Chance to learn all about ancient Egyptian writing at new exhibition

‘Writing for Eternity: Decoding Ancient Egypt’ is a free exhibition hosted at the Museum of Hartlepool.

On display are holy texts such as chapters from the Book of the Dead, which reveals ancient Egyptian spiritual beliefs and burial practices.

Other objects include statues, fragments of mummy wrappings and jewellery.

Shabti figures - small mummiform figures that were buried in tombs – are also be included. Egyptians believed that Shabtis would come alive in the afterlife and would perform tasks for the deceased. The more Shabtis a person had the less work they had to do in the afterlife.

The exhibition – which runs until May 14 - also features lots of child friendly activities, including opportunities to write and dress like an Ancient Egyptian.

Anna Dodgson, cultural officer (museums and exhibitions) at Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “We are really lucky to be working with the British Museum to bring these fantastic ancient Egyptian artefacts to the town.

“Writing in ancient Egypt really was the information technology of its day. It was revolutionary, allowing spoken language to be conveyed in a visible, material form so that people could store information and transmit it across time and space.

“We hope that the people of Hartlepool and others beyond will come to see the messages left for us by people who lived thousands of years ago.”

Bosses say the exhibition is supported through the generosity of the Dorset Foundation.