http://www.californiasciencecenter.org/Exhibits/SpecialExhibits/Cleopatra/Cleopatra.php
The exhibition consisted of "the largest collection of Cleopatra-era artifacts from Egypt ever assembled in the U.S." (about 150 artifacts) that were found both under the sands and under the sea, preserved in various states, for us to admire now…
Most of the exhibit was well designed - I especially liked the backdrops that gave the artifacts an underwater vibe, as if they were still resting comfortably in the sea.
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Overall, their use of lighting to highlight the artifacts was quite effective (although sometimes it interfered with photography).
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I found the running dramatic narrative on the 'audio tour' a bit cheesy and avoided it. As usual, I thought they should have covered more about the daily lives of the people, and how these artifacts fit into the living culture of Ancient Egypt.
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They covered some aspects of Cleopatra's life that may not be as well known to most people (see below), and I enjoyed seeing glimpses into her world through these artifacts.
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| Ptolemy XII |
Two of the most fascinating artifacts on display were the "Naos of the Decades" and the head of Serapis!
The Naos of the Decades - Fragments of it were discovered over a period of years, in Aboukir Bay. It is the oldest known astrological calendar, which sheds light on the "origins of classical astrology, born in Egypt from a combination of assyrian astrology and the pharaonic concept of the calendar".
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| notice the differences in erosion on each section |
Serapis! - A link to daily life, this God was created on order of Ptolemy the I to help unify Greeks and Egyptians under his rule. The God had a mixture of Greek and Egyptian attributes, and his cult spread rapidly throughout the lands.
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It was interesting that they included some artifacts they weren't sure about ('we found this headless statue, and it could have been Cleopatra, maybe…').
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Wonderful exhibit design, overall - definitely worth seeing! Check out the rest of my photos from the exhibit:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.294809800622477.48724.100002803789126&type=3
I also saw the IMAX film, Mysteries of Egypt, featuring fabulous cinematography of course, and a really good soundtrack ...not to mention, Omar Sharif..!!!
http://www.californiasciencecenter.org/Imax/Features/MysteriesOfEgypt/MysteriesOfEgypt.php
About Cleopatra:
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Cleopatra VII became the queen of Egypt in 51 B.C.E. She was 18 (some sources say 17). Unlike so many Greek rulers of Egypt, she enjoyed perpetuating the religious traditions of Egypt, and often portrayed herself as Isis. She learned the language and helped preserve the culture. Her life was fascinating: the last of the Ptolemies, the last pharaoh of egypt... filled with scandal and mystery! Who else would love to see a well-researched series about her?? I know I would!
Many of her enemies tried to destroy her both before and after her death, and the search for her tomb has gone on for many years, producing some fabulous artifacts from her life and times, as seen (above) in the exhibit. Although some believe they have finally found her tomb, she, herself, was not inside. Her mystery and legend live on, immortal... she remains a popular icon today... still the Queen of the Nile!
Read more:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/events/cleopatra/cleopatra-the-legend/
http://www.historyplace.com/specials/slideshows/cleopatra/index.html
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/07/cleopatra/brown-text
http://www.franckgoddio.org/sitemap/project/ProjectArticel.aspx?ProjectName=CanopicRegion&Layout=B&XmlDocument=0003.xml
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90873/6979744.html
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/05/100519-science-ancient-egypt-cleopatra-tomb-marc-antony/
http://www.touregypt.net/cleopatr.htm
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/The-Fall-of-Zahi-Hawass.html
http://www.prxi.com/exhibitions/cleopatra.html
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Cleopatra
http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/cleopatra/
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