Hatshepsut and Nefertiti welcome EES visitors in new display
Following a period of closure for essential maintenance works, visitors are being welcomed back to the EES office by a new spotlight exhibit, entitled The Women Who Changed Egypt: Discovering Hatshepsut and Nefertiti. The display―designed by our Development Manager Dr Edward Scrivens―uses the Society’s archival collections of historic replicas, artworks, and excavation records to tell the stories of these extraordinary female rulers.
Two of the most famous women in history, Hatshepsut was a queen who went on to become a fully-fledged king, while Nefertiti was central to a religious and political revolution that shook Egypt to its core. The Society’s work at the sites of Amarna and Deir el-Bahari was instrumental in bringing these fascinating figures to light.
Deir el-Bahari (with the temple of Hatshepsut in the foreground) and Tell el-Amarna
Visitors will be guided through material arranged according to key themes: Expressions of Power, Impacts and Achievements’, and Erasing Women. Two ‘star objects’ on display are scientific replicas of an unfinished bust of Nefertiti and an alabaster vase inscribed with the kingly names and titles of Hatshepsut. The original artefacts were both discovered during the EES’ excavations at Amarna between 1931 and 1933; project director John D S Pendlebury had these replicas made while the originals remained in Cairo. The unfinished bust of Nefertiti remains a highlight of the Egyptian Museum.
In addition to welcoming people back to the building and highlighting our collections, the exhibit plays an important role in shaping the Society’s future. As Development Manager, Edward coordinates the Building the Future redevelopment campaign, which seeks to regenerate our premises into an innovative, accessible, and sustainable heritage centre. The display test drives aspects of a new Interpretation Plan that will guide exhibits in the redeveloped EES, created as part of our development work with the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This spotlight display is therefore a small but crucial step towards a dynamic future for the EES collections.
The Women Who Changed Egypt is open to members and the public on Mondays-Wednesdays from 10:30 to 16:30. Join us to learn the stories of two Egypt’s most impactful leaders, and to be part of an exciting future for the Egypt Exploration Society.
