Egypt's Coptic Church is one of the oldest in the world, encompassing
two millennia of history, tradition, and culture. The Coptic Museum,
founded in Old Cairo in 1908, houses the world's largest and most
exquisite collection of Coptic artifacts, representing every historical
era, from the earliest Christian period to the nineteenth century. After
undergoing extensive renovations and repair, the Coptic Museum is open
to the public again, making this richly informative and illustrated book
very timely for anyone interested in this rich artistic heritage.
Structured as a guide, but fully illustrated with superb color
photographs, this book suggests a simple but comprehensive itinerary
through one of Egypt's most fascinating museums. Taking readers through
the various exhibits, this useful guidebook explains and illuminates the
aesthetic and religious importance of each of the museum's works on
display, such as icons, stelae, sculptures, wall paintings, wooden altar
screens, liturgical implements, and vestments and bible caskets.
Textiles, ceramics and documents (including the Nag Hammadi Gnostic
library from the fourth century, one of the most important collections
of papyri in the world) provide valuable insights into the economic and
social life of Egypt's Copts over the last two thousand years.
