HALLOFUS: Quest for Immortality: Treasures of Ancient Egypt exhibition

National Museum of Singapore

Address. 93 Stamford Road
Free entry for students
10am - 6pm
Prices vary for visit to Permanent Gallery &/ Changing Gallery

Quest for Immortality - The World of Ancient Egypt (22 Dec 2009 till 4 Apr 2010) offers an insight to the ancient Egyptian’s attitude to life and the afterlife, and the preparations they made to ensure their transition from earthly existence to immortality. Discover the Egyptians’ means of equipping the dead - through mummification, provision of sustenance, magic and ritual - and explore the evolution of their burial rites as well as the changing relationship between man and ritual through time.

I am often captivated by the documentaries of Pyraminds investigations, The Mummy (movies), life of Pharoahs, the worshipping of many Gods.
With over 230 artefacts spanning from 4000 BCE to 950 CE, this display of Ancient Egypt enlightens on the religious and cultural beliefs behind ancient Egyptian mummification techniques, burial rituals and the civilisation’s desire for immortality.
Feast your eyes on the ancient jewellery, vessels, literature, coffins and cartonnages, and statues of gods and goddesses and of course, the mummies!

Here's a sneak peak:

Serapeum Sphinx
Ptolemaic Period, 300-250BCE - Made of Limestone
A lion's body and a king's head - this symbolises an expression of the king's power as equivalent to the strength of a mighty lion.

This is a popular statue from the New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, 1323-1295BCE
Statue of God Horus and King Horemheb
Horemheb was believed to be an earthly incarnation of god Horus, the god of the sky/sun often depicted with a human body and head of a falcon.
Here, he is depicted as nearly life-sized, sitting next to Horus.
Well, Egyptians were believed to be generally short, it looks to me he is probably 5feet or so. (i.e. 1.5m?)

The triangular structure and angle were believed to be built with much precision, so as to be able to stay staunch and continue to stir enthusiasm of its magnificent today.
The inside of a Pyramid comprises (Top to Bottom) -
The Burial Chamber/ King's Chamber
The Grand Gallery - a sloping, stepped hall leading from the King's to Queen's Chamber.
Queen's Chamber - not a home to Queen, but a name to represent a smaller chamber to the King's Chamber
Shafts (long, narrow passage ways) are believed to allow air to enter the King's Chamber. It is thought that shafts were path to the stars, allowing the Pharoah's soul to escape. These shafts are believed to point to Sirius and Orion in the constellation.
Underground Chamber - Holds very little oxygen and was never fully completed. Obviously.

FYI >> The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt (also known as the Pyramid of Khufu) is the oldest of the 7 wonders of the Ancient world, and the tallest man-made structure in the world for 3000 over years.

Steles, monument of any kind, were usually made of sandstone, limestone, granite or diorite, ranging from 40cm to 4m tall. These steles were used as grave markers that contained carvings/ paintings of tomb owner, often shown with his family, inscriptions of prayers to gods of the dead. They do resemble modern tombstones, which are possibly a manifestation of these markers.

Passage to the afterlife is not automatic. To prepare for this, a new body has to be created that could last eternity and that is the aim of mummification, not to preserve the body as it had been in life.
Embalming took place at or near the tomb. The process was tedious and yet very fascinating. I'm not saying, a little suspense here. *wink.