Montreal is currently hosting the Egypt. Three Thousand Years on the Nile”, which traces the everyday life of ancient Egyptian civilization from its beginnings to the Roman conquest.
More than 320 authentic objects from the collection of the Museo Egizio in Turin, Italy – one of the largest in the world – were brought to Pointe-à-Callière and displayed there for the occasion. The exhibition is also a North American exclusive.
PHOTO COURTESY OF Caroline Thibault
PHOTO COURTESY OF Caroline Thibault
The public can discover fascinating artefacts, including mummies and sarcophagi – of humans, cats and fish – but also everyday objects such as textiles, tools, statuettes, papyrus and jewelry.
The course, in turn, unfolds over two floors and offers an intimate glimpse into this ancient society. The visit begins on the banks of the Nile, where fishing, agriculture and trade are prominent, and ends at a sanctuary featuring the pharaohs. A whole part of the exhibition is also dedicated to animals, which are omnipresent both in daily life and in religious beliefs.
PHOTO COURTESY OF Caroline Thibault
PHOTO COURTESY OF Caroline Thibault
“The exhibitions about ancient Egypt, which present the pharaohs, that is, the head of the Egyptian hierarchy, were few in Quebec. Our aim with this exhibition was to present the daily life and the role of artisans, agricultural producers, the role of citizens and women in this great civilization,” said the museum’s director general, Anne Élisabeth Thibault, on Wednesday.
While you can learn a bit more about funeral rites, mummification, and the various treatments of the body in the exhibition, according to the general director, the large statues of Egyptian pharaohs and gods are among the pieces worth seeing. “These pieces travel really hard. They’re big, they’re also hard to borrow,” she said in an interview with QMI agency.
PHOTO COURTESY OF Caroline Thibault
PHOTO COURTESY OF Caroline Thibault
A look back at the Old Montreal fire
Two Pointe-à-Callière pavilions, Fort Ville-Marie and the Gathering Canal, are currently closed due to the major fire in Old Montreal that occurred near the museum in late March. The facilities were primarily affected by the smoke from the fire, but no damage to the collections was reported.
“The collections are out of reach. The damage we had is mainly related to smoke, but I assure you, the fire did not enter the building,” said Ms. Thibault, adding that the smell of smoke was still very present in both rooms. .
PHOTO COURTESY OF Caroline Thibault
PHOTO COURTESY OF Caroline Thibault
The museum and its insurers are currently evaluating the work needed to remedy the situation. The heart of the museum, the crypt, the old customs house, the old pumping station and the seaman’s house remain open to the public.
Fort Ville-Marie and the Gathering Canal are housed in a building dedicated in 2017 as part of Montreal’s 375th anniversary celebrations. It was built to Lead Gold’s construction standards and features technology that has made it fireproof. “Without this building, the excavation site would certainly have been damaged,” believes the managing director.
PHOTO COURTESY OF Caroline Thibault
The exhibition “Egypt. Three Thousand Years on the Nile begins this Thursday and runs through October 15 at the Pointe-à-Callière Museum in Old Montreal. It then returns to Turin, Italy, where it integrates the permanent exhibitions.