Department of Egyptian Antiquities of the Louvre

Crypt of the Sphinx, Room 1 of the Department of Egyptian Antiquities of the Louvre

The Department of Egyptian Antiquities of the Louvre of Paris, comprising over 50,000 pieces,^[1] includes artifacts from the Nile civilizations which date from 4,000 BC to the 4th century.^[2] The collection, among the world's largest, overviews Egyptian life spanning Ancient Egypt, the Middle Kingdom, the New Kingdom, Coptic art, and the Roman, Ptolemaic, and Byzantine periods.^[2]

History

The department's origins lie in the royal collection, but it was augmented by Napoleon's 1798 expeditionary trip with Dominique Vivant, the future director of the Louvre.^[1] After Jean-François Champollion translated the Rosetta Stone, Charles X decreed that an Egyptian Antiquities department be created. Champollion advised the purchase of three collections, formed by Edmé-Antoine Durand, Henry Salt and Bernardino Drovet; these additions added 7,000 works. Growth continued via acquisitions by Auguste Mariette, founder of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Mariette, after excavations at Memphis, sent back crates of archaeological finds including The Seated Scribe.^[1][3]

Rooms of the Egyptian Antiquities Department

Guarded by the Large Sphinx (c. 2000 BC), the collection is housed in around 30 rooms. Holdings include art, papyrus scrolls, mummies, tools, clothing, jewelry, games, musical instruments, and weapons.^[1][2] Pieces from the ancient period include the Gebel el-Arak Knife from 3400 BC, The Seated Scribe, and the Head of King Djedefre. Middle Kingdom art, "known for its gold work and statues", moved from realism to idealization; this is exemplified by the schist statue of Amenemhatankh and the wooden Offering Bearer. The New Kingdom and Coptic Egyptian sections are deep, but the statue of the goddess Nephthys and the limestone depiction of the goddess Hathor demonstrate New Kingdom sentiment and wealth.^[2][3]

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  Statue of Nakhthorheb, Room 2
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  Model ship, Room 3
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  Statuettes of offering bearers, 12th dynasty, Room 4
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  Kohl box monkey with palm tree, Room 5
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  Seated scribe with papyrus scroll, Room 6
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  Statue of Horus, Room 7
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  Chair and table, Room 8
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  Cosmetics spoon, Room 9
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  Colored stele of a harpist, Room 10
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  The Great Sphinx of Tanis, Room 11
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  Colossal statue of Ramesses II, Room 12
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  Sarcophagus of pharaoh Sekhemre-Wepmaat Intef, 17th dynasty, Room 13
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  Sarcophagus from the palace of Abou Rawash, 4th dynasty, Room 14
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  Libation vase in the name of Thutmose IV, Room 15

Rooms of the department are as follows:

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  Outer sarcophagus of Chancellor Nakhti, Room 16
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  Osiris Book of the Dead, Room 17
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  Nefertoum, Room 18
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  Bastet Cats, Room 19
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  Ivory hippopotamus, Room 20
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  Miniature vase, Room 21
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  Stele, Room 22
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  Statue Head of Senusret III, Room 23
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  Queen Tiye, Room 24
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  Akhenathon and Nefertiti, Room 25
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  Female head, Room 26
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  Hathor and Seti I, Room 27
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  Amulet representing a ram-headed falcon, Room 28
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  Taharqa presenting god Hemen with wine, Room 29
• 
  Mummy, Room 30

Notable artifacts

Notable artifacts are as follows:^[4]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Egyptian antiquities in the Louvre.