Walk like an Egyptian at museum exhibition
A brand new exhibition on Ancient Egypt opened in Perth at the weekend.
‘Discovering Ancient Egypt’ at Perth Museum and Art Gallery will run until May 3 and will look at how ancient Egypt has captivated Scotland for the past 200 years.
The exhibition brings together a range of objects and hidden stories from the collections at both Perth Museum and Art Gallery, and National Museums Scotland.
It will examine Scotland’s contribution to Egyptology through the lives of three remarkable individuals, whose work in the field has helped improve understanding of ancient Egyptian culture.
Wick-born Alexander Henry Rhind (1833-1863) was the first archaeologist to work in Egypt and was a pioneer of systematic excavation and recording.
On display in Perth will be objects from a tomb he excavated including a Book of the Dead papyrus belonging to a prime minister and inscribed wooden labels, which were discovered with the mummified remains of 10 princesses who shared the same royal tomb.
Based in Edinburgh, Charles Piazzi Smyth (1819-1900) served as astronomer royal for Scotland, and carried out the first largely accurate survey of the Great Pyramid, and the first-ever photography of its interior with his wife Jessie.
Visitors to the exhibition will be able to see some of his instruments, including a measuring rod he used to carry out this pioneering work.
And Annie Pirie Quibell (18621927) was an Aberdonian who was one of the first women to study Egyptology and went on to work on significant excavations as an artist and archaeologist.
She studied and excavated with WM Flanders Petrie, who is often described as the ‘father of Egyptian archaeology’.
Her artistic skill was put to great use recording the site and artefacts found, and academics today are still studying these drawings in their research.
On display will be finds from one of the earliest temple sites in Egypt at Hierakonpolis - including a bowl decorated with very early hieroglyphics and a faience baboon, both of which are over 5000 years old.
Complementing these fascinating pieces from National
Museums Scotland’s collections, will be a selection of objects from Perth Museum and Art Gallery’s collections.
Gillian Findlay, interim head of museums and collections for Culture Perth and Kinross, said: “Not only does the exhibition provide an opportunity to highlight the unique, ancient Egyptian material we care for as part of Perth’s recognised collections of national significance, but it supports a wideranging schools and public events programme as well.
“I am particularly grateful to National Museums Scotland for this element, as it enables young people who have experienced homelessness and other barriers to education and employment, and young people with autism, to enjoy the heritage in ways that suit them.”
This comes after three new galleries were opened at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh in February last year, dedicated to Ancient Egypt, East Asia and the art of ceramics.
These exhibitions are now being extended out of the Edinburgh museum to others across Scotland.
Jilly Burns, head of national and international partnerships at National Museums Scotland, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with Perth Museum and Art Gallery to reveal new stories about objects connected to ancient Egypt.”