EGYPTIAN MUSEUM
OF THE
URUGUAYAN SOCIETY OF EGYPTOLOGY
In 1984 the Uruguayan Society of Egyptology opened an Egyptian Museum with the purpose of offering the students of the Uruguayan Institute of Egyptology an opportunity to see ancient Egyptian objects without leaving our premises. The small collection consisted then of mostly good reproductions of such objects obtained from big European or North American museums.
Over the years, public interest led to opening our museum to the public and generous donations by some of those visitors increased the number of objects and their quality, since all the recent acquisitions were originals purchased or found by relatives of those persons who had visited Egypt many years ago and had brought back with them such artefacts as souvenirs, to the point that now about 50% of our collection is authentic.
To the left, our premises; in the middle, Prof. J. J. Castillos, Director of the Museum, with two officials from the local Egyptian Embassy; to the right, a reproduction of an ancient Egyptian mummy made by a group of students of the Institute.
To the left, general view of some of the exhibits, the three empty display cases in the middle are used for temporary exhibitions; centre and right, one of the display cases and a detail of same. The TV set and VCRs to the right are used to show films when groups visit the museum. The visits and the videos shown can be in Spanish or English, upon request.
At the present time, an ambitious project to refurbish and redesign this museum has been approved by the Board of our institution. Regrettably, no funds were made available by government officials to whom the project was submitted and other alternative plans are currently being considered. About U$S 7,000 are estimated to be required for completion, a meagre sum if we consider that local schools and other cultural institutions benefit from this museum and visit it regularly as part of their educational activities. No admission fee is required to visit our museum, a local tradition which we wish to continue to follow so as to reach the widest possible range of potential visitors.
A group of students from the Queen's School of
Montevideo visiting our Museum in June 2000.
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After (and if) this project is carried out, we will be able to exhibit about one hundred more objects that are currently in storage due to insufficient space for an adequate arrangement within the display cases.
To the left, a group of students from the Erwy School of Uruguay and to the right a group of members of the Friends of Egyptology Association of Buenos Aires, Argentina, visiting our museum.
Young visitors apparently quite absorbed in the contemplation of some of our most ancient exhibits from Egypt. After the visit, they can ask any questions they wish and a small prize is given to the best question as an encouragement to their interest.
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We accept donations from visitors (a box to that effect is prominently visible) and we generate some income as well through the sale of decorated papyri and scarabs obtained in the shops of Egypt, but the amounts raised are barely enough for the maintenance of the museum and related equipment.
To the left, fragment of a funerary stela with the typical htp-di-nsw formula; in the middle, a model of an Old Kingdom pyramid complex; to the right, a relief with the head of a king.
On the left, 150 million-year-old fossils from Upper Egypt which show how far south the sea had penetrated into Egypt; on the right, prehistoric implements from different periods, also found in Egypt.
To the left, a fragment of a stela from Thebes bearing the name in hieroglyphs of the great temple of Karnak; in the middle, a piece of finely made rope probably dating back to the New Kingdom; on the right, the bottom of a broken stone vase showing the marks of its manufacture.
To the left, a piece of coarse linen and to the right, another of more finely woven linen, belonging to ancient body wrappings.
In addition to the model of an Old Kingdom pyramid complex, our museum also has, through the kindness of a Uruguayan architect, Oscar Díaz Arnesto, former professor at the Faculty of Architecture, very well-made models of a Mesopotamian ziggurat, of the White Chapel of Sesostris I at Karnak and of the funerary complex of king Mentuhotep at Deir el Bahari, as well as more recently, of the funerary temple of queen Hatshepsut in the same location, all of which have now been put on display in order to provide good examples of some aspects of ancient Egyptian (and Mesopotamian) architecture.
The number of visitors to our museum has been steadily increasing, due to a certain extent to the exposure it has got in the local media. Quite often, radio, newspaper and TV people have judged its contents to deserve more attention and have repeatedly visited us for the purpose of showing the collection to the public. After each broadcast or publication, a surge in public interest followed.
Central display cases with some new objects recently donated to our museum.
Besides this means of making the public familiar with our existence, the frequent public lectures by members of the Institute and the kind assistance of the local Egyptian Embassy which does not miss a chance to refer to our facilities and recommend a visit, have contributed to the purpose.
A catalogue listing all authentic ancient objects in our museum will soon be published, but because of the cost involved, all the plates will be black and white, if you wish to see the objects in full colour, then click with your mouse on the link given below:
COLOUR PHOTOS OF ALL AUTHENTIC OBJECTS
We are in permanent contact with other similar institutions around the world and we are always ready to assist in any research project in which our modest collection could be useful.
For any purpose, you may contact us using the following information:
Email:
juancast@yahoo.com
Address: 4 de Julio 3068 Montevideo
Uruguay CP 11600
Tel. / Fax: (598 2 ) 622 5352
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EGYPTIAN MUSEUM AT CAIRO, EGYPT
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