Avondale College of Higher EducationExhibition features hundreds of Egyptian artefacts
Centrepiece: This urn found at the world’s oldest pyramid, the “step pyramid” at Sakkhara, is one of the highlights of Land of the Pharaohs. King Zoser built the pyramid almost 4000 years ago. The urn contained oil or wine for the dead king. Credit: Ann Stafford.
Hundreds of Egyptian artefacts will feature in the library on Avondale College of Higher Education’s Lake Macquarie campus next month as part of an exhibition called Land of the Pharaohs.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is a large urn found at the world’s oldest pyramid, the “step pyramid” at Sakkhara. King Zoser built the pyramid almost 4000 years ago. The urn contained oil or wine for the dead king. The exhibition also contains rare glassware—bangles, bottles and vases dating back as far as 800 BC, including tear bottles used by professional mourners. Replicas of artefacts from boy-king Tutankhamen’s tomb, including the famous golden death mask, feature, too.
The artefacts are from the collection of chaplain Dr Wayne French, who is currently touring countries such as Egypt, Greece and Israel. “I love the stories from history, and I love to illustrate them,” says Wayne.
He uses an oil container—it fits in the palm of your hand—bought in Petra, Jordan, as an example. It is similar to the ones used in the biblical story of the 10 virgins, who took their lamps and went to meet a bridegroom. The five wise virgins took oil with their lamps and, when the bridegroom arrived late, went in with him to the wedding banquet rather than out to buy oil.
“The moral of the story is about the readiness of the heart to accept the grace of God,” says Wayne. “It’s not about working for grace because the container’s so light and small. I get so much meaning about my God from archaeology.”
Wayne will also show how the Egyptians made papyrus and explain the historical significance of the Rosetta Stone, which led to the unlocking of Egyptian hieroglyphs. A replica of the stone is on display with replicas of the Cylinder of Cyrus, which details the capture of Babylon, the ancient world’s largest city.
Land of the Pharaohs launches in Avondale Library on Thursday, August 11, at 12.00 PM. The exhibition then runs from Friday, August 12, to Friday, September 2. Opening hours are 8.00 AM-9.45 PM Monday to Thursday, 8.00 AM-3.30 PM Friday and 1.00-9.00 PM Sunday. Tours are available by appointment only 9.00 AM-4.00 PM Monday-Thursday.