Visit to the Egypt Museum and Way More!!

Monday October 10 started cloudy with a bit of drizzle, but after 2:00 p.m. the sun came out. The high was about 18C. We had tickets to the Egyptian Museum (Museo Egizio) for noon. The Egyptian Museum is the second largest in the world, after Cairo and is held in high regard internationally for its collection and academic research credentials. In 2015, the museum had a significant renovation and now incorporates interactive displays. It houses over 400,000 artifacts, of which 3000 are in display in the galleries. Over 4000 years of history, archeology and art are covered.

Entrance to the Egyptian Museum

Courtyard with an Egyptian garden

The first section of the Museum dealt with its establishment in 1824 and the history of the collection.

It poses the question of: WHY an Egyptian Museum in Torino?? It notes that the ties between Torino and Egypt go back before the founding of the museum. In 1563, the Savoy dynasty moved its capital to Torino and invented a genealogy for the new capital conjecturing that it had Egyptian origins.

In 1759, King Carlo Emanuele III of Savoy sponsored a journey to Egypt by Vitaliano Donati, a physician and professor of botany at the University of Turin. His mission was to create a botanical garden but also to search for other objects. He visited the whole country but died at sea in 1762. His Journal and three stone statues were taken to Torino.

Standing statue bearing the name of Ramesses II - (c. 1500-1400 BC) Donati Collection, 1761

The Mensa Isiaca is a bronze table covered with inscriptions with the image of the goddess Isis enthroned in its centre. This object, although not of original Egyptian workmanship, was made in about the first century AD, probably in Rome. Through a circuitous route it was finally acquired by the Dukes of Savoy between 1626 and 1630.

The iconography revealed a broad knowledge of the divinities of ancient Egypt. Its presence in Turin helped to make this city one of the centres for the study of ancient Egyptian civilization.

The Mensa Isiaca (Bronze 1st century AD, probably Rome)

Statue of Isis (1390-1353 BC) Donati Collection 1761

The story then moved to the deciphering of hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone discovered by French troops in 1799 and taken to England. Scholars worked on deciphering the inscriptions. This was finally accomplished by the Frenchman Jean-Francois Champollion (1790-1832), acknowledged as the father of Egyptology.

Starting in 1811, Bernardino Drovetti (1776-1852), a French Consul- General in Egypt, collected and sold Egyptian antiquities. The principal collections he assembled were sold to the House of Savoy in 1824, to France in 1827, and to Prussia in 1836.

In Italy, it was Carlo Felici, King of Sardinia who completed the purchase of the collection from Drovetti between 1822 and 1824. The price was 400,000 liras. The collection consisting of 5304 Egyptian antiquities and 3007 Graeco-Roman medals and coins, which shipped from Alexandria. It became the core of the Museo Egizio.

In 1824, Jean François Champollion was appointed a member of the Torino Academy and invited to study the Drovetti collection.

The next artifact was the papyrus of the "Book of the Dead" of Iuefankh. It was from the Drovetti Collection in 1824.

This section takes place in the hall of judgment in the afterlife

Length of the papyrus and explanations above - 165 chapters

The history then addressed Ernesto Schiaparelli, the Director of the Museum from 1894 to 1928, who changed the approach to Egyptian antiquities. From this time on, work was conducted in the field. Schiaparelli had asked the House of Savoy for assistance in obtaining the funds to carry out excavations in Egypt. Victor Emanuele III arranged for an annual grant. There were twelve excavation campaigns between 1903 to 1920 organized by Schiaparelli and they continued in the 1930s under the direction of Giulio Farina who became director after Schiaparelli's death in 1928.

Farina was Director of the Museum from 1928-48 during the fascist period. The commentary noted that he "put the well-being of the Museum and the antiquities preserved at the centre of his work. He refused to participate, unlike the collaborator, the anthropologist Giovanni Marro, in debates about the concept of "race"." Part of the Museum was bombed in 1941, and transportable items were removed in 1943 while larger statues were protected inside the museum. They were returned in 1945 and the Museum reopened to the public in 1946.

After the introduction, we went to the 3rd floor and made our way through the incredible collection. The artifacts and statues are incredibly preserved.

Inscription on base indicates that the statue belonged to a king's daughter named Redji. It is dated to the beginning of the Old Kingdom (2600-2100 BC)

Statue of Iteti- found by Schiaparelli's workmen in 1903 near Giza-- depiction of a courtier named Iteti

Limestone, Old Kingdom, 2542-2435 - pictures explained in the description

Very rare pleated tunic dating back over 4200 years ago. - discovered in female burials

Funerary stela showing Iti and Neferu receiving food offerings (2118-1980 BC) Gebelein.
Found during Schiaparelli excavation 1911

There was a room full of beautiful paintings.

Donkey with its colt carrying wicker baskets. Tempera painting (2118-1980 BC) Gebelein- Tomb of Id and Neferu. Schiaparelli excavation 1911.

Lid of the coffin of Djehutymas, chief steward of the temple of Amon (1279-1213 BC)
Drovetti Collection 1824.

Statue of Aanen, second priest of Amon (1390-1353 BC).

Drovetti Collection 1824.

Statue of Pawer, his wife Mut and their son Samut in childhood nudity (1480-1390 BC).
Drovetti Collection 1824

We went into a room with artifacts from the town of Deir el-Medina. Generally, the towns of ancient Egypt are much less known than its temples or tombs but Deir el-Medina was an exception. The village was founded around 1500 BC in a valley among desert hills and was abandoned around 1100 BC. The site was known by early explorers. Schiaparelli was the first to systematically explore the village and its necropolis (1905-1909). The village was home to builders, draftsmen, painters whose task was to build and decorate the tombs of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (1539-1076 BC). The workers could read and write as well as being fine artists.

Many artifacts were from the tombs of two upper-class individuals- the "director of works" Kha and his wife Merit. The commentary notes that "unusually the underground part was separate from the chapel and had thus eluded tomb robbers". It goes on to say "Although it was the richest and most complete non-royal burial assemblage ever found, Schiaparelli was granted permission to bring it to Turin, leaving only a few objects in Cairo". [Very interesting commentary ..]

Kia's tomb included his bed and his wife, Merit's.

Merit's bed-- Afterlife offered well-to-do people the same comforts they had enjoyed in their lifetime

Kha's tomb - ancients used flower bouquets at funerals as some do today.

Merit's tomb-- lid in gilt-- evidence suggests coffin originally made for Kha,
but used for Merit's burial instead

Pyramidion of Ramose (1292-1190 BC)

Coffin of Khonsumes

Coffins of Mentuirdis

Starting in the 3rd Intermediate Period, the body of the deceased was sometimes wrapped in funerary nets.

The Cartonnages- funerary masks

Bust of a high official, perhaps a vizier (644-525 BC) - wearing a pendant picturing the goddess Maat, which distinguishes him as a judge.

Burial customs

We then visited The Gallery of the Kings which contained the statues brought from Egypt by Bernardino Drovetti in the early 19th century. They were offered to the King of France, Louis XVIII, who refused them and finally sold to the King of Sardinia, Carlo Felice-- and hence ended up in Torino.

Statue of Ramesses II (1279-123 BC)

Every king has his own official "portrait" which allows his statues to be identified.

Statue of Sethy II - example of a monumental sculpture (1202-1198 BC). Drovetti Collection 1824

Statue of Tuthmosia III wearing royal regalia (1479-1425 BC) Drovetti Collection 1824

Alonso posing with some Sphinxes

Statue of the pharaoh Horemheb with god Amun (1319-1292 BC). Drovetti Collection 1824

We spend two hours in the Museum as it closes at 2:00 p.m. on Mondays. It was an amazing collection and the inscriptions very thorough. The conservation work is meticulous and the collection is beautifully displayed. The history of the museum and collection was extremely interesting. One is still left with the issue of " who are the tomb raiders". However, there is no doubt that the antiquities taken from Egypt are very well taken care of and displayed.

After our visit we went to Panfé, a wonderful bakery and had a piece of focaccia.

Inside the bakery - Pane, Amore e Caffè

View from our table in the portico looking back at the bakery

We then headed off to Orso Laboratoria Caffè, where we wanted to purchase some coffee for our nanopresso espresso-maker.

We passed a sport store with Raptors and Warriors gear!!

Orso is located in an area south of Via Vittorio Emanuele not too far from the Synagogue we visited earlier. "Orso" is Italian for "bear", an animal that the owners of the coffee shop say shares the same characteristics of coffee: "strong, hot and good". At Orso Laboratorio, one selects the coffee bean of your choice and then selects one of the preparation methods. We had the house blend (which was very good).

Great espresso cup design-- we would have bought a cup, but they were out of stock

Alonso with his macchiato

Inside Orso, where they ground us a bag of their beans

An amazing bakery a few doors down where we got some treats

Fortuitously, we were very close to the huge urban park- Parco del Valentino located on the west bank of the Po River. It covers an area of 500,000 square metres and is the second largest park in Torino. It was opened by the City in 1856 and was Italy's first public garden. It houses the Botanical Gardens and a number of other buildings.

The park

Walkway near the street

View of Castle

More pics of the fabulous park

Valentino

A small tram

We walked along the edge of the Park. A fabulous spot. We then made our way to Piazza Vittorio Veneto, which houses many cafés and shops.

Lovely buildings that remind us of Paris---they even have maids' quarters on the top floor

Gargoyles on this building

Garibaldi statue

The Po- very serene as it goes through Torino

Ponte Vittorio Emanuele with Piazza Gran Madre di Dio church

Another view

Piazza Vittorio Veneto - very quiet at around 4:30 on a Monday

A lovely small flower store en route

We stopped at an interesting clothing store and asked where there might be a good spot for an aperitivo. The saleswoman suggested a place called Beige in a square a few minutes away. We meandered and got there just after 5:00 p.m.

A beautiful square, Piazza Carlo Emanuele II, with a number of cafés

We ordered Campari spritz's and a vegetable cutting board. Lots of goodies and so reasonable.

As an aside, Campari and Vermouth originated in Torino.

Enjoying a rest and our aperitivos

After our aperitivos, we noticed a plaque in the square. This square was part of the old Jewish Ghetto (1679-1848).

Plaque regarding the Ghetto

A very old streetcar

The Mole Antonelliana really dominates Torino

We peeked in at Caffè Florio which was established in 1780 and was a favourite haunt of Torino's politicians and aristocrats and literary figures. It specialises in gelato and traditional hot chocolate. In the evening guests, move to an inner room for aperitivo hour and then drinks are served until 1 a.m. It was very quiet when we looked in.

Cafe Florio-

We walked back to the apartment, passing Piazza Castello.

Piazza Castello on a quiet Monday late afternoon

We went out for a late dinner at Da Cianci Piola, a nearby Piedmontese restaurant that is popular with the locals. It had been recommended by the Guardian as a favourite place of the journalist to visit in Torino. It was very busy at 9:30 p.m. on a Monday night.

It has a small menu with very reasonable prices. Antipasti are 5 euros, first courses are 6 euros, and second curses are 7 euros.

The menu

We shared an antipasti of vitello tonnato (Piedmontese dish of cold, sliced veal with a flavoured creamy tuna sauce), tajarin (thin ribbon-like pasta) with ragú d'anatra (duck) and a main of ossobuco con patate. We shared a carafe of Nebbiolo wine.