When news dropped about The Mummy 4 being titled The Book of the Dead, I knew it was time to check out the Royal BC Museum’s visiting exhibit, Ancient Egypt Obsessed with Life. It’s a nicely varied display of funerary artifacts, with plaques explaining the beliefs surrounding what happens to the soul after death. Nearly everyone knows about the embalming process, but as for the spiritual side, what’s revealed shows what both the living and the deceased experience.
For the latter, a three panel panoramic video imagines what that journey looks like as the spirit travels through the gates of the underworld. After being judged, one is either allowed into the Aaru (Field of Reeds) or consumed by Ammit!
Here, Death isn’t an end, but rather is a new beginning. And when watching this video again, I have to wonder why the narration said “Reefs” rather than “Reeds.” It’s something I noticed based on my past reedings. Unless the terminology’s changed, I’m curious about that choice. While I’ll admit I’m not fully up to date on wording changes, much of the material and text accompanying the displays was familiar.
Knowing I was unlikely to learn anything new was part of why I put off seeing this exhibition right away. For newcomers or anyone with a casual interest, it’s certainly worth a look; most of the artifacts come from the Moesgaard Museum’s collection.
And maybe next time, someone can negotiate getting some pieces from King Tut’s tomb! I know that’s difficult, but since I saw the big North American tour decades ago, any other show just pales in comparison.
I’d like to know more about why little trinkets are tucked into the mummy wrappings. And as for other goods, like carvings representing the gods, there are a lot of reasons that can’t be summed up in the brief write-ups offered alongside the displays. What’s presented is nice, though some elements felt too “tacked on.” I never quite felt like I was in a tomb with a mummy, because there wasn’t one. For me, that’s this tour’s main shortcoming. Without a preserved body, it’s tough to see why wrapping the physical form mattered so much.
These temporary exhibits can drum up interest and maybe motivate a few people to become archaeologists. Had I been given a chance to redo my life, I’d want to become Indiana Jones too!
Interestingly, this museum’s past Egyptian shows had more objects and left a stronger impression. And afterwards, I’d revisit my personal book collection to refresh my memory on why this ancient culture is so fascinating. When it comes to grabbing a souvenir, the RBCM has a limited run of T-shirts available in the gift shop. I was a bit puzzled that the shop wasn’t attached to the end of the exhibit, as it had been for past shows, but I found that treasure trove tucked away at the gift shop located elsewhere in the museum.
I prefer academic books to general overviews, and thankfully the shop had a big one that caught my eye. The Complete Encyclopedia of Egyptian Deities: Gods, Goddesses, and Spirits of Ancient Egypt and Nubia by Tamara L. Siuda, PhD, is a hefty volume, and it may not be for everyone given the marked-up price tag. I saved a lot of coin by buying from Amazon USA, though anyone who wants to support the museum may prefer to pay the higher price at its shop.
With about two months left, visitors to Victoria and locals still have a chance to check out what the afterlife is about. The information isn’t new for those already in the know, but as a primer before watching any version of The Mummy, I’d say it’s worth the price of admission. And as for how this all ties to the new movie being made, please check out my editorial. It offers a few ideas for how to bring The Book of the Dead to life and why Imhotep’s journey matters.
My original goal was to look at the art on the sarcophagus lids, but I knew there was more than meets the Eye of Horus, since my passion for this subject goes beyond where myth and entertainment can intersect.
The exhibit runs until January 3, 2027. This exhibition is produced by Austria’s MuseumsPartner in cooperation with the Moesgaard Museum in Denmark.
Ancient Egypt Obsessed with Life News Clip
