Cairo: The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities is preparing to transfer the 22 royal mummies from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation in Fustat.
The mummies will be transferred in an international ceremony and under high security measures and in special containers to protect them from any shocks or damages.
The transfer process will be treated as an important event, no less in importance in the previous case of Ramses statue that was transferred to the main lobby of the Grand Egyptian Museum.
“The 22 royal mummies are being prepared to be transferred to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation in Fustat from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir,” said general manager of the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Sabah Abdel-Razek.
A committee composed of specialists from the Tahrir Museum and the National Research Center of the Ministry of Antiquities, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation and the Grand Egyptian Museum are maintaining and sterilising the mummies.
A rehearsal of the transfer was performed on Tuesday (January 14) using special cars which will transport the 22 mummies to prevent any harm or damages.
Veteran archaeologist Zahi Hawass said that the transfer event will be broadcast globally, covering the mummies' departure from the Egyptian Museum and their arrival at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation in Fustat.
The number of mummies and coffins to be transported is 22 royal mummies and 17 royal coffins, dating back to the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th Dynasties. Eighteen of the mummies are for kings, while four are for queens.
Among the mummies transferred are mummies for King Ramses II, King Seqenenre Tao, King Tuthmosis III, King Seti I, Queen Hatshepsut, and Queen Meritamen; wife of King Amenhotep I, and Queen Ahmose Nefertari; wife of King Ahmose I, according to Egypt Today.
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