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'Pharaoh in Canaan: The Untold Story' at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem

Pharaoh in Canaan tells the highly revelatory and previously untold story of the rich cross-cultural ties between Egypt and Canaan during the second millennium BCE.

'Pharaoh in Canaan: The Untold Story' at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Most commonly known from the biblical narratives of Joseph and Moses in Egypt, this historical chapter took place during a time of great political flux in both regions, due to two central developments: settlement of the Canaanites in the eastern part of the Egyptian Delta during the Middle Bronze Age (circa 1800–1550 BCE); and the consequent period of Egyptian rule over Canaan that saw the establishment of an Egyptian military and administrative presence in Canaan during the Late Bronze Age (circa 1500–1150 BCE).

'Pharaoh in Canaan: The Untold Story' at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Canaanite amulet of a schematic nude goddess in Egyptian style, Tell el-Ajjul, 15th century BCE, gold. Collection of Israel Antiquities Authority [Credit: © The Israel Museum/Elie Posner]
'Pharaoh in Canaan: The Untold Story' at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Lid of anthropoid sarcophagus, Tel Shadud, 13th century BCE, pottery. Collection of Israel Antiquities Authority [Credit: © The Israel Museum/Elie Posner]
'Pharaoh in Canaan: The Untold Story' at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Victory stela of Seti I erected at Beth Shean, 13th century BCE, Basalt. Collection of Israel Antiquities Authority [Credit: © The Israel Museum/Elie Posner]
The exhibition presents more than 680 objects demonstrating the cross-fertilization of ritual practices and aesthetic vocabularies between these two distinct ancient cultures.

From large-scale royal victory steles and anthropoid coffins to scarabs and amulets, the exhibition draws from the Israel Museum’s own extensive holdings and from archaeological finds excavated in Israel by the Israel Antiquities Authority, together with seminal loans from The Metropolitan Museum, NY; the Louvre Museum, Paris; the Egyptian Museum, Turin, the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, and other important collections worldwide.

Pharaoh in Canaan: The Untold Story at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, will run until October 25.

Source: The Israel Museum [March 10, 2016]