Grand Egyptian Museum,

 Section 1 In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Dear friends, welcome once

again. We’re returning to explain the Grand Egyptian Museum, and today we will begin entering the

first hall out of the twelve halls dedicated to the main exhibition. This hall currently displays more

than 550 pieces. Of course, explaining all the halls is extremely difficult and requires a lot of time

and effort, but, God willing, I intend to explain this entire hall. My goal is not just to introduce the

Grand Egyptian Museum, but to create a comprehensive course on Egyptian civilization. And there

is no better place than the Grand Egyptian Museum to study this civilization—historically,

religiously, and culturally— to study the evolution of customs and traditions and to draw a complete

picture of Egyptian life from the dawn of history until the Greco-Roman era. This is the function of

any museum in the world: it serves as a record of the memory of peoples. You cannot understand

your present reality unless you understand the origins from which we came. I don’t want my

explanation to be just a reading of the labels on the pieces in the display cases. The subject will be

much bigger than that. God willing, I will explain the history, religion, and customs and traditions

reflected in these pieces so that by the end of this series, you will be able—without any

assistance—to understand Egyptian civilization as if you had lived in it.

Section 2 So now, as we walk through this first hall, we’ll take each piece step by step. We’ll talk

about its historical period, the king or person connected to it, and the customs or religious practices

it reflects. We’ll also link these objects to stories from ancient Egypt that reveal how people lived,

worshiped, and saw their world. Some items may look simple, but behind them are powerful

messages about society and belief systems. My goal is to make this hall come alive, not just as an

exhibition, but as a journey through time. As we move forward, remember that every artifact here is

a voice from thousands of years ago— voices that tell us who the ancient Egyptians were, how they

thought, and why their civilization lasted so long.

Section 3 We’ll begin with the first display case on the right-hand side as you enter the hall. Inside,

you’ll see small statues of deities and offering bearers—these were placed in tombs to serve the

deceased in the afterlife. The craftsmanship might seem modest at first glance, but notice the

details in the faces and the postures: they reflect the beliefs of ordinary Egyptians, not just the royal

family. Many of these pieces date back to the Middle Kingdom, a period of artistic renaissance and

renewed focus on personal piety. Through them, we can glimpse how religious practice was not

only for kings but also for everyday people who hoped for a blessed eternity. This is a theme you’ll

see repeated throughout the hall: the blending of daily life and sacred belief.

Section 4 Moving further along, you’ll find a collection of limestone reliefs taken from tomb walls.

These scenes depict agricultural work—plowing, sowing seeds, harvesting grain, and tending

livestock. They are not simply decorative; they were intended to magically ensure that the

deceased would continue to receive food in the afterlife. Notice how detailed the artists were: you

can see the shape of the plow, the movement of the oxen, and even the rhythm of workers as they

swing their tools. These reliefs tell us a great deal about daily life: the tools they used, the crops

they planted, and the values they held about sustenance and continuity. They also show that

ancient Egyptians saw no separation between the sacred and the practical—feeding your family

was as sacred as offering bread to the gods.

Section 5 Next, we reach a group of statues representing officials and their families. These statues

were placed in chapels within tombs so that the soul (the ka) could inhabit them and receive

offerings. Look at the positioning: husbands and wives seated side by side, sometimes holding

hands or with an arm around the other’s shoulders. This reflects not only their social status but also

the importance of family bonds in ancient Egypt. The inscriptions often list their titles—overseers of

granaries, scribes of the treasury, priests of particular deities—giving us insights into the

administrative and religious structure of their world. Even the smallest details, like the shape of a

wig or the cut of a garment, tell historians about fashion trends and cultural norms at the time.

These works are not just art pieces; they’re living records of relationships, professions, and the

enduring values of love, loyalty, and duty.

Section 6 Now, as we move to the center of the hall, you will notice a striking colossal statue—one

of the most impressive pieces here. Its sheer size was meant to project power and divine authority.

Ancient Egyptian kings believed their image was a conduit of protection and strength, not just a

likeness. Look closely at the facial features: the serene expression, the almond-shaped eyes, and

the faint smile known as the “royal smile.” These traits were deliberately carved to convey eternal

calm and control, no matter what turmoil might have surrounded the kingdom. The proportions of

the body, guided by strict artistic conventions, were designed to express perfection and

balance—key values in Egyptian thought known as ma’at (order, harmony, and justice). Standing

before such a statue, you’re not just looking at stone—you’re standing before the ancient idea of

kingship itself.

Section 7 On the left side of the hall, we find a set of wooden coffins beautifully painted with vivid

colors and hieroglyphs. These belong to priests and high officials from the Late Period. The scenes

on the coffins depict protective deities, spells from the Book of the Dead, and offerings to the gods

to guide the deceased safely into the afterlife. Notice how the artisans used bright blues, greens,

and reds—colors symbolizing life, rebirth, and divine power. Even after thousands of years, much of

this color remains, reminding us of the incredible skill and materials used by ancient Egyptian

craftsmen. The hieroglyphic texts are not just decorative writing; they are functional spells meant to

speak directly to the gods. Each image and symbol carried deep meaning—nothing was random or

without purpose.

Section 8 Moving forward, we encounter a series of small amulets and jewelry pieces made of

faience, carnelian, and gold. These were not merely ornaments—they served as charms for

protection, health, and prosperity. The scarab beetle, for example, symbolized rebirth and the rising

sun, while the ankh represented life itself. Many of these amulets were worn daily by the living and

later buried with the dead to ensure safety in the afterlife. By studying their shapes and inscriptions,

we can trace trade routes, religious changes, and even personal stories of devotion. Jewelry in

ancient Egypt was deeply spiritual: every stone, every symbol carried a purpose beyond beauty.

The fine workmanship of these pieces also demonstrates the technological and artistic

achievements of the ancient craftsmen.

Section 9 As we approach the far end of the hall, you’ll see fragments of colossal statues and

temple reliefs from the New Kingdom period. These pieces once adorned massive temples built by

pharaohs such as Ramses II and Amenhotep III. Even as broken fragments, they convey a sense of

awe and power—the scale alone reminds us of the grandeur of their original settings. Look at the

carving techniques: the precision of the hieroglyphs and the deep, confident cuts into the stone.

Such craftsmanship required not only artistic talent but also advanced knowledge of tools and

materials. These fragments also preserve historical records—names of kings, accounts of battles,

and dedications to the gods—that help Egyptologists reconstruct the political and religious history of

that era. Standing before them, you can imagine the temples bustling with priests, worshippers, and

processions under the blazing Egyptian sun.

Section 10 Finally, before leaving this hall, take a moment to step back and view the entire space

as a whole. Every piece here—whether a tiny amulet or a colossal statue—fits into a much larger

story of human history. The Grand Egyptian Museum was designed not just to display artifacts, but

to immerse you in the world of ancient Egypt. By walking through this hall, you’ve traced the lives of

farmers, artisans, priests, and kings. You’ve glimpsed their beliefs about life, death, and eternity,

and you’ve seen how art, religion, and daily life were intertwined. Remember that this is only the

first of twelve halls, and each will reveal new layers of Egypt’s civilization. The journey through

these halls is not simply an academic exercise—it’s a dialogue with the past, a way of hearing

voices that have spoken across millennia. As we continue in future sections, we’ll dive even deeper

into the stories behind these treasures and the people who created them.