Events

9. 4. 200815:13

Exhibition 17 April 2008 - 27 April 2008: Unearthing Ancient Egypt

Exhibition on the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Czech Institute of Egyptology

Under the aegis of the Prime Minister, Mirek Topolánek, the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic, the National Museum – Náprstek Museum of Asian, African and American Cultures and the Czech Institute of Egyptology of the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University in Prague are holding an exhibition called “The Revelation of Ancient Egypt – Exhibition on the 50th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Czech Institute of Egyptology” upon the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Czech Institute of Egyptology of the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University. Through this exhibition, all the institutions jointly involved in its holding - in particular through photographs and more than one hundred items from the National Museum - Náprstek Museum – are celebrating the work not only of Czech Egyptologists in Egypt, but also the initial interest in ancient Egypt as reflected by the oldest collections. The exhibition is organised chronologically from the start of interest in Egypt and the personalities of the first Czech Egyptologists – František Lexa, Jaroslav Česný and Zbyňek Žába –, through the protective work of UNESCO in Nubia and archaeological research in Abusir, right up to the latest research in the oasis el-Hajez in the Egyptian Western Desert.

Amongst the most significant exhibits of the exhibition are without doubt the group of objects from the mastaba of Princess Chekeretnebtej (Old Empire, 5th Dynasty, approximately 2510–2365 BC), where we can find a bolster made of Egyptian alabaster, group of limestone canopies and set of miniatures of alabaster and copper vessels or ceramic vessel with funnel and group of Merojian ceramics from Nubia. There is also a relief block with a depiction of King Taharka from the old collection of the National Museum.

An accompanying Czech-English catalogue is also being published for the exhibition. This exhibition is the first of many events on the territory of the Czech Republic related to the project “Year of Czech Egyptology”. The exhibition is being held as part of the project "Research into the Civilisation of Ancient Egypt” (scientific-research intention of the Ministry of Schools, Youth and Physical Education No MSM 0021620826), the managing body of which is the Czech Institute of Egyptology of the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University in Prague, and the project “Personalities of Czech Science and Culture” (research intention of the Ministry of Culture No MK 00002327202), the managing body of which is the National Museum.