Mummies exhibition launch at Melbourne Museum.
Image: Jon Augier
Source: Museum Victoria
Mummies: Ancient Egypt & the Afterlife launched.
As daughter of the Chief Butcher at the temple complex of the god Amun, 16 year-old Keku’s funeral would have been attended by mourners, guests, musicians and dancers. Specially-prepared dishes would also have been consumed by those present, as part of the celebration of her life and journey to the Afterlife.
2700 years later, in an indoor oasis of palm trees at Melbourne Museum, 400 guests sampled olives, dolma, houmus and cucumber cups filled with yoghurt. Drums, horns, lutes and finger-cymbals added to the Middle-Eastern atmosphere, as Mummies: Ancient Egypt and the Afterlife was officially launched.
MC for the evening, Mr Brett Dunlop, Manager Melbourne Museum, highlighted the wide range of ancient Egypt-related events accompanying the exhibition, from specially-created theatre performances to a children’s activity room and IMAX screenings of Mysteries of Ancient Egypt.
Dr J Patrick Greene, CEO Museum Victoria, thanked the installation team for their excellent work, noting that his favourite pieces included the inner and outer mummy cases, canoptic jars and spells from The Book of the Dead.
Before declaring the exhibition open, Acting Consul-General of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mr Yasser M Hashem, said he was delighted with the exhibition and very pleased to share this cultural exchange between Egypt and Australia.
Guests then proceeded through the tomb-like entrance into the exhibition itself, where over 160 objects are on display as part of this fascinating insight into ancient Egyptian life and death.