Many Egyptian museums presented to the public many artefacts that express the concept of love in Ancient Egyptian society. The pieces that were displayed to celebrate Valentine’s Day were voted by the public in a poll conducted in November 2021. Some of these pieces are being shown for the first time.
Alexandria National Museum:
On display at the Alexandria National Museum is the wedding invitation of former Egyptian King Farouk and Queen Farida, which was presented to the senior officials at the time.
This piece is being shown for the first time. It is a gold-plated pin with a picture of king Farouk I and Queen Farida surmounted by the royal crown and bearing the date of 20 January 1938.
Sharm El-Sheikh Museum:
In Sharm El-Sheikh Museum, a box of perfumed paint from the era of the 19th Dynasty of the New Kingdom is on display. It contains eight pots of perfume with the name of each one written on the exterior of the pot.
Ancient Egyptians considered perfumes to be the nectar of the gods, and they made them from the juices of fragrant plants that they cultivated or imported from several countries. They were used in daily life and religious funeral rites.
Hurghada Museum:
The Hurghada Museum is displaying a double limestone statue of the Ancient Egyptian god Osiris and his wife, goddess Isis, seated on a throne. The statue dates back to the Third Intermediate Period.
The goddess Isis is an icon of love and sacrifice in Ancient Egyptian civilisation.
Cairo International Airport Museum 3:
On display at Cairo International Airport Museum 3 is a round bronze mirror that was a dedication to deities of love and beauty such as Aphrodite and Hathor.
The back of the mirror is decorated with interwoven floral and geometric motifs, dating back to the seventh century CE.
Jaber Anderson Museum:
The Jaber Anderson Museum is displaying a fountain made of marble in the shape of a swan’s head.
The swan was used as a symbol of love in ancient times, and it has been reused since the Renaissance to refer to the Ancient Greek god Zeus, who disguised himself as a swan to reach his beloved Leda, according to the famous Greek myth.
Ismailia Museum:
On display at the Ismailia Museum is a pottery vessel from the Greco-Roman period in the form of a human face, which was used for perfume.
Sohag National Museum:
The Sohag National Museum is displaying a sandstone statue from the era of the New Kingdom of a man and his wife sitting with the woman’s hand placed behind her husband’s back, indicating her support and love for her husband.
