Pharaonic Village

القرية الفرعونية
Pharaonic Village
Established	1984
Location	Giza, Egypt
Coordinates	29°59′50″N 31°12′55″E / 29.99722°N 31.21528°E / 29.99722; 31.21528
Founder	Hassan Ragab
Website	Pharaonic Village

The Pharaonic Village is a living museum located near Cairo, Egypt that exhibits ancient Egyptian life.^[1][2]

Hassan Ragab envisioned a living museum where people would wear Pharaonic costumes and reenact ancient Egyptian life.^[3][4] In 1974, Ragab began transforming Jacob's Island into a replica of ancient Egyptian life. The first step was planting nearly 5,000 trees around the village to block out modern Cairo's appearance. These trees included willow, sycamore, and date palms. He traveled to find rare plants and animals that were once native to Egypt. Over the next six years, Ragab focused on growing plants that had been part of Egyptian soil for thousands of years and studied details of ancient Egyptian life.

Construction in the village then gained momentum. The nobleman's house and garden were built, along with a market, a large field for farming and harvesting, a boat-making area, roads, and farms. At the center, a massive white-stone temple was erected, later becoming the village's emblem. In 1984, Ragab officially opened the Pharaonic Village after a decade of work, at a cost exceeding six million US dollars.^[4]

In 1989, Abdel Salam Ragab joined his father in managing the village. He emphasized that the village was still evolving. Years after its opening, a replica of King Tutankhamun's tomb was unveiled, offering visitors who couldn't travel to Luxor a chance to see an accurate reconstruction.

Additionally,Salam inaugurated 12 museums covering different periods of Egypt's history. As a result, the village continued to grow, transforming into a historical and cultural landmark.

The Pharaonic Village aims to bring ancient Egyptian history to life. Upon entering, visitors encounter actors in Pharaonic costumes reenacting daily activities such as making papyrus, fishing, painting, sculpting, farming, and mummification.

Visitors begin their trip by purchasing tickets at the entrance before proceeding to the floating reception hall, which includes a small cafeteria and a shop selling Pharaonic-style artifacts. The upper floor features the Cleopatra Museum, where a guide explains Cleopatra's reign, her relationship with Julius Caesar, and the conflicts of that era.

After the Cleopatra Museum, the main tour begins aboard a floating boat that travels through the village's waterways. Along the way, visitors learn about ancient Egyptian gods, see a reenactment of the story of Moses, and gain insights into papyrus-making, mummification techniques, pottery, glassmaking, weapons crafting, and traditional agriculture, irrigation, and fishing methods. Hieroglyphic writing and ancient art are also demonstrated through live performances.

One of the key attractions of the village is its collection of specialized museums, which cover various historical periods of Egypt. These include:

• The Ptolemaic Museum
• The Heritage Museum
• The Tomb of Tutankhamun
• The Beliefs Museum
• The Boats Museum
• The Islamic Museum
• The Museum of President Mohamed Naguib (Egypt's first president)
• The Museums of Presidents Gamal Abdel Nasser and Anwar Sadat
• The Pyramids Museum
• The Coptic Museum
• The Mummification Museum
• The Modern Egypt Museum
• The Napoleon Museum
• The Cleopatra Museum

Each museum presents detailed exhibits supported by images, miniature models, significant historical events, battles, clothing, and artifacts from different eras.

The Gamal Abdel Nasser Museum highlights the life of the late Egyptian president from birth to his passing in the early 1970s.^[5] Located along the Nile within the Pharaonic Village, the museum houses over 170 rare photographs of Nasser at various stages of his life. It also displays a large collection of his personal belongings, including bust statues, commemorative coins, postage stamps, magazine covers featuring Nasser, and letters he wrote in 1941 and 1942. Additionally, the museum features the official decree for the nationalization of the Suez Canal (July 26, 1956), his resignation speech (June 9, 1956), and the medical report on his death.

The Anwar Sadat Museum showcases an extensive collection of the former president's personal belongings, photos, and memorabilia. Some items were donated by his wife, Jehan Sadat, including his naval uniform worn at the Suez Canal inauguration, his famous walking cane, personal grooming items, and perfume. Rare photographs capture moments from his personal life, such as family pictures and images of him praying and reflecting. A model inside the museum illustrates the difficulties faced by the Egyptian army during the October War, including the Bar Lev Line and the sand barrier. The museum also displays pictures of Sadat with global leaders during the signing of the historic Camp David Accords.

This museum displays models demonstrating the ancient process of mummification, as well as the deities associated with the practice. The Pyramids Museum, on the other hand, explores pyramid construction techniques and the tools used to build them.

The village features a full-scale replica of Tutankhamun's tomb, built to the exact dimensions and layout of the original in the Valley of the Kings. It contains detailed replicas of all the artifacts found in the tomb, arranged in the same manner as they were discovered. The tomb is divided into four rooms:

• Antechamber: Displays three gold-covered beds, white jars containing dried food for the afterlife, and various personal items such as the king's throne.
• Annex: Contains pottery jars, a chest with the king's weapons, and a game board similar to modern chess.
• Burial Chamber: The centerpiece of the tomb, featuring four shrines and a solid gold coffin weighing 110 kilograms, which once held the king's mummy.
• Treasury Room: Houses treasures, personal belongings, and a statue of Anubis, the god of mummification, who was believed to protect the tomb.

The museum demonstrates the contrast between the homes of wealthy and poor Egyptians in Pharaonic times. The nobleman's house features multiple rooms, including a library, kitchen, stables, servant quarters, storage rooms, a beauty chamber, and an extensive courtyard. In contrast, the peasant's home consists of a single room, where his wife spends hours grinding wheat to make flour, while noblewomen enjoy music and beauty treatments.

The village includes an arts center offering workshops in glassmaking, pottery, and papyrus crafting. There is also a mini amusement park for children. Additionally, a professional photography studio allows visitors to dress in Pharaonic costumes for souvenir pictures.

There is a market and bazaar, where visitors can purchase a wide range of Pharaonic-inspired products, such as glassware, perfumes, copper and leather goods, sand art, henna designs, and traditional crafts. The studio offers themed photography sessions, though taking pictures inside the bazaar and studio is restricted.

• Official Website of the Pharaonic Village