Connections Archive

Hundreds of artefacts, part of chaplain Dr Wayne French's collection, many thousands of years old, are open to the public as part of the Land of the Pharaohs exhibition. The centrepiece of the exhibition is a large urn found at the world's oldest pyramid, the "step pyramid" at Sakkhara. King Zoser built the pyramid almost 4000 years ago. The urn contained oil or wine for the dead king.

The exhibition contains rare glassware-bangles, bottles and vases dating back as far as 800 BC, including tear bottles used by professional mourners who were hired to attend a funeral-and replicas of artefacts from boy-king Tutankhamen's tomb, including the famous golden death mask.

Wayne will also show how the Egyptians made papyrus and exptlain the historical significance of the Rosetta Stone, which led to the unlocking of the mysterious Egyptian hieroglyphs. A replica of the stone is on display with replicas of the Cylinder of Cyrus, which details the capture of Babylon, the ancient world's largest city.

Wayne returned from a Bible lands tour this past Saturday (August 4). He and 35 theology students from the college visited Egypt, Greece and Israel, partly to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
Land of the Pharaohs is open 8 am-9.45 pm weekdays and 1-9 pm Sundays. Tours are available by appointment only 9 am-4 pm Monday-Thursday.