I want my Mummy!

Tonight marks the opening gala of "Egyptian Art in the Age of the Pyramids" http://www.rom.on.ca/egypt/ in Toronto's Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). This major international exhibit, a joint venture among ROM, Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Reunion des Musees Nationaux, officially will open to the public Sunday.

You and your fellow art lovers, historians and Egyptologists will marvel at the splendors of the Old Kingdom (2650-2150 BC), the time of the first pyramids. The approximately 200 objects, borrowed from 30 museums worldwide, were excavated during the late-19th and early-20th centuries. This is the first major museum presentation that displays the finest works from the period that defined Egyptian art for centuries to come. The exhibit showcases items of stone, wood and precious metals; paintings, reliefs and statues; stone edifices, and vibrant decorative arts that cut across the lifestyles of the royalty and the commoner.

The Web site contains links to selected pieces that are beautifully reproduced with short descriptions. Another link entitled "Adult and Family Programs" includes listings of courses and lectures covering mythology, domestic relations and pyramids. Family-orientated programs include storytelling, pyramid building and a bustling Egyptian bazaar. For teachers, the "Before you visit" link has examples of key pieces and points to initiate discussion during and after the visit.

Reasonably priced and not far from Buffalo, this "once in a lifetime" exhibit runs from Sunday through May 22.

Of course don't forget the local permanent exhibit at the Buffalo Science Museum entitled "Whem Ankh: The Cycle of Life in Ancient Egypt" http://www.sciencebuff.org/Exhibits_and_Events/Welcome.html?article=bms32. This magnificently produced exhibit traces the life of the priest Nes-Hor, one of the two mummies displayed. Walking through the exhibit transports you back in time to the Ptolemic period (323-30 BC). You can view more that 200 artifacts while learning about the religion, politics and life of this glorious era.

If after visiting these two exceptional exhibits you thirst for more, there are several outstanding Web sites that range from serious scholarly endeavors to ancient Egyptian games. So, kick back and enjoy a rowdy round of Senet or Jackals and Hounds, or play the contemporary game of Wadjet http://www.timbukii.com/timbukii/wadjet.html that takes you on your own desert adventure in search of pharaoh treasures!

For assistance in connecting to the World Wide Web via UB computer accounts, contact the Computing Center Help Desk at 645-3542.

-Cindy Seitz and Brenda Battleson, University Libraries