Ancient Egyptian objects displayed at National Gallery

WASHINGTON -- The largest collection of ancient Egyptian objects ever brought to the United States is on display at the National Gallery of Art.

"The Quest for Immortality" will display about 115 items. Among them is a statue of Osiris, the god of the underworld murdered by his brother Seth but brought back to life by his sister Isis.

The statue, from about 600 B.C., shows Osiris, wrapped as a mummy, lying on his stomach with his head raised at the moment of his resurrection. Ancient Egyptians believed that they, like Osiris, could triumph over death.

There will also be an eight-foot model of a boat that Pharaoh Amenhotep II used on the Nile between 1427 and 1400 B.C. Paintings on the model show Montu, a god with the head of a hawk, striking down the enemies of Egypt.

A life-size reproduction of the burial chamber of Pharaoh Thutmose III, who reigned just before Amenhotep II, concludes the show. It contains the first known version of the Amduat, a text describing the 12-hour night trip of the sun god, who defeats his enemies in the underworld and is born again in the east next morning.

During the exhibit, which will last until Oct. 14, the gallery will show two films with new footage of ancient sites and explanations by Egyptologists of the ancient beliefs.

The first big exhibit of Egyptian objects at the National Gallery was mounted in 1961. In 1976-77 the "Treasures of Tutankhamun," which brought 835,924 visitors to the gallery, showed fewer than half as many objects.

"The Quest for Immortality" will make a U.S. tour lasting more than five years to Boston, New Orleans, Denver and Houston.

Announcement of the show was scheduled for Tuesday.