Ancient Treasures From Lost Egyptian City Head to San Francisco

Egyptian archaeologists discovered a lost “golden city” built for Aten under Amenhotep III in the late 1300s B.C.E., later abandoned by Akhenaten. Dozens of relics from the site will debut for American audiences in the exhibition “Treasures of the Pharaohs” at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. The exhibition previously premiered globally in Rome and includes 130 artifacts on loan from Egyptian institutions such as the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the Luxor Museum. The de Young will adapt the layout and thematic arrangement to its galleries. The artifacts span from Egypt’s origins around 3100 B.C.E. through the penultimate Third Intermediate Period, 1076–655 B.C.E., across six sections in eight galleries.

"In 2020, Egyptian archaeologists discovered the lost “golden city” of Aten-built under King Tutankhamun's grandfather Amenhotep III in the late 1300s B.C.E. then abandoned by his heretic son, Akhenaten. “I don't think you can oversell it,” Salima Ikram, the head of the American University in Cairo's Egyptology unit, said as crews announced the discovery. “It is mind-blowing.”"

"The exhibition made its global premier in Rome last November. All of its offerings are on loan from Egypt's storied institutions, like the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the Luxor Museum. The country's famed archaeologist Zahi Hawass wrote the catalog. The de Young is no stranger to ancient Egypt, though. The museum holds over 500 of Egyptian artifacts of its own, though none will appear in this show."

"At the de Young, “Treasures of the Pharaohs” will closely resemble its Roman predecessor. “The layout by nature of the galleries will be different, and the thematic arrangement has been devised differently for the de Young,” a representative told me over email. The show will present 130 artifacts hailing from the ancient Egypt's origins (around 3100 B.C.E.) through its penultimate Third Intermediate Period (1076 through 655 B.C.E.) across six sections in eight galleries."

"Per press materials, the full spectacle will offer “rare insights into Egyptian society and beliefs” while “deepening our understanding of their world, government, and gods.” This summer, dozens of relics unearthed there will debut to American fans in the show “Treasures of the Pharaohs” at the de Young Museum in San Francisco."

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