ISIDA Project

ISIDA Project: Research Society on Ancient Artifacts

Luxor Museum of Ancient Egyptian Art

Luxor Museum of Ancient Egyptian Art is a two-story building in a picturesque area of the city, on the eastern bank of the Nile. Its construction was conceived by the Ministry of Culture of Egypt in the second half of the XX century. In 1962, the Egyptian architect Mahmoud El Hakim created a plan for the museum building. In 1975, after the construction was completed, the museum was open for its visitors.

During the ongoing excavation works, carried out by various archeological missions, the collection of the museum is replenished up to the present time.

All the artifacts, exhibited in the Luxor Museum were discovered here, on the territory of Upper Egypt. The collection of the museum and high quality of its presentation allows visitor to "travel back in time" for a few thousand years ago - mostly into the the New Kingdom, the time of prosperity of Thebes as well as the whole Egypt.

In 2018, the Luxor Museum was visited by the ISIDA Project research team for studying the history of excavations in Luxor and its environs. As the result, we invite our readers to take a virtual photo-journey into the Luxor Museum and into the Ancient Egypt as well.

Flies of Valour of Ahhotep

Jewelry with golden flies - was a high military award during the New Kingdom. The most famous among them is the "necklace with golden flies" of the mid-XVI BC, granted to the Queen Ahhotep by her son Ahmose for her organizational merits during the war with the Hyksos.

It was found in 1859 and since then it has been kept in the Luxor Museum. The military leader Ahmose Pen-Nehebt (relative of Ahmose), wore six gold flies and three gold lions. Another Ahmose, the son of Abana, had three golden flies. Under the reign of King Thutmose III, "Golden Fly" became the Order - the highest military award of Egypt. It was available to all the military ranks, including ordinary soldiers.

Dagger and sheath of Ahmose

XVIII Dynasty, found in Dra abu-Naga.

Along with its sheath, this ceremonial weapon was a royal gift from king Ahmose to his mother Ahhotep, in whose burial it was discovered. The blade decorated with a typically Aegean technique but Egyptian iconography, bears the titulary of the king on one side and a hunting scene on the other side.

Ceremonial axe of Ahmose

XVIII Dynasty. Gold, electrum, copper, semi-precious stones and wood.

Found in the burial of Queen Ahotep. This axe celebrates the victory of Ahmose. It bears the king's titulary, along with images of the king smiting an Asiatic ebemy and prayers for many years of rule.