Egypt: The Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Archaeological Relics of Egypt – Mostafa Waziri, in cooperation with the Ambassador of Germany to Cairo – Frank Hartman, has opened an artefacts exhibition of relics under the theme of “Kantir’s Relics: a century of Fossils and research at the residence of the Raamsa.”
The exhibition started yesterday, July 17 and will conclude on October 16, 2023, at the Egyptian Museum of Liberation in cooperation between the Egyptian Liberation Museum and the Romer-Belizeus Museum in Germany.
During his speech, Secretary General Mostafa Waziri expressed his joy in celebrating this occasion by hosting the exhibition, one of the facets of the cooperation between the museum and the state of Germany. The cooperation among both parties has been extended for many years in a number of areas of archaeological and museum work, he said.
In addition, he also emphasized that the exhibition is an important message that Egypt came first and then history came, indicating that he worked with Egypt on 250 missions. An artefact from 25 foreign countries in a number of Egyptian governorates, it is an incubator of history, excavations and archaeological discoveries.
He added that the exhibition features several artefacts from the discoveries of the city of Kantir and several other stores from the city of San Al-Hajar in the East, which the museum will organize its permanent display space after the exhibition’s scheduled period is over.
Ambassador Frank Hartman expressed his pleasure at the opening of this exhibition, appreciating the efforts made by the Egyptian Museum staff to get the exhibition out in a proper form, presenting, in his words, the history of the excavations in the city of Kantir, which began in 1980 by the Romer-Belizeus Museum in Germany in cooperation with the Supreme Council for Archaeology.
In his remarks, Dietrich Rao, the director of the German Archaeological Institute in Cairo, appreciated the role of Egyptians in the fossil works in the city of Kantir, as well as the archaeological site workers who contributed significantly to the success of the fossil work.
He added that cooperation between Egypt and Germany in the field of archaeological work was not limited to excavation work but also included the exchange of experience between the parties, capacity building and other aspects of cooperation that work to enrich archaeological work between the two countries.
Professor Moumen Othman, the head of the Supreme Council of Archaeology museum sector, has explained that the exhibition contains 250 artefacts from the discoveries of the city of Qatar.
Furthermore, he also reviewed the history of the excavations, which were started by archaeologists Mahmoud Hamza and Bib Habshi and then completed by the Romer-Belzeus Museum in cooperation with the Supreme Council of Archaeology.
He emphasized the great role and responsibility that lies upon Egyptian science specialists and concerned institutions to raise awareness of preserving this cultural heritage for future generations.
Moreover, the Egyptian Museum’s General Director, Abdul Halim, said that the exhibition also features statues and carvings of the early kings of the Ramses II, such as King City I and King Ramesses II, as well as architectural elements and artefacts that illustrate daily life inside that important city, in addition to discoveries of both archaeologists who excavated this the place.
He highlighted that the exhibition will be held between July 16 and October 16, 2023, in Hall 44 on the ground floor of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, and visitors are received during the museum’s official working hours.
The opening was attended by Ayman Ashmawy, President of the Egyptian Archaeology Sector at the Supreme Council of Archaeology; Moomen Othman, President of the Museum Sector at the Upper Council of Artefacts; Ali Abdul Halim, General Director of the Egyptian Museum for Editorial.
The event also registered the presence of Sabah Abdul Razzaq, Former Director General of the Egyptian Museum, Dietrich Rao, Director of the German Archaeology Institute in Cairo, the annexe of The German Culturalist and several directors of foreign archaeological institutes in Egypt and professors of the Faculty of Archaeology at Egyptian universities.
