12 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, July 30, 1997
Detroit Institute of
Arts hosts stunning
Egyptian exhibit

By Anna Kovalszki
Daily Arts Writer
For many connoisseurs of the arts,
particularly those who admire the
Sometimes complex societal struc-
tures of ancient civilizations, the daily
life of pharaohs as well as common
people of the Nile Delta hold a special
fascination. Whether it is the ancient
Egyptians' con-
cern with the
afterlife (and the ~ R
subsequent elabo- 5
rate architecture
of pyramids), orA
their concern with Detroit Ir
beauty, or even ra
their scholarly
and administrative advances, these
concepts hold the modern world of
archaeologists and scholars captive.
This was the case for Herman
Roemer (1816-1894), who estab-
lished the Roemer-Pelizaeus Museum
in Hildesheim, Germany, expressly to
exhibit a large collection of ancient
Egyptian art. The museum now con-
tains more than 9,000 objects in its
permanent collection, and more than
200 of its masterpieces are currently
on tour. This collection, the largest
ever to tour the United States, makes
its only Midwestern stop at the
Detroit Institute of Arts, the fifth-
largest art museum in the nation.
18 galleries host this large exhibit,
with showpieces such as a stone sar-
cophagus, stone tablet inscriptions, an

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18-foot-long papyrus scroll of the
Book of the Dead, jewelry, and the
famous 1 1/2-ton statue of the Vizier
Hem-iunu, which was found in one of
the largest pyramids at Giza. The
tombs of the fortunate contained even
ivory chess game pieces, so that their
pleasant pastimes in life could be
enjoyed after death.
Beside the many
images of royalty
E V I E W and the upper
plendors of classes, wooden
cient Egypt models of daily
activities like the
stitute of Arts milking of cows
ough January 4,1998 and grain grinding
display the toils of
the common people. In some families,
the women held more power, their sta-
tus displayed by their taller stature.
Animals, especially the ibis bird, were
frequent sacrificial offerings, and
even a coffin of an ibis is found in the
display of the Chapel of Toth.
Museums can become tedious at
times, and the DIA has worked hard
to elicit satisfaction in all viewers. In
the middle of the exhibit rests a dis-
play case, where demonstrations of
papyrus making and scroll writing, to
jewelry making and makeup applica-
tion show the talents of these ancient
people. Computers and audio guides,
made for children as well as adults in
Arabic and English, explain the
images of the showcase. The Egyptian
Marketplace, the exhibit's own store,

One of the artifacts on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts' "Splendors of Ancient Egypt" exhibit is the "False Door of
Ankh" (left). Estimated to have been made by the ancient Egyptians around 2180 B.C., this door portrays Egyptians' pictorial
hieroglyphic writing. Also on loan from the Pelizaeus Museum in Germany is the coffin of Amenemope, an Egyptian ruler
around 1490 B.C. (right). Such lavishly decorated coffins were typical of Egyptian burial practices for rulers and members of
the upper classes. 4

sells everything related to Egypt:
stencils of symbols, tattoos, tradition-
al-style jewelry like necklaces with
the scarab beetle, and stationery and
books, many of these relating to the
entire African continent. And for
those who enjoy the audio-visual arts,
related movies offer respite from the
sometimes unavoidable fatigue.
There are many reasons for visiting
"Splendors of Ancient Egypt," but no

more skill is needed for enjoyment
than just the ability to appreciate the
complex society and beautiful artistry
of this fascinating civilization. After
all, although seemingly fascinated
with death and the afterlife, ancient
Egyptians' views stemmed from their
love of the idea of life and its contin-
uation. We may appreciate our own
technology and times in view of their
ancient beliefs.


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