Ancient Egypt. A concise guide

This guide accompanies the new permanent exhibition dedicated to
Ancient Egypt at Milan's Sforza Castle. The exhibition, which features
more than three hundred artefacts, offers a comprehensive overview
of Ancient Egyptian civilisation through papyri, coffins, statues, and
small objects made in stone, bronze, terracotta and faience, as well as
wooden artefacts related to everyday life. The collection was
establishes as part of the archaeological holdings of the Municipality
of Milan during the height of the Egyptomania that swept across
Europe in the early nineteenth century. It also includes an important
group of artefacts recovered during excavations carried out by Achille
Vogliano in the Fayum between 1934 and 1939. The exhibition traces
the millennia-long history of Pharaonic civilisation, from the
Predynastic Period to the threshold of the Islamic conquest, through
thematic sections that enable visitors to explore the most significant
aspects of this culture. The guide presents a selection of the most
important works on display, allowing readers to appreciate their
craftmanship, significance, and documentary value. The particular
importance accorded by Ancient Egyptian civilisation to
representation and writing is illustrated through a selection of
artefacts associated with both daily life and the afterlife. The cultural
memory of the ancient inhabitants of the Nile Valley is presented in all
its richness through funerary assemblages, images of men and gods,
amulets, and objects of daily use.