The River Nile, handwriting, handicrafts, faith and ethnography are the main themes of the planned National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. Nevine El-Aref sees the progress in action The roar of a dozen trucks and the hum of hundreds of engineers, archaeologists and workmen break the customary silence of Ain Al-Sira Lake in the heart of the site of Egypt's first Islamic capital. Workmen in yellow helmets mix concrete and ferry steel bars across the 32-feddan site as builders lay the foundations of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. The museum will be ready to open in about three years. The site is aptly chosen. In addition of being the neighbour of Salaheddin Citadel and Old Cairo's religious- antiquities-rich core with its Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque, Hanging Church and Beni- Ezra synagogue, it is located in the core of Fustat city, Egypt's first Islamic capital founded by the Arab conqueror Amr Ibn Al-Aas. In 640 AD, when he entered Egypt his intention was to retain Alexandria as Egypt's capital, but this plan was rejected by the Muslim Khalif Omar Ibn Al-Khatab who did not approve of its location vis-�-vis the rest of Egypt and the capital at Medina. Instead the new capital was founded at the place where the victorious army first encamped, on the east side of the Nile just north of the fortress of Babylon, from where Medina could be reached overland without crossing the watery Nile Delta. It was given the name of Fustat, which means "the tent or the camp of tents". It was said that Ibn Al-Aas chose this name because on returning to his tent he found a dove nesting among its goat-hair hangings. He waited until after the dove had raised her brood and departed before building a mosque on this site, around which the city grew. At this stage the populace consisted mostly of soldiers and their households, and Fustat exhibited the typical plan of a garrison town. It grew quickly, and by the eighth century it had tall buildings and was crowded with people. Excavations carried out on the site reveal that during the middle ages Fustat was regarded as one of the most prestigious and important cities in the world. It was an awe-inspiring city. Its splendour is described by visiting travellers -- Al- Muqaddas, who was born in 944 and died at the end of the 10th century, mentioned its richly decorated houses and bazaars selling goods from lands as far away as Spain and China. The Persian writer Nasiri Khusraw (1004-1077) described the houses as seven to 14 storeys high, and recorded that some streets were lit both day and night. Even though European cities copied its sewerage and water systems, the city did not retain its status as capital of Egypt. Through different Islamic ages other administrative districts were built to the north of Fustat: the Abbasids built Al- Askar, the Tulunids Al-Qatai and the Fatimids the great administrative and court centre of Al-Qahira, which gave its name to modern Cairo. However, Fustat remained an important trading post for the eastern Mediterranean world until 1168, when the town was razed by the vizier Shawar to prevent its occupation by Crusaders. The flames raged for 54 days while the population fled to the compound of Al- Qahira immediately to the north. The historian Al- Maqrisi reported that the inhabitants of Fustat referred to this tragedy as "Fustat's Judgement Day". The town was partly rebuilt but never recovered, and eventually became a backwater. However it is unlikely that the town was ever completely abandoned, and until recently a potters' quarter existed on the site. Although plans for the museum were drawn in 1990, the first phase of the project began only in 2002 after laying the pyramid-shaped foundation stone. The museum has grand ambitions -- it is intended to address several periods of Egypt's great past. Space was originally allowed for a museum of civilisation in what is now the parking area of the Cairo Opera House, but since this proved too small the idea remained dormant until 1997 when, during an Iftar with the minister of interior, Culture Minister Farouk Hosni was so impressed with the panoramic view from the edge of the Ain Al- Sira Lake that he suggested to archaeologists and experts from UNESCO that it might make a suitable location for the museum. All the authorities concerned agreed, describing it as a perfect site not only because of its attractive backdrop but also its distinguished history. In addition to being at the core of the former city of Fustat, it is close to Maadi, an important site in the pre-dynastic epoch, as well as to the Citadel of Salaheddin and the rich centre of Old Cairo, or Babylon, with such religious antiquities as the mosque of Amr Ibn Al-Aas, the Hanging Church (among other churches and Christian sites) and the Ben-Ezra synagogue. The stage for the National Museum for Egyptian Civilisation was set in 2000, with the Cairo governorate removing all encroachment on the site and offering the Ministry of Culture the 32 feddans they needed. In 2002 Mrs Suzanne Mubarak laid the foundation stone, and in 2004 the first phase of the project was completed. This aimed at preparing the site for construction work by carrying out a routine but extensive pre-building inspection to check if any antiquities were buried below ground. In addition, an up-to-date storehouse, similar to the ones at the Louvre in Paris and the British Museum in London, has been built on site. Egyptologist Ayman Abdel-Moneim, who is directing the project, told Al-Ahram Weekly that such museological storage, with a very sophisticated security system connected directly with the police commissariat, was the first of its kind to be built in Egypt. To access it magnetic cards from two inspectors will be required. To tighten security measures and abort any attempt at theft, each showcase has its own code connected to a special device which in turn registers the time and the ID code of the curator who opened it. A laboratory to restore pieces in the museum's chosen collection was also among the achievements in the first phase. The second phase of the project, the actual construction, is now in its early stages. According to Farouk Abdel-Salam, first undersecretary at the Ministry of Culture, the museum building will actually occupy only five of the 32 feddans, with the remainder being taken up by landscaping and outdoor exhibits consisting of antiquities found during the course of the pre-building inspection. The planned four storey building -- of which the first two floors will be devoted to exhibits, the third to a documentation centre and the fourth to an archaeological and historical library-- has an exceptional architectural design to integrate with its surroundings as well as symbolise the ages in Egypt's past. It is influenced by the architectural paradigms of its brilliant collection; hence the exterior features a somewhat neutral, simple look that suits its timeless quality. The conception of the building reflects several aspects of Egyptian civilisation. Its large, square shape represents the base of a pyramid, while a gallery equivalent to a pyramid ramp leads to a smaller building representing the valley temple which will encompass a 400 square metre educational institute and a conference hall. To emphasis the pyramid-shape of the complex, the building has a benben -shaped top which will house the archaeological library. Abdel-Moneim pointed out that the museum would place on show Egypt's diverse civilisations from pre-historic to modern times. On display will be 150,000 artefacts carefully selected from the principal museums in Egypt: the Egyptian, Islamic and Coptic museums in Cairo, the Graeco-Roman and Alexandria National museums in Alexandria and the Luxor Museum, as well as major archaeological storehouses such those on the Giza Plateau and at Saqqara. "These will be carefully selected by a scientific committee which is now digging through the halls and storage of these museums as well as storehouses of major archaeological sites to unearth artefacts needed for the Museum of Egyptian Civilisation," Abdel-Moneim said. "Exhibits featuring the skills and achievements that Egypt's history has witnessed will be organised within the museum's walls." Abdel-Moneim said the task would be completed by the end of this year. The Nile, handwriting, handicrafts, society and faith are the five main component themes of the Museum of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. As Egypt's source of life and stability, the Egyptian civilisation, essentially based on agriculture, was born on the banks of the Nile. In the Nile pavilion visitors will be able to traverse the various epochs beginning with pre-history right through the Pharaonic, Coptic, Islamic and modern periods. One of the most important subjects will be the section telling the history of Lake Nasser; its creation, its importance and its role in changing the irrigation system and agricultural methods of Egypt. The irrigation system exhibit, Abdel- Moneim said, would start with the reign of Mena, founder of the First Dynasty, and continue until the time of Senusert III of the Middle Kingdom. In this pavilion, a section will be dedicated to Egypt's flora and fauna. In the handwriting section visitors will see the scientific aspects of the nation's evolution in science through astrology, mathematics and medicine. Successive eras witnessed Egypt's economic prosperity which helped expand the Egyptian market and developed industrial life in Egypt. Various kinds of handicrafts will be on show relating to copper and other metals as well as sculpting, carving and architecture. The various echelons of Egyptian society and its governmental system will be explained in the ethnographical section, along with the different faiths. Zahi Hawass, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, told the Weekly that royal mummies would be displayed in such a way as to illustrate the different personalities and achievements within the social context. These would include models of relevant temples, tombs and obelisks. For example, Hawass said, on show along with the mummy of Ramses II would be models of his Nubian temples, statues, reliefs and a biography. The outdoor exhibits will include several of the discoveries made during the inspection digs. Abdel- Moneim said that among these were a Fatimid laundry found during the 1960s by Le Service Egyptien des Antiquités, the oldest existing plan of an Islamic house dating back to the year 75 of the higra, along with blocks bearing hieroglyphic inscriptions. "These blocks were eventually used in the construction of other edifices on this site," Abdel- Moneim postulated. The oldest dyeing factory ever found with more than 100 clay dyeing pots will also be in the outdoor exhibition. As for ancient Egyptian artefacts found in the debris, such as the udjet eye and scarab amulets, these will be placed in a special showcase as objects recovered from the sand. Construction of the museum will be totally funded by the Egyptian government -- up to now the estimated costs have reached more than LE3,500 million. Museological experts from UNESCO are supervising the technical work of the project. Two Canadian experts will come to Egypt during the second part of 2006 to arrange the final collection of the museum. Abdel-Moneim said that to attract more Egyptian visitors a commercial zone along with a cafeteria, restaurants, a cinema and a theatre would be installed in the museum garden. Bazaars and shops would be also built and rented out for LE2-3 million per month, an income which will serve for the museum's maintenance. Culture Minister Farouk Hosni describes the museum as "a living memory of Egypt's various civilisations". He sees the planned museum as of benefit to Egypt in that it will preserve and protect its priceless items, as well as putting the country on the international museum level. "It will be a great educational and cultural Institute in Cairo," Hosni commented.
