An interview with Peter Der Manuelian, Barbara Bell Professor of Egyptology and director of the Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East.
The new Egypt Eternal: 4,000 Years of Fascination exhibition opens Sunday, September 21. What is the enduring attraction of ancient Egypt?
Sometimes it feels like ancient Egypt means something different for each of us, depending on what we bring to the table. There are scholarly perspectives, Egyptomania perspectives, Afrocentrist perspectives, fashion and design perspectives. But one thread that perhaps fascinates us all is the chasm of time between us and the land of the pharaohs—three-, four-, even five-thousand years. Were they still just like us? Were they nothing like us? Or is the answer somewhere in the middle?
What will visitors find within Egypt Eternal?
In our reimagined second floor gallery we touch on themes that will excite, inform, and educate visitors on a wide range of objects that tie into the larger story behind ancient Egyptian civilization. There are funerary objects such as painted coffins, examples of fine jewelry, historical hieroglyphic inscriptions, statues and even textile samples from Egypt’s Coptic (Christian) era.
What is special or unique about what’s on view?
Some objects are coming on view for the very first time, from inlaid pieces with gold and precious stones to wonderful textiles, and, down the road a bit, a colossal royal statue from the Pyramids. We have also restored and opened up our magnificent Palladian (arched) window—closed for years—to let in natural light from Divinity Avenue. With new wall colors and a new floor, the gallery has undergone a major upgrade.
What are you most excited to feature?
We’re always keen to enhance our collections with educational technology that tries to delight without getting in the visitor’s way. Often these features allow you to experience the artworks in ways you otherwise couldn’t, even while standing in the gallery; for example, how would you view the interior detail of a painted coffin? We’ll lift the lid for you virtually!
The gallery space got a big refresh; what’s different about the gallery now?
This gallery previously told the story of our founder, David Gordon Lyon, and his 1903 vision for the Museum, presenting as many ancient Near Eastern cultures as possible. Now the second floor will simplify the story a bit by focusing on Egypt alone. After our 2025 opening, we hope to continue to augment and update the gallery in the coming months with additional objects, and new technologies. There is a modular quality to the different stories we can tell in different parts of the room, so watch this space for impressive changes still to come.