( Discover the truth behind Egypt’s female pharaohs and their power.) The royal celebrities include Ramses II-often styled “the Great” and portrayed as the pharaoh mentioned in the biblical Book of Exodus-as well as Hatshepsut, an accomplished builder, forceful leader, and one of ancient Egypt’s few female pharaohs. They include 18 pharaohs and four other royals ranging in stature from some of Egypt’s most storied leaders to little-known figures. to 1075 B.C.), a golden age of Egyptian civilization. Most of the mummies date from the New Kingdom (about 1539 B.C. They will be waiting in the streets to say hello to their kings.” “In a time of COVID, they want to be happy, to feel proud of their ancestors. “This parade will make all Egyptians proud of their country,” says archaeologist Zahi Hawass, the nation’s former minister of antiquities.

Escorted by Egyptian film stars, singers, dancers, and guards on high-stepping horses, the mummies of 22 pharaohs and other ancient royalty will be paraded through the streets of Cairo on Saturday, moving from the historic Museum of Egyptian Antiquities to their new home in the recently inaugurated National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC).ĭubbed “The Pharaohs’ Golden Parade,” this made-for-TV extravaganza along the Nile is designed to celebrate Egypt’s rich heritage and lure visitors back in the wake of a pandemic that has brought global travel to a standstill.