Egyptian Hall of the Hermitage, the history of antiquity

Egypt - a country so ancient that scientists have long abandoned attempts to determine its age. The history of Egypt can be traced back to about 5 thousand years ago, these data are obtained from archaeological excavations. It is known that the famous pyramids, the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs, were built in the middle of the third millennium BC. E. The age of the pyramids is four and a half thousand years. And the whole culture of Egypt, architecture and art are fanned with antiquity.

In order to systematize the archaeological values of Egypt and make the history of this country accessible to the general public, the Egyptian hall of the Hermitage was created in St. Petersburg, designed for mass visits. This event occurred on the initiative of the chief architect of the Hermitage A. V. Sivkov in 1940.

The hall is on the first floor, at the end of the suite of the right wing. The basis of the exhibition was rarities of Egyptian culture, brought to St. Petersburg by the curator of the Hermitage VG Bok in 1889 and 1898. Most of the ancient objects were found by scientists in the monasteries of the town of Sohaga and in the necropolis of Bagauat. In the monastery cellars the museum's envoys found many treasures of historical value, and in the tombs of the necropolis there were numerous items of ordinary Egyptians.

A special certificate on behalf of the government of Egypt allowed to take out most of the exhibits to Russia and thus the Egyptian hall of the Hermitage got an interesting extensive exposition, which still attracts hundreds of tourists from all over the world.

The exposition was placed in the last three halls of the suite, according to the principle of ethnographic division. Separately exhibited ancient Egypt, then Egypt Ptolemaic period and, finally, Egypt is Roman. Part of the Hermitage Museum - Egyptian Hall, the photo of which is placed in this article, is dedicated to one of the most mysterious civilizations of the world. Visitors to the museum can trace the whole development of the culture of the ancient country, the evolution of the dynasties of the pharaohs, the main historical milestones, the wars and the peaceful creation of the Egyptian people.

For many centuries, the culture of Egypt was intertwined with the culture and art of other countries: Iran and Syria, Greece and Rome. The Egyptian hall of the Hermitage carries the interrelation of all these countries close to the mentality in their expositions, and these expositions are periodically replenished from the museum's storehouses.

It is easy to see the period of Egypt's existence under the yoke of Byzantium. Under the glass are hundreds of coins of Alexandrian coinage, depicting Byzantine rulers. Of particular value are papyrus scrolls for the grant of allowances for the maintenance of Egyptian settlements, and other documents testifying to the exploitation of the Egyptians by the conquerors.

Various exhibits of the Egyptian hall of the Hermitage allow us to trace the evolution of a great civilization in the period from the IV millennium BC. E. And up to the 3rd millennium AD.

On the theme of the construction of the Egyptian pyramids in the museum are photographs taken at different periods throughout the 20th century.

In fact, the Egyptian Hall of the Hermitage is a grandiose collection reflecting the centuries-old history of the whole country. Among the thematic expositions are objects of everyday life, works of art of antiquity, women's jewelry, sculptures, as well as sarcophagi as a symbol of special ritual belonging.

In the hall of Egypt there is one unique exhibit - this is the real mummy of the pharaoh. She is four thousand years old, she is a proof of the art of embalming. Also in the room is exhibited a stone sarcophagus, in which this mummy lay. The stone coffin, carved from solid stone, is a real work of art. Decorated with rich ornaments and intricate carvings, the lid of the sarcophagus testifies to the Egyptians' anxious attitude to the memory of the departed.