz/dpa
Ramses II was an extraordinary ruler of Ancient Egypt – he lived to be more than 90 years old and left the world buildings and art treasures. An exhibition in Cologne will soon provide an insight.
Ramses II holds court on the Rhine: a large exhibition about Ancient Egypt is coming Cologne – including the precious sarcophagus of the famous pharaoh, also known as Ramses the Great. This was announced by the Odysseum Museum, where the show can be seen for a limited time from July 13th. It is the first time ever that the exhibition “Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs” is being shown in Germany. In Paris, among other places, she caused quite a stir. She was also seen in Houston, San Francisco and Sydney.
The exhibition features more than 180 artifacts and Egyptian treasures, including sarcophagi, mummified animals, jewelry, royal masks and amulets. Many of them had never left Egypt before, the museum explained. All objects came from museums and historical sites in Egypt and were on loan from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. A virtual reality experience is also part of the concept.
The centerpiece and biggest eye-catcher, however, is the sarcophagus of Ramses II – “one of the most remarkable royal coffins” ever discovered in Ancient Egypt. Cologne is only the third city in the world after Paris and Sydney in which the artifact will be exhibited along with the other treasures. The carved cedar coffin was discovered in 1811 in an archaeological burial site on the western bank of the Nile.
Ramses II – a superlative pharaoh of ancient Egypt
Ramses II is considered a great pharaoh to whom numerous superlatives are attributed. He was born around 1303 BC. Born in 1213 BC and died at an age of more than 90 years. With a term of 66 years, he was one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world. He also allegedly had more than 100 children and had numerous palaces and temples built.
“We are proud and honored to be able to present this extraordinary exhibition at the Odysseum in Cologne. It is a great pleasure to display these extremely rare objects in a show where visitors can experience their astonishing beauty and long-lasting history up close “, explained Andreas Waschk from the responsible Explorado Group in Cologne.
According to the organizers, Cologne is the last stop in Europe for the time being – then the Ramses show travels on to Asia. Tickets are available from March 14th.
Source.: Website for the exhibition / dpa
Read at stern+: Spectacular discovery in archeology: A German-Egyptian research team investigates an underground workshop in the desert floor. And finds out that the deceased were apparently prepared there for their journey into the afterlife.