On 3rd April 2021 people from all around the world were glued to their TV screens as an impressive historic procession of ancient Egyptian rulers took place through the country’s capital, Cairo.
The multi-million dollar parade saw 22 ancient mummies – 18 kings and 4 queens – being transported from the Egyptian Museum to the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. The mummies will be kept within The Pharaohs’ Golden Parade located within the new museum. The transportation of the mummies took place with a spectacular procession witnessed by millions throughout the world. The mummies were transported in chronological order of their reigns. From the 17th Dynasty ruler, Seqenenre Taa II, to Ramses IX, who reigned in the 12th Century BC.
The ancient ruler’s bodies being transported inside the mummies included King Ramses II, the most famous pharaoh of the New Kingdom and Queen Hatshepsut, who became ruler even though the customs of her time were that women did not become pharaohs. Each mummy was carried on a decorated vehicle fitted with special shock absorbers and surrounded by a motorcade, including replica horse-drawn war chariots.
While ancient mummification techniques originally preserved the pharaohs, for the move the mummies were placed within special nitrogen-filled boxes to help protect them against external conditions. The roads along the route were also been repaved to keep the journey smooth and ensure no disruption to the precious cargo.
The mummies were discovered in 1881 and 1898 in the ruins of Thebes, Egypt’s ancient capital – modern-day Luxor in Upper Egypt and were housed in the iconic Egyptian Museum and visited by tourists. The new museum is set to increase tourism to the country’s capital offer visitors and 360 experience of the history of the country. The new exhibits will now be housed in the Royal Hall of Mummies and will go on display to the general public from 18 April. The hall has been designed so that visitors will experience the illusion of being in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor.
