Egyptology FAQ

Why don’t you return objects to Egypt?

The majority of Egyptian objects in Bolton Museum, including human remains, derive from excavations conducted by archaeological expeditions, and were given to the Museum in return for an annual subscription. These expeditions were given permits to dig by the Egyptian authorities, a condition of which was that the excavator would be allotted a share of finds to take out of the country.

Other objects were purchased on the art market, either by the museum or by donors. In all cases these objects were acquired in accordance with international treaties regarding the trade in cultural goods. Until the 1980s there was a thriving legal trade in antiquities – including mummified remains – in Egypt, and Egyptian objects are still legitimately bought and sold in Britain and Europe today.

We believe that the museum has full legal title to all items in its Egyptian collection, nor has the Egyptian government made any claims for the return of any objects.

The ethical position on the display and storage of human remains is open to debate, and the Museum is currently working on a human remains policy. We believe that the peceived benefits of displaying our two mummies outweigh the disadvantages.

Why don’t you put more objects on display?

The Museum owns around 10,000 Egyptian objects (the number varies depending on how they are counted). For reasons of space, not all can be displayed at once – choosing a selection allows us to present the better-preserved pieces and to give objects room to breathe in the displays. The remaining objects are kept in climate-controlled storage, and we welcome enquiries from scholars and interested people to come and study pieces.

Are scarabs dangerous?

Contrary to the impression given by the Mummy films, scarab beetles are not flesh-eating monsters! The Egyptians regarded the scarab as a symbol of rebirth and the rising sun, and placed amulets in the form of scarabs among the wrappings of the mummy to help the dead person enter the afterlife.

What is the Amarna Princess?

The “Amarna Princess” is the name given to a stone statuette Bolton Museum acquired in 2003. At this time it was believed to date from the Amarna Period (c. 1350 BC), and to represent one of the daughters of King Akhenaten. The statue has subsequently proved to be a forgery. Read the Amarna statement for more details about the case.