Egypt Participates with Three Artifacts in 'World Antiquities' Exhibition in Italy

Cairo – Hanaa El-Sayed: The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, represented by the Supreme Council of Antiquities, participated in the exhibition “Ancient Worlds: Cultural Interactions from 800 BC to 800 AD,” held in Milan, Italy, with three archaeological artifacts. Dr. Hesham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, stated during his participation in the exhibition’s opening ceremony, attended by a select group of directors of major international museums, that Egypt’s participation in this exhibition aims to highlight the commercial, religious, and political ties that connected the civilizations of the Mediterranean basin, Asia, and Africa during the period spanning from Late Antiquity to the early centuries of the Common Era, aligning with the exhibition’s theme, which sheds light on the movement of trade and cultural interaction among the peoples of the ancient world. He noted that the Egyptian artifacts on display include a marble statue from the Suez Canal Authority Museum, and two limestone panels from the museum storage facility in Qift, Qena Governorate, which were discovered in the Berenice area in the Red Sea Governorate. The Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities added that this exhibition is a continuation of the archaeological and cultural cooperation between Egypt and Italy, which spans more than 70 years and has witnessed landmark milestones, starting from the Nubian Monuments Rescue Campaign to the work of joint archaeological missions in Luxor and Aswan. The exhibition is one of the most prominent international archaeological exhibitions this year, featuring more than 160 artifacts from Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Greece, Iraq, India, and China, aiming to showcase the history of cultural and commercial interactions among the peoples of Africa, Asia, and Europe over approximately 1,600 years, from 800 BC to 800 AD. The displayed artifacts highlight the strategic importance of Egypt’s geographical location as a central hub in the trade route network that linked the Roman Empire with various regions of the ancient world.