Four heavy artifacts transferred from the Egyptian Museum in El Tahrir to be displayed on the Great Stairs at the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is scheduled to inaugurate in 2020.
Dr. El Tayeb Abbass – General Manager for Archaeological Affairs at the Grand Egyptian Museum said that the artifacts had been displayed in the garden of the Egyptian Museum in El Tahrir; it includes two rosy granite colossi of Senosert I, a 20-tons red granite triad statue featuring Ramses II between deities Ptah and Sekhmet, and the top of Queen Hatshepsut obelisk of red granite engraved with her royal titles and an inscription-depicting god Amun, weighing about 14 tons.
Dr. Eissa Zidan - Executive Director of restoration and transportation at the GEM declared that the transfer process was carried out by the Arab Contractors Company under the supervision of Major General Atef Moftah – the General Supervisor of the Grand Egyptian Museum and the surrounding areas, restorers and archaeologists of the Ministry of Antiquities, amid security measures by Tourism and Antiquities Police.
Dr. Zidan stated that before the transfer, a case report was made for each piece to prove its preservation state accurately. In addition to having a full radar scan, three-dimensional imaging, and a laser scan for all pieces before the packaging in accordance with the scientific method used in the packaging heavy and huge monuments. The Arab Contractors Company placed each artifact inside a metal foam-lined cage to protect it from any vibrations during the transfer process. The journey took 4 hours as the maximum speed of the vehicles was 7km/hour.
Dr. Eissa Zidan added that “After the arrival of the artifacts to Grand Egyptian Museum, a team of restorers from the Restoration Center will start the restoration work as a preparation for the artifacts to be displayed in the Great Staircase before the museum inauguration in 2020”.