EGYPTIAN
ARCHAEOLOGY
Displaying Egypt and Sudan at the Manchester Museum In October 2012, to coincide with the centenary of its first Egypt gallery, the Manchester Museum opened three new Ancient Worlds galleries. Campbell Price describes the redevelopment. introductory gallery addresses these The Manchester Museum holds questions through guide characters: more than 16,000 objects from mainly living archaeologists, but ancient Egypt and Sudan, making also Flinders Petrie himself and an it one of the largest collections in ancient Egyptian tomb-robber. the UK. The core of the collection Egyptian mummies have long - and the building which still houses been one of the Museum’s main it - is largely due to the generosity of attractions. Manchester has been one man: Jesse Haworth. A wealthy synonymous with mummy Manchester cotton merchant, studies since Margaret Murray’s Haworth became interested in unwrapping of the Two Brothers Egyptology after reading Amelia in 1908 and the subsequent work of Edwards’ 1877 book A Thousand the Manchester Egyptian Mummy Miles up the Nile. Edwards Project from 1973, led by Rosalie corresponded with Haworth and David. The old galleries showcased encouraged him to channel his the results of these investigations, interest into financial support for and displayed no fewer than 14 the excavations of Flinders Petrie human mummies. These displays after he had parted company with the EEF. As a result, a key strength Painted limestone relief block, showing King Ahmose I being were, however, dark and gloomy of the Manchester collection is the embraced by Osiris. From Abydos. Donation of the EEF. spaces that some museum visitors Acc. No.3303. Photograph: Oliver Smith found intimidating. In contrast, sound archaeological provenance the new galleries have been designed to allow more of many of its objects. In particular, Petrie’s work at the natural light and reveal much of the building’s original town sites of Kahun and Gurob produced many domestic neo-Gothic architecture, previously hidden by boarding objects that shed light on aspects of day-to-day life. and curtains. On each side of the main Egyptian Worlds The 2012 redisplay of the Egyptology and Archaeology gallery, backlit panels are used to imitate the colours of collections at Manchester provided an opportunity to sunrise and sunset in the north-east of Africa. reassess museum visitors’ experiences and expectations. This gallery presents Egyptian and Sudanese material The new Ancient Worlds galleries begin with an chronologically, from Predynastic to Islamic times, exploration of ‘how we know’ about objects from the past, within which individual themes are developed relating be they from Egypt, Greece or Roman Manchester. An
A late Middle Kingdom tool kit, found during Petrie’s excavations at Kahun. Acc. Nos.200-206. Photo © Paul Cliff
A dense display of shabti figurines, illustrating changes in colour over time.
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