The Egyptian Museum

 Buon Giorno,

I think I may have escaped just in time.  Apparently it's School Trip Day in Torino, and I could swear that every elementary school in the city has emptied out, and every class seemed headed toward the Egyptian Museum.  When I reached the exit after my visit I found several school groups waiting to enter, and I met at least six on my way home.  Actually I think it's wonderful for children to have the opportunity to visit great museums and further their education that way.  I just don't want to share with them.

Now you might be raising your eyebrows at Torino's having an Egyptian Museum, but I can assure you, it's one of the great sights of the city, a world class museum, and well worth a visit.  But like the Palazzo Reale, it is a project.  I wore myself out even though I enjoyed all the exhibits.

It was easy to get to and find.  I had my Torino+Piedmonte pass ready to go, but the family ahead of me had some kind of problem, and the man was very unhappy.  Apparently he'd prepaid for the entrance, but the lady at the ticket counter wanted him and his family to buy tickets, and he argued and argued.  I know because he was speaking English.  After realizing this wasn't going to be resolved any time soon, I decided to try another line.  My card worked just fine and I got my ticket and was launched.

Now I really, really like history, and I taught Art History, so I recognize a lot of the Egyptian iconography and can tell you grossly over simplified things about the Pre Dynastic Period, the Old Kingdom, the New Kingdom (I confess to knowing nothing about the Middle Kingdom) and the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods.  All of these are covered--and covered really well--in this museum.  The Kings of Piedmont and later Italy generously sponsored archeological digs, and the finds are very well exhibited and explained.  I felt I learned a lot about Egyptian Culture.  Most of the artifacts are from the tombs of aristocrats and officials, but we know their names and something about their lives.

I was amazed at the variety of wooden objects and even more amazed at the beautifully preserved linen textiles and hemp ropes.  A lot of lovely carved and painted steles were on offer.  In one part of the museum a funerary temple had been reconstructed.  I'd never seen one before despite seeing Egyptian exhibits in London, Paris, and Berlin.  It's not that I didn't like the grand statuary of pharaohs and gods, but I was most touched by the objects used for everyday that the Egyptians knew they would need in the afterlife--combs, cosmetic jars, their clothes and bed linen.  Also apparently sometimes the gods wanted the deceased to work on their afterlife farms.  Well, if I'm a Scribe or something of the sort, such work is beneath me.  Ha ha!  I'll have figurines made, and a lot of them with overseers to boot, so when the gods call on me, they can do the work.

I began the day with another trip to the grocery store.  I came home with more Piedmontese cheese even though I had not finished the Robiola.  Apero is Tomino de Bascaiolo on toast with Barbera de Monferrant.  This cheese has a soft rind and is lovely on toast with red wine.

Don't call them ravioli.  In Piedmont they are agnolotti and are filled with meat.  It's what's for dinner.  Most regions of Italy have their own version and their own names.  I'm sure they are all good.

Ciao for now