Parade of the pharaohs: Egypt holds spectacular ceremony transporting 22 mummies including Queen Nefertari to new resting place at museum - 3,000 years after they were entombed in Valley of the Kings
- Mummies - 18 pharaohs and four other royals - transported in climate-controlled cases loaded onto trucks
- They were originally buried around 3,000 years ago in tombs in Valley of Kings and nearby Deir el-Bahri site
- Parade is part of Egypt's efforts to revive a tourism industry left reeling following the 2011 popular uprisingEgypt on Saturday held a spectacular parade to transport 22 mummies of its most famous pharaohs from central Cairo to their new resting place at a museum.
The ceremony snaked along the Nile corniche from the Egyptian Museum overlooking Tahrir Square to the newly opened National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat, Cairo, where Egypt's first Islamic capital was located.
The mummies - 18 pharaohs and four other royals - were transported in climate-controlled cases loaded onto trucks decorated with wings and pharaonic design for the hour-long journey from their previous home in the older, Egyptian Museum. They were originally buried around 3,000 years ago in secret tombs in the Valley of Kings and the nearby Deir el-Bahri site. Both areas are near the southern city of Luxor. The tombs were first excavated in the 19th century.
Vehicles are seen during the parade as the Royal mummies are transferred from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat, Cairo
The carriage carrying the mummy of Queen Ahmose-Nefertari, daughter of Pharaoh Seqenenre Tao II, advances as part of the parade of 22 ancient Egyptian royal mummies departing from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo's Tahrir Square on April 3
A mummy is seen in a video screened during the ceremony. They were originally buried around 3,000 years ago in secret tombs in the Valley of Kings and the nearby Deir el-Bahri site
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi attends the ceremony in Cairo, Egypt. He tweeted: 'This majestic scene is a new evidence of the greatness of this people, the guarding of this unique civilization that extends into the depths of history'
A general view showing the parade at the ceremony. The mummies include Ramses II, one of the country's most famous pharaohs, and Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt's only woman Pharaoh
A marching band is pictured t the start of the parade where 22 ancient Egyptian royal mummies departed to their new resting place about seven kilometres south in historic Fustat
Royal mummies are transported in a convoy from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
A general aerial view of the parade held to mark the transfer of Royal mummies to a museum in Fustat, Cairo, Egypt
A light display is seen in Tahrir Square as royal mummies are transported in a convoy from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to the National museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat
Artists perform during a transfer of Royal mummies from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to their new museum in Fustat, Cairo
Royal mummies are transported in a convoy from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to the National Museum of Egyptian CivilizationA 21-gun salute kicked off the ceremony, accompanied by lights and music.
Most of the mummies belong to the ancient New Kingdom, which ruled Egypt between 1539 BC to 1075 BC, according to the ministry of antiquities.
They include Ramses II, one of the country's most famous pharaohs remembered principally for the colossal statues he commissioned, and Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt's only woman Pharaoh.
She wore a false beard to overcome tradition requiring women to play only secondary roles in the royal hierarchy.
After excavation, the mummies were taken to Cairo by boats that sailed the Nile.
Some were showcased in glass cases, while others were stored.
The remains of Ramses II were taken to Paris in 1976 for intensive restoration work by French scientists.
The parade is part of Egypt's efforts to revive a tourism industry that has been left reeling from the political turmoil following the 2011 popular uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak, and more recently, the coronavirus pandemic.
Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Anany said: 'This parade is a unique global event that will not be repeated.'
Security is tight in the capital, with authorities closing off major streets and intersections all along the route for the slow-moving vehicles.
Guards on horses and Egyptian celebrities and signers followed the motorcade.
Movie star Hussein Fahmy said in an official promotional video: 'Again, Egypt dazzles the world with an unrivalled event.'
The mommy of King Sety I is transported in a convoy. The parade is part of Egypt's efforts to revive their tourism industry
Performers dressed in ancient Egyptian costume wait at the start of the parade of 22 royal mummies departing to Fustat
A woman dressed in ancient Egyptian costume pictured waiting at the start of the parade as they royal mummies made their way to their new resting place
Performers dressed in ancient Egyptian costume, pictured above. After excavation, the mummies were taken to Cairo by boats that sailed the Nile. Some were showcased in glass cases, while others were stored
A vehicle is seen during a parade at the ceremony, which snaked along the Nile corniche from the Egyptian Museum overlooking Tahrir Square to the newly opened National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, where Egypt's first Islamic capital was located
A general view of the Pharaoh's Golden Parade in Cairo, Egpyt, as a convoy transported 18 ancient kings and four queens
Two of the trucks carrying the ancient royal mummies are seen during the Pharaoh's Golden Parade in Cairo, Egypt, on April 3
An artist is pictured in a chariot while performing during the parade. Guards on horses and Egyptian celebrities and signers followed the motorcade
Artists perform near pyramids in a video screened during the ceremony. Movie star Hussein Fahmy said in an official promotional video: 'Again, Egypt dazzles the world with an unrivalled event'
A mummy is seen during the ceremony. The parade is part of Egypt's efforts to revive a tourism industry that has been reeling from the political turmoil following the 2011 popular uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak
A mummy is seen in a video screened during the ceremony. The Tourism and Antiquities Ministry are also live-streaming the event on social media platforms
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi attends the ceremony marking the transfer of the Royal mummies to a museum in Cairo
Riham Abdel Hakim performs at the ceremony. Once at the new museum, 20 of the mummies will be displayed, while the remaining two will be stored, according to the ministry
Musicians perform during the ceremony. The event began at sunset, and will be broadcast live on the country's state-run television and other satellite stations
Officials transported the mummies from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat on April 3, which includes remains of King Ramses II and Queen Ahmose-Nefertari (pictured)
King Ramesses II, also known as Ramses the Great, was the most powerful and celebrated ruler of ancient Egypt. He is remembered principally for the colossal statues he commissioned and for his massive building program (pictured)
The event began at sunset, and will be broadcast live on the country's state-run television and other satellite stations. The Tourism and Antiquities Ministry is also live-streaming it on social media platforms.
The 'Pharaohs' Golden Parade' began at Tahrir, where authorities officially unveiled an obelisk and four sphinxes to now decorate Cairo's most famous square.
Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, who welcomed the mummies at the new museum, tweeted: 'This majestic scene is a new evidence of the greatness of this people, the guarding of this unique civilization that extends into the depths of history.'
Once at the new museum, 20 of the mummies will be displayed, while the remaining two will be stored, according to the ministry.
The carriages carrying the mummies of Pharaoh Seti II, Siptah, Ramses II and Ramses IV (left to right) drive along the Malek al-Saleh bridge near old Cairo on their way to their new resting place
Journalists film as the carriage carrying the mummy of Pharaoh Ramses II advances as part of the parade of 22 ancient Egyptian mummies departing from a museum in Cairo's Tahrir Square
Performers dressed in ancient Egyptian costume stand by the Obelisk of Ramses II alongside four recently unveiled and restored four ancient sandstone sphinxes in the centre of the roundabout in Cairo's Tahrir Square
A person stands in the window of a building at Tahrir Square to watch the transfer of the ancient mummies between museums
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stands outside the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization as a convoy of vehicles transporting royal mummies passes in Cairo, Egypt
Performers dressed in ancient Egyptian costume mingle after the end of the Pharaohs' Golden Parade in Cairo
A view of one of four restored ancient sandstone sphinxes extracted from the Avenue of the Sphinxes in Luxor, brought to surround the Obelisk of Ramses II in the centre of the capital Cairo's Tahrir Square, unveiled prior to the parade
Security drive ahead of the parade on April 3 in Cairo, Egypt, in what officials have dubbed the Pharaohs' Golden Parade
People stand around and photograph mounted policemen marching along Tahrir Square at the end of the parade in Egypt
Who were the kings and queens transported during the parade?
Among the 18 kings and four queens that were transported to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization were mummies of King Ramses II, King Seqenenre Tao; King Thutmose III, King Seti I, Queen Hatshepsut, Queen Meritamen (the wife of King Amenhotep I) and Queen Ahmose Nefertari (the wife of King Ahmose I).
King Ramses II
The fame of Ramses II, third king of the 19th dynasty of Ancient Egypt, is put down to his flair for self-publicity.
He is remembered principally for the colossal statues he commissioned and for his massive building programme.
Dubbed Rameses the Great, his reign from 1279 to 1213BC marked the last peak of Egypt's imperial power.
He ascended the throne as the third king of the Nineteenth Dynasty at the age of twenty-five.
It's thought that during his reign he built more temples and fathered more children than any other pharaoh.
Pictured: The mummy of Ramses II at Cairo Museum in Egypt
Pictured: Portrait of Ramses II
King Seqenenre Tao
Seqenenre reigned over Egypt around 1545BC and it is estimated that he was only king for a year or so. Because of his short reign he was not able to commission many monumental structures but he did build a new palace made of mud brick at Deir el-Ballas.
Seqenenre died violently: his mummy displays five head wounds including a crushing blow, three ax wounds, and a spear or sword thrust.
Because the ax wounds were inflicted while he lay on the ground, some scholars suggest that he was killed as he slept. It is equally possible that he died in battle.
His embalming appears to have been done hastily and his limbs were not arranged in the correct way, suggesting he died under extreme circumstances.
King Thutmose III
Thutmose III reigned over Egypt from 1479–26BC and is widely regarded as ancient Egypt's greatest ruler.
He was a skilled warrior who brought the country a lot of power by conquering all of Syria, crossing the Euphrates and penetrating south across the Nile river to Napata in Sudan.
Among the many monuments he built are two great granite obelisks, known as Cleopatra's Needles, which are now in London and New York City.
The last decade of his reign is marked by the building of a new temple at Dayr al-Baḥrī.
When he died, in 1426BC, he was laid to rest in a remote corner of the Valley of the Kings in western Thebes. His mummy was discovered in 1889 in a hiding place where the priest kings from 1075-950BC had put his and others for safety.
Pictured: The tomb of Thutmose III
King Seti I
The son of Ramses I, King Seti I ruled ancient Egypt from 1290 to 1279BC.
His rule did a lot to promote the prosperity of the country by fortifying the frontier, opening mines and quarries, digging wells, rebuilding temples and shrines and continuing construction of the hypostyle hall at Karnak.
While is son Ramses II is more well-known than him, Seti is thought to be one of the greatest kings of the 19th dynasty (1292–1190BC).
His tomb was the finest in the Valley of the Kings in western Thebes.
Pictured: The mummy of Seti I
Pictured: A portrait of Seti I
Queen Hatshepsut
Achieving unprecedented power for a woman and adopting the full titles and regalia of a pharoh, Queen Hatshepsut reigned in her own right from 1473-58BC.
She was married to her half brother Thutmose II who inherited his father's throne in roughly 1492BC. Hatshepsut had a daughter but no son so when Thutmose II died, his throne was passed to a son (Thutmose III) he had with another woman.
However because Thutmose III was a child, Hatshepsut acted as regent for the young king. By the end of his seventh regnal year, Hatshepsut had been crowned king and adopted a full royal titulary.
Hatshepsut's reign was essentially a peaceful one, and her foreign policy was based on trade rather than war. But scenes on the walls of her Dayr al-Baḥrī temple , in western Thebes, suggest that she began with a short, successful military campaign in Nubia.
After she died her son continued to reign alone for 33 years and efforts were made to remove any trace of Hatshepsut's rule and her reign wasn't discovered until 1822 when archeologists were able to understand hieroglyphic depictions of her reign.
Pictured: The mummy of Queen Hatshepsut
Queen Meritamen
While there isn't much information surrounding Meritamen, she was the wife of King Amenhotep I, who ruled from 1526 to 1506BC.
Her remains were discovered at a tomb in Deir el-Bahri in 1930 by Herbert Eustis Winlock. It appears that she died when she was relatively young, with evidence of being afflicted with arthritis and scoliosis.
The outer coffin is over 10 ft in size and is made from cedar planks which are joined and carved to a uniform thickness throughout the coffin. The eyes and eyebrows are inlaid with glass. The body is carefully carved with chevrons painted in blue to create the illusion of feathers.
Queen Ahmose Nefertari
Nefertari was the daughter of King Seqenenre Tao and was married to King Amhose I during his reign from 1549–1524BC.
Her son Amenhotep I became pharaoh and she may have served as his regent when he was young. Ahmose-Nefertari was deified after her death.
It is believed she was buried in Dra Abu el-Naga and moved to a different tomb later on. Her body was discovered in 1885 by Emile Brugsch but his identification has been questioned so it is unclear whether that mummy is definitely Nefertari.
When Ahmose-Nefertari died, she was deified and became 'Mistress of the Sky' and 'Lady of the West'.
Pictured: A portrait of Queen Ahmose Nefertari
Who was King Tutankhamun and how was his tomb discovered?
The face of Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, and ruled between 1332 BC and 1323 BC. Right, his famous gold funeral mask
Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, and ruled between 1332 BC and 1323 BC. He was the son of Akhenaten and took to the throne at the age of nine or ten.
When he became king, he married his half-sister, Ankhesenpaaten. He died at around the age of 18 and his cause of death is unknown.
In 1907, Lord Carnarvon George Herbert asked English archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter to supervise excavations in the Valley of the Kings.
On 4 November 1922, Carter's group found steps that led to Tutankhamun's tomb.
He spent several months cataloguing the antechamber before opening the burial chamber and discovering the sarcophagus in February 1923.
When the tomb was discovered in 1922 by archaeologist Howard Carter, under the patronage of Lord Carnarvon, the media frenzy that followed was unprecedented.
Carter and his team took 10 years to clear the tomb of its treasure because of the multitude of objects found within it.
For many, Tutankhamun embodies ancient Egypt's glory because his tomb was packed with the glittering wealth of the rich 18th Dynasty from 1569 to 1315 BC.
Egypt's antiquities chief Zahi Hawass (3rd L) supervises the removal of the lid of the sarcophagus of King Tutankhamun in his underground tomb in the famed Valley of the Kings in 2007.
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