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Apr 4, 2021 - World

In photos: Egypt holds grand procession of ancient mummies in Cairo

Rebecca Falconer
The carriages carrying 22 ancient Egyptian royal mummies depart from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo's Tahrir Square on April 3

Carriages containing 22 ancient Egyptian mummies depart from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo's Tahrir Square during Saturday's parade. Photo: Khaled Desouki/AFP via Getty Images

Egypt held a 5-mile procession of 22 ancient mummies in Cairo, as they were moved from a museum where they'd been for over a century to the new National Museum of Egyptian Civilization Saturday night.

For the record: Organizers "deliberately" hid from view working-class neighborhoods during the nationally televised event celebrating Egypt's past, locals told the New York Times. Urban planner Ahmed Zaazaa noted to the NYT, "The government says they are making reforms, but the vast majority of people in Cairo who live in working-class neighborhoods are excluded."

The carriage carrying the mummy of Queen Ahmose-Nefertari, daughter of Pharaoh Seqenenre Tao II at the April 3 Cairo parade.
The carriage carrying the mummy of Queen Ahmose-Nefertari, daughter of Pharaoh Seqenenre Tao II, during the parade. In all, the mummies of 18 kings and four queens were carried during the journey. Photo: Khaled Desouki/AFP via Getty Images
A performer dressed in ancient Egyptian costume uses his phone to take a "selfie" photo after the end of the parade of 22 ancient Egyptian royal mummies
A performer dressed in a costume at what's been dubbed the Pharaohs' Golden Parade. Photo: Mahmoud Khaled/AFP via Getty Images
A marching band marches at the start of the parade of 22 ancient Egyptian royal mummies departing from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo's Tahrir Square on April 3.
A marching band during the mummies parade departing from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo's Tahrir Square. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whom some call "a new pharaoh," presided over the event, per the Washington Post. Photo: Khaled Desouki/AFP via Getty Images
The carriages carrying 22 ancient Egyptian royal mummies advance along the roundabout of Tahrir Square containing the Obelisk of Ramses II
The carriages with the mummies advance along the roundabout of Tahrir Square. Photo: Mahmoud Khaled/AFP via Getty Images
Performers dressed in ancient Egyptian costume stand by the Obelisk of Ramses II and recently-unveiled and restored four ancient sandstone sphinxes in Cairo.
Performers near the Obelisk of Ramses II and the recently unveiled and restored four ancient sandstone sphinxes, extracted from the Avenue of the Sphinxes in Luxor, at Tahrir Square. Photo: Mahmoud Khaled/AFP via Getty Images
Performers dressed in ancient Egyptian costume march at the start of the parade of 22 ancient Egyptian royal mummies departing from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo's Tahrir Square on April 3.
Performers during the parade for the mummies. Photo: Mahmoud Khaled/AFP via Getty Images
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