On the occasion of International Museum Day: Opening of the "Golden Jewelry of Karnak" Exhibition at the Luxor Museum of Ancient Egyptian Art As part of the celebrations of International Museums Day, Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, inaugurated a temporary auxiliary exhibition entitled "The Golden Jewelry of Karnak" at the Luxor Museum of Ancient Egyptian Art.
The exhibition was attended by Dr. Hisham Abu Zeid, Deputy Chief of Staff of Luxor; Mr. David Sadoulet, French Cultural Counselor in Cairo; Professor Mohamed Abdel Badie, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector; and Dr. Antoine Petit, Executive Director of the French National Centre for Scholars, members of the Palaces Council of Professors and leaders of the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the French National Centre for Scientific Research, as well as heads of departments from both the Egyptian and French sides.
The exhibition features a unique collection of gold jewelry dating back to the beginning of the 26th week of the dynasty, which was recently uncovered in a well-preserved pottery vessel by the joint Egyptian-French archaeological team of the Franco-French Centre for the Temples of Karnak (CFEETK) and the Supreme Council of Antiquities, north of Karnak Temple. Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled highlighted the importance of this exhibition, which sheds light on one of the most important influences on modern art.
This exhibition is part of the Open Museum development and expansion project, announced in October 2024. He noted that the exhibits continue to reflect on the management of relations and craftsmanship that took place within the Karnak table during the Late Period. The exhibits include gold and metal bracelets, small gold amulets representing the sacred Karnak triad: Amun, Mut, and Khonsu, as well as metal brooches, amulets depicting deities on domestic animals, and hundreds of beads, some of which are gold-plated. The exhibits also featured a distinctive green schist ring with a New Year's motif glorifying the god Amun, a golden ring representing the era of the terrified goddess Mut, symbolizing the Nile and the Nile, and a small Latin gold body piece representing Sekhmet or Mut, both of which were integrated at Karnak.
On the other hand, Abdel Ghaffar Wagdy, Director General of Luxor District, a researcher on the Egyptian side, stated that this group has not added anything significant, noting that the doctor's discovery north of Karnak Temple is in a promising excavation area, where he contributed to the construction of massive French brick buildings. However, he added that these have not succeeded or will help compensate for the damage caused to the site. He added that his work, which began in November 2024, is seeking a French source, as it differs from the features of a smart and professional electronic equipment area north of Karnak Temple.
The discovered jewelry is an indication of the presence of a specialized jewelry workshop, which supports his understanding of the diverse nature of economic and religious activity at the site during the Late Period.
