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Rioters destroy two mummies in Egyptian Museum in Cairo
Rioters broke into Cairo's famous Egyptian Museum yesterday and destroyed two mummies, Reuters reports.
The head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass, got on state television to say that a crowd tried to break into the museum but were fought off by tourist police and regular citizens. While the battle went in front of the entrances, some other rioters broke in through the roof and destroyed the mummies. The ticket office was also ransacked.
It's unclear at this stage if anything was stolen or if this was a simple act of vandalism. Egyptian fundamentalists have long objected to displays of mummies and ancient religious idols, so the attack may have had a religious motivation. The two mummies were not identified but were referred to as belonging to the Pharaonic period, as opposed to later Greco-Roman mummies.
The museum stands next to the headquarters of Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party, which the rioters had set on fire. If I remember correctly, there's a large open space between the two buildings and so there is little danger of the fire spreading.
[Photo courtesy user Zubro via Wikimedia Commons. This is in the Louvre and is not one of the mummies that was destroyed. You get 100 Archaeology Points if you can tell me another reason this couldn't be the mummy that was destroyed.]
Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Africa, Egypt, News, Middle East
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Katie Jan 29th 2011 6:53PM
This mummy is not Pharaonic. Also, I was at the Egyptian museum just before the protests began, and this mummy was not on display. From the info in the article and on Reuters, there would not have been time or reason to break into the vaults and destroy other mummies.
Sean McLachlan Jan 29th 2011 6:55PM
You win! Yes, it's a Ptolemaic period mummy from the Louvre.
Goga Jan 30th 2011 2:47AM
I am very sad to hear this. I have visited the museum few months ago and I am still under very strong impression. Those riches should be protected and respected.
Grant Martin Jan 29th 2011 5:09PM
The Cairo Antiquities Museum is destroying their mummies every day by not keeping them in climate controlled environments.
Cooper Jan 30th 2011 2:29AM
So, I'm guessing the mummies did not survive their beheading?
Volker Jan 31st 2011 12:45PM
Can't help but to think of a recent article about the Egyptian cultural watchdog roaming the world getting their artifacts back... independent of the crimes committed that brought them out of the country I'm convinced that bringing them out of Egypt was the guarantee for their survival.