Editing British Museum (section)

===Department of Egypt and Sudan===
[[File:TombofNebamun-2.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Room 61 – The famous false fresco 'Pond in a Garden' from the [[Tomb of Nebamun]], {{circa|1350 BC}}]]
[[File:Rosetta Stone.JPG|thumb|upright=0.8|Room 4 – The [[Rosetta Stone]], key to the decipherment of Egyptian hieroglyphs, 196 BC]]
The British Museum houses the world's largest<ref group="lower-alpha">The Cairo Museum has 200,000 artefacts, with leading collections reposited at the Egyptian Museum of Berlin (100,000), Musée du Louvre (60,000), Petrie Museum (80,000), The Metropolitan Museum of art (26,000), University of Pennsylvania (42,000), Ashmolean Museum (40,000), Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (40,000), Museo Egizio, Turin (32,500 objects).</ref> and most comprehensive collection of [[Art of Ancient Egypt|Egyptian antiquities]] (with over 100,000<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/the_museum/departments/ancient_egypt_and_sudan/history_of_the_collection/development_of_the_collection/development_since_world_war_ii.aspx |title=Development since World War II (1945 – ) |work=British Museum |access-date=26 March 2013 |archive-date=3 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120203000546/http://www.britishmuseum.org/the_museum/departments/ancient_egypt_and_sudan/history_of_the_collection/development_of_the_collection/development_since_world_war_ii.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> pieces) outside the [[Egyptian Museum]] in [[Cairo]]. A collection of immense importance for its range and quality, it includes objects of all periods from virtually every site of importance in [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]] and the [[History of Sudan|Sudan]]. Together, they illustrate every aspect of the cultures of the [[Nile|Nile Valley]] (including [[Nubia]]), from the [[Predynastic Egypt|Predynastic]] [[Neolithic]] period ({{circa|10,000 [[Anno Domini|BC]]}}) through [[Coptic Orthodox Church|Coptic (Christian)]] times (12th century [[Anno Domini|AD]]), and up to the present day, a time-span over 11,000 years.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/about_us/departments/ancient_egypt_and_sudan.aspx |title=Department of Egypt and Sudan |work=British Museum |access-date=26 March 2019 |archive-date=26 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190326112938/https://www.britishmuseum.org/about_us/departments/ancient_egypt_and_sudan.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Art of Ancient Egypt|Egyptian antiquities]] have formed part of the British Museum collection ever since its foundation in 1753 after receiving 160 Egyptian objects<ref>Reported in the list of Sloane's collection given to his executors in 1753. Reproduced in MacGregor (1994a:29)</ref> from Sir [[Hans Sloane]]. After the defeat of the [[Campaigns of 1799 in the French Revolutionary Wars|French]] forces under [[Napoleon]] at the [[Battle of the Nile]] in 1801, the Egyptian antiquities collected were confiscated by the [[British army]] and presented to the British Museum in 1803. These works, which included the famed [[Rosetta Stone]], were the first important group of large sculptures to be acquired by the museum. Thereafter, the UK appointed [[Henry Salt (Egyptologist)|Henry Salt]] as [[Consul general|consul]] in Egypt who amassed a huge collection of antiquities, some of which were assembled and transported with great ingenuity by the famous Italian explorer [[Giovanni Battista Belzoni|Giovanni Belzoni]]. Most of the antiquities Salt collected were purchased by the British Museum and the [[Musée du Louvre]].

By 1866 the collection consisted of some 10,000 objects. Antiquities from excavations started to come to the museum in the latter part of the 19th century as a result of the work of the [[Egypt Exploration Society|Egypt Exploration Fund]] under the efforts of [[E. A. Wallis Budge|E.A. Wallis Budge]]. Over the years more than 11,000 objects came from this source, including pieces from [[Amarna]], [[Bubastis]] and [[Deir el-Bahari]]. Other organisations and individuals also excavated and donated objects to the British Museum, including [[Flinders Petrie]]'s Egypt Research Account and the British School of Archaeology in Egypt, as well as the [[University of Oxford]] Expedition to [[Kawa (Sudan)|Kawa]] and [[Faras]] in Sudan.

[[File:England; London - The British Museum, Egypt Egyptian Sculpture ~ Colossal granite head of Amenhotep III (Room 4).2.JPG|thumb|left|upright|Room 4 – [[Colossal red granite statue of Amenhotep III]], 1350 BC]]
Active support by the museum for excavations in Egypt continued to result in important acquisitions throughout the 20th century until changes in antiquities laws in Egypt led to the suspension of policies allowing finds to be exported, although divisions still continue in Sudan. The British Museum conducted its own excavations in Egypt where it received divisions of finds, including [[Asyut]] (1907), [[Mostagedda]] and Matmar (1920s), [[Ashmunein]] (1980s) and sites in Sudan such as [[Soba (city)|Soba]], Kawa and the Northern [[Dongola Reach]] (1990s). The size of the Egyptian collections now stand at over 110,000 objects.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/spencer.htm |title=A British Museum Egyptologist's View: The Return of Egyptian Antiquities is Not an Issue |publisher=Touregypt |access-date=4 July 2010 |archive-date=28 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191028101814/http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/spencer.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

In autumn 2001 the eight million objects forming the museum's permanent collection were further expanded by the addition of six million objects from the Wendorf Collection of [[Predynastic Egypt|Egyptian]] and [[History of Sudan|Sudanese]] [[Prehistory]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/aes/aesnot.html |title=Ancient Egypt and Sudan |work=British Museum |date=14 June 2010 |access-date=4 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070206000328/http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/aes/aesnot.html |archive-date=6 February 2007 }}</ref> These were donated by Professor [[Fred Wendorf]] of [[Southern Methodist University]] in [[Texas]], and comprise the entire collection of artefacts and environmental remains from his excavations at Prehistoric sites in the [[Sahara Desert]] between 1963 and 1997. Other fieldwork collections have recently come from Dietrich and Rosemarie Klemm ([[University of Munich]]) and William Adams ([[University of Kentucky]]).

The seven permanent Egyptian galleries at the British Museum, which include its largest exhibition space (Room 4, for monumental sculpture), can display only 4% of its Egyptian holdings. The second-floor galleries have a selection of the museum's collection of 140 [[Mummy|mummies]] and coffins, the largest outside [[Egyptian Museum|Cairo]]. A high proportion of the collection comes from tombs or contexts associated with the cult of the dead, and it is these pieces, in particular the mummies, that remain among the most eagerly sought-after exhibits by visitors to the museum.

Highlights of the collections include:

'''Predynastic and Early Dynastic period ({{Circa|6000 BC|2690 BC}})'''
* Mummy of [[Gebelein predynastic mummies|Ginger]] and five other individuals from Gebelein ({{Circa|3400 BC}})
* Flint knife with an ivory handle (known as the ''Pit-Rivers Knife''), Sheikh Hamada, Egypt ({{Circa|3100 BC}})
* The [[Battlefield Palette]] and [[Hunters Palette]], two cosmetic palettes with complex decorative schemes ({{Circa|3100 BC}})
* Ivory statuette of a king, from the early temple at [[Abydos, Egypt|Abydos]], Egypt ({{Circa|3000 BC}})
* [[Den (pharaoh)|King Den]]'s [[MacGregor plaque|sandal label]] from Abydos, mid-1st Dynasty ({{Circa|2985 BC}})
* Stela of King [[Peribsen]], Abydos ({{Circa|2720–2710 BC}})

'''Old Kingdom (2690–2181 BC)'''
* Artefacts from the tomb of King [[Khasekhemwy]] from the 2nd Dynasty (2690 BC)
* Granite statue of Ankhwa, the shipbuilder, [[Saqqara]], Egypt, 3rd Dynasty (c. 2650 BC)
* Several of the original casing stones from the [[Great Pyramid of Giza]], one of the [[Seven Wonders of the Ancient World]] (c. 2570 BC)
* Statue of Nenkheftka from [[Dishasha]], 4th Dynasty (2500 BC)
* Limestone false door of [[Ptahshepses]], Saqqara (2440 BC)
* [[Abusir Papyri]], some of the oldest papyri from ancient Egypt, Abusir (2400 BC)
* Wooden tomb statue of Tjeti, 5th to 6th Dynasty (c. 2345–2181 BC)

'''Middle Kingdom (2134–1690 BC)'''
* Inner and outer coffin of Sebekhetepi, [[Beni Hasan]] (c. 2125–1795 BC)
* Quartzite statue of Ankhrekhu, 12th Dynasty (1985–1795 BC)
* Limestone stela of Heqaib, [[Abydos, Egypt|Abydos]], Egypt, 12th Dynasty (1990–1750 BC)
* Block statue and stela of Sahathor, 12th Dynasty, reign of [[Amenemhat II]] (1922–1878 BC)
* Limestone statue and stelae from the offering chapel of Inyotef, [[Abydos, Egypt|Abydos]], 12th Dynasty ({{circa|1920 BC}})
* Stela of Samontu, Abydos (1910 BC)
* Reliefs from the tomb of [[Djehutyhotep (chief of Teh-khet)|Djehutyhotep]], Deir-el-Bersha (1878–1855 BC)
* Three Granite statues of [[Senwosret III]], [[Deir el-Bahri]] (1850 BC)
* Statue of Rehuankh, Abydos (1850–1830 BC)
* Colossal head of [[Amenemhat III]], Bubastis (1800 BC)
* Stela of Nebipusenwosret, Abydos (1800 BC)

'''Second Intermediate Period''' (1650–1550 BC)
* Coffin of King [[Nubkheperre Intef]], Thebes (1570 BC)
* The famous [[Rhind Mathematical Papyrus]], an early example of [[Ancient Egyptian mathematics]], [[Thebes, Egypt|Thebes]] (1550 BC)

'''New Kingdom (1549–1069 BC)'''
* Schist head of Pharaoh [[Hatshepsut]] or her successor [[Tuthmosis III]] (1480 BC)
* Statue of [[Senenmut]] with Princess [[Neferure]] on his lap, [[Karnak]] (1470 BC)
* Block statue of [[Sennefer]], Western Thebes (1430 BC)
* Twenty [[Sekhmet statues]] from the Temple of Mut, [[Thebes, Egypt|Thebes]] (1400 BC)
* Fragment of the beard of the [[Great Sphinx of Giza]] (14th century BC)
* Pair of granite [[Prudhoe Lions|monumental lion]] statues from [[Soleb]] in Sudan, (1370 BC)
* Hoard of silver bullion from [[El-Amarna]] (1352–1336 BC)
* [[Colossal quartzite statue of Amenhotep III|Colossal head from a statue]] of Amenhotep III (1350 BC)
* Colossal limestone bust of [[Amenhotep III]] (1350 BC)
* [[Amarna letters|Amarna Tablets]], 99 out of 382 [[Clay tablet|tablets]] found, second largest collection in the world after the Vorderasiatisches Museum, [[Berlin]] (203 tablets) (1350 BC)
* Stela of [[Horemheb]] from his tomb at [[Saqqara]] (1330 BC)
* [[London Medical Papyrus]] with 61 medical and magical treatments (1300 BC)
* [[Papyrus of Ani]], one of the finest extant [[Book of the Dead]] from antiquity, [[Thebes, Egypt|Thebes]] (1275 BC)
* [[List of pharaohs|List of the kings]] of Egypt from the [[Abydos, Egypt|Temple of Ramesses II]] (1250 BC)
* Statue of [[Khaemwaset]], son of [[Ramses II]], Abydos (1250 BC)
* The [[Papyrus Harris I|Great Harris Papyrus]], the longest surviving papyrus from antiquity, Thebes (1200 BC)
* [[Tale of Two Brothers|D'Orbiney Papyrus]] with the Tale of Two Brothers (1200–1194 BC)
* Seated statue of [[Seti II]], Temple of Mut, [[Karnak]] (1200–1194 BC)
* Face from the sarcophagus of [[Ramses VI]], Valley of the Kings (1140 BC)
* Book of the Dead of [[Nodjmet|Nedjmet]] with painted offering-vignettes and columns of [[Hieroglyphic]] text, Deir el-Bahari (1070 BC)

'''Third Intermediate Period (1069–664 BC)'''
* [[Greenfield papyrus]], [[Book of the Dead|funerary papyrus]] of Princess [[Nesitanebetashru]], daughter of [[Pinedjem II|Pinudjem II]] and [[Neskhons]], and priestess of Amen-Ra at Thebes (950–930 BC)
* Pair of gold bracelets that belonged to General [[Nimlot B|Nemareth]], son of [[Shoshenq I]], [[Sais, Egypt|Sais]] (940 BC)
* Colossal column capital of [[Hathor]] from [[Bubastis]], 22nd Dynasty (922–887 BC)
* Statue of the Nile god [[Hapi (Nile god)|Hapi]], Karnak ({{circa|900 BC}})
* Mummy case and coffin of Nesperennub, [[Thebes, Egypt|Thebes]] ({{circa|800 BC}})
* [[Shabaka Stone]] from Memphis, Egypt, 25th Dynasty ({{circa|700 BC}})
* Coffin of king [[Menkaure]], Giza (700–600 BC)
* One of the three [[Statues of Amun in the form of a ram protecting King Taharqa|statues of Amun]] in the form of a ram protecting King Taharqo, [[Kawa, Sudan|Kawa]] (683 BC)
* Inner and outer coffins of the priest Hor, Deir el-Bahari, Thebes, 25th Dynasty ({{circa|680 BC}})
* Granite statue of the [[Sphinx of Taharqo]] (680 BC)

'''Late Period (664–332 BC)'''
* Saite Sarcophagus of [[Sasobek]], the vizier (prime minister) of the northern part of Egypt in the reign of [[Psammetichus I]] (664–610 BC)
* Sarcophagus lid of Sasobek (630 BC)
* Bronze figure of Isis and Horus, North [[Saqqara]], Egypt (600 BC)
* Sarcophagus of Hapmen, Cairo, 26th Dynasty or later (600–300 BC)
* Kneeling statue of [[Wahibre]], from near [[Lake Mariout]] (530 BC)
* [[Sarcophagus]] of [[Ankhnesneferibre]] (525 BC)
* Torso of [[Nectanebo I]] (380–362 BC)
* [[Obelisks of Nectanebo II|Obelisks]] and sarcophagus of Pharaoh [[Nectanebo II]] (360–343 BC)
* Sarcophagus of [[Nectanebo II]], Alexandria (360–343 BC)

'''Ptolemaic dynasty (305–30 BC)'''
* The famous [[Rosetta Stone]], trilingual stela that unlocked the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics (196 BC)
* [[Ancient Greek temple|Naos]] or temple shrine of [[Ptolemy VIII]] from [[Philae]] (150 BC)
* Giant sculpture of a [[Scarabaeus sacer|scarab beetle]] (32–30 BC)
* Fragment of a basalt Egyptian-style statue of [[Ptolemy I Soter]] (305–283 BC)
* Mummy of [[Hornedjitef]] (inner coffin), Thebes (3rd century BC)
* Wall from a chapel of Queen [[Shanakdakhete]], [[Meroë]] ({{circa|150 BC}})
* [[Shrine]] of [[Ptolemy VII]], Philae ({{circa|150 BC}})

'''Roman Period (30 BC – 641 AD)'''
* Schist head of a young man, [[Alexandria]] (after 30 BC)
* The Meriotic [[Hamadab Stela]] from the [[Kingdom of Kush]] found near the ancient site of Meroë in Sudan, 24 BC
* Lid of the coffin of Soter and Cleopatra from Qurna, Thebes (early 2nd century AD)
* Mummy of a youth with a portrait of the deceased, [[Hawara]] (100–200 AD)
* Over 30 [[Fayum mummy portraits]] from [[Hawara]] and other sites in [[Fayum]] (40–250 AD)
* Bronze lamp and patera from the X-group tombs, [[Qasr Ibrim]] (1st–6th centuries AD)
* Coptic wall painting of the [[martyrdom]] of saints, Wadi Sarga (6th century AD)

<gallery widths="190px" heights="190px">
File:Bm-ginger.jpg|Room 64 – Egyptian grave containing a [[Gebelein predynastic mummies|Gebelein predynastic mummy]], late [[predynastic]], 3400 BC
File:London - British Museum - 2273.jpg|Room 4 – Three black granite statues of the pharaoh [[Senusret III]], {{circa|1850 BC}}
File:ThreeStatuesOfGoddessSakhmet-ProfileView-BritishMuseum-August19-08.jpg|Room 4 – Three black granite statues of the goddess [[Sakhmet]], {{circa|1400 BC}}
File:British Museum Egypt 086.JPG|Room 4 – Colossal statue of Amenhotep III, {{circa|1370 BC}}
File:Colossal quartzite head of Amenhotep III, British Museum EA7.jpg|Great Court – [[Colossal quartzite statue of Amenhotep III]], {{circa|1350 BC}}
File:Egyptian Couple BM (1).JPG|Room 4 - Limestone [[Statue of Horemheb and Amenia|statue of a husband and wife]], 1300–1250 BC
File:P1050700 (5022075232).jpg|Room 63 - Gilded outer coffins from the tomb of [[Henutmehyt]], Thebes, Egypt, 19th Dynasty, 1250 BC
File:Book of the Dead of Hunefer sheet 5.jpg|Book of the Dead of [[Hunefer]], sheet 5, 19th Dynasty, 1250 BC
File:British Museum Egypt 101.jpg|Room 4 – Ancient Egyptian bronze statue of a [[Gayer-Anderson cat|cat]] from the Late Period, {{circa|664}}–332 BC
File:British Museum Egypt 107.jpg|Room 4 – Green siltstone head of a Pharaoh, 26th–30th Dynasty, 600–340 BC
File:The black siltstone obelisk of Pharaoh Nectanebo II, c.350 BCE. From Cairo, Egypt. British Museum.jpg|Great Court – Black siltstone [[Obelisks of Nectanebo II|obelisk of King Nectanebo II]] of Egypt, Thirtieth dynasty, {{Circa|350 BC}}
File:Fayum-66.jpg|Room 62 – Detail from the mummy case of Artemidorus the Younger, a Greek who had settled in [[Thebes, Egypt|Thebes]], Egypt, during Roman times, 100–200 AD
</gallery>