Late last week at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square history came to life as Egypt and Italy celebrated their ongoing cooperation and archaeological ties by inaugurating an exquisite photographic exhibition relating the story of Queen Nefertari, beloved of the ancient Egyptian King Ramses II, and her extravagantly decorated tomb located in the Valley of Queens on the west bank of the Nile at Luxor.
Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) Mohamed Ismail Khaled and Italian Ambassador to Egypt Agostino Palese officially opened the three-month exhibition entitled “Nefertari: Reviving the Beauty of the Most Beautiful: The Tomb and Its Story” in a ceremony also attended by former minister of antiquities Zahi Hawass, Egyptian Museum Director Ali Abdel-Halim, international archaeological experts, and key museum leaders from both Egypt and Italy.
The exhibition highlights the world-famous tomb of Queen Nefertari (QV66), one of the most splendid pieces of ancient Egyptian art, by displaying rare photographs revealing its unmatched beauty. It records decades of archaeological cooperation between Egypt and Italy and behind-the-scenes stories of restoration work on the tomb.
Khaled expressed his enthusiasm during the opening ceremony, describing the Egyptian Museum as a living testament to Egypt’s cultural legacy and noting that the strong public turnout at the exhibition revealed just how deeply it remains woven into Egyptian consciousness.
“People are not only visiting the Egyptian Museum,” he said, “they are affirming its place among the world’s great cultural landmarks.” He added that a comprehensive revival plan for the building will soon be unveiled.
He also praised the longstanding Egyptian-Italian partnership in the field of archaeology, one that spans decades and is reflected in the large number of Italian archaeological missions working across Egypt as well as in major joint exhibitions. The “Treasures of the Pharaohs” exhibition is currently drawing thousands of visitors, for example, and reigniting Italy’s fascination with ancient Egypt.
Khaled noted that the cooperation with Italy extends to several ongoing strategic projects that bridge history and innovation. Among the most ambitious is the plan to repair the Egyptian Museum’s original ventilation system, an engineering achievement designed by Italian specialists for its 1902 inauguration.
Reinstating it, he continued, would be a key step towards restoring the building’s historic character while bringing its conservation standards into line with the most advanced global practices.
Agostino Palese spoke warmly of this shared journey during the exhibition’s opening ceremony. He described the event as part of a broader celebration of Egyptian-Italian archaeological cooperation, an alliance that, he noted, forms a vital pillar of Italy’s cultural diplomacy in Egypt.
He thanked the numerous institutions and experts who had contributed to the event’s success and praised the Italian archaeological missions whose discoveries and scholarship continue to illuminate new chapters of Egypt’s ancient history.
He also highlighted the remarkable “Treasures of the Pharaohs” exhibition in Rome, calling it a “historic moment” as it represents the largest showcasing of ancient Egyptian civilisation to be held in Italy in more than two decades.
Throughout the opening ceremony in Tahrir Square, the speakers repeatedly emphasised the strategic importance of the Egyptian-Italian partnership, especially in the fields of restoration and scientific research. The restoration of the tomb of Nefertari, widely regarded as one of the finest achievements of international conservation, was cited as a shining example of what collaborative expertise can accomplish.
A dedicated symposium delved even further into the story of Nefertari’s tomb, exploring its artistic splendour, its historical context, and the painstaking restoration work that has saved it from deterioration. Experts from both nations shared insights that underscored the tomb’s enduring mystique and the scientific rigour behind its preservation.
The event highlighted that the Nefertari exhibition is far more than simply an artistic display. It is a celebration of cultural stewardship, a testament to the years of preservation work that has rescued one of ancient Egypt’s most breathtaking masterpieces, and a reminder of how cultural diplomacy can breathe new life into shared heritage.
It stands as another chapter in a partnership between Egypt and Italy that continues to shape how the world engages with, and safeguards, the treasures of antiquity.
The modern story of Nefertari’s tomb began in 1903 when Italian archaeologist Ernesto Schiaparelli started excavations in the Valley of the Queens in Luxor, stumbling upon four tombs three of which belong to Ramses II’s sons Amun-Her-Khepeshef, Kha-Em-Uaset, and Seth-Herkhepeshef, while the fourth, uncovered in 1904, belongs to his beloved wife Nefertari whose name mean “beautiful beloved of the goddess Mut”.
The tomb was completely empty when it was found, with its funerary collection probably stolen in antiquity, except for sandals made of palm fibre, parts of wooden caskets, a few parts of the royal mummy, and the granite sarcophagus in the middle of the burial chamber empty and broken into several fragments.
However, the tomb was breathtaking, with its unique and beautifully painted walls. These were in a poor conservation condition, however, due to water infiltration from the surrounding rocks and the formation of salt crystals which had caused the pictorial layers to detach from the wall surfaces.
By the late 20th century, the vibrant pigments in the tomb had dulled, the plaster had flaked, and many feared the exquisite artwork might be lost forever.
To save the tomb, in 1988 an ambitious restoration project was initiated by the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) in the US in partnership with the then Egyptian Antiquities Organisation and led by two renowned Italian restorers Paolo and Laura Mora.
The work lasted for a decade, culminating in what is now recognised as one of the most delicate and respectful restorations of ancient Egyptian art ever undertaken.
The objective was not to repaint or reconstruct the damaged areas of the tomb, but to preserve the original artistry with absolute fidelity. The conservation team employed non-invasive, reversible techniques, a principle held sacred in modern conservation to retain the authenticity of the tomb’s original decoration.
The plaster was consolidated, the detached fragments were replaced in their original positions, and a thorough cleaning of the pictorial surface was carried out with appropriate solvents that returned the paintings to their original allure.
An environmental monitoring system was also installed to maintain constant control over thermo-hygrometric conditions in the tomb, and by 1995 the tomb was officially reopened to the public with a limited number of visitors allowed in to prevent renewed deterioration.
In 2024, the tomb was closed again as signs of the deterioration of the wall paintings had appeared.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 11 December, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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