revealed evidence of the first pregnancy and fertility tests in the ancient world . The Luxor Temple was distinguished by its Sphinx Avenue , with nearly 80 preserved representations of the hybrid sculpture lining a street as far as the eye could see . After an hour or so of Khalil walking us through the highlights , we had another 45 minutes to an hour of free exploration at each site , and then it was off to the next attraction , the next flight , the next port of call .
O . A . T . made sure that its visitors travel like real Egyptians : While some of the sites were reachable only by air-conditioned bus , others were achieved by more primitive means . We traveled to Edfu via bumpy horse-and-buggy ride , traversing the unpaved domestic back roads , where beggar children occasionally latched onto the carriages , and where the turbaned drivers adroitly swerved around a menagerie of donkeys , cabs , and tuktuks . We traveled from another temple via felucca sailboat , letting the natural winds off the Nile direct our pace .
We also visited two museums — the Egyptian Museum , whose hallowed artifacts included a mummified crocodile and a lock of hair from King Tut ’ s grandmother , and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization ( NMEC ), which opened three years ago and is among Cairo ’ s most modern buildings . Its priceless antiquities included a first edition of the Quran and the Description L ’ Egyptie , the book that opened the door to Egyptology .
The NMEC also housed the underground Mummies Hall showcasing the actual preserved bodies of 20 Egyptian royals , blackened and shriveled and clothed in humble cloth sacks under glass , respectfully displayed just steps from their gold-inlaid sarcophagi . Their genders and identities long erased , these seemingly mythical warriors and influencers we ’ d been learning about for nearly two weeks somehow appeared before us in their flaking flesh . The sarcophagus of Ahmose Nefertari appeared to be shedding a tear . Despite the mummy ’ s cultural baggage , the scene was more melancholy than creepy .
King Tut was not included in the museum . We saw his mummy separately at the Valley of the Kings , the premier burial site for Egyptian monarchs , where some five to 10 of its 64 tombs are open daily . The ceilings of King Ramesses IX ’ s tomb shimmered with gold ; the walls of Ramesses IV ’ s final resting place were resplendent in mustard yellows and royal blues . By the time we saw the tiny , soot-colored , skeletal form of the teenage Tut , shed of his famous glory and raiment , the moment felt invasive , almost voyeuristic , and yet it was entirely
Left : John and his fellow travelers connected with local Egyptians throughout their journey .
The famed funerary mask of King Tut will be displayed at the new Grand Egyptian Museum when it opens ( hopefully ) later this year .
DISPATCHES • JUNE 2023 17