Up Close and Personal with Ancient Egypt - A Secret Voyage in Hamburg

Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, Egyptian Vice-Culture Minister and one of the most important Egyptologists of the modern era, held a public lecture for the first time in Germany on 26 March 2010. In cooperation with the Ägyptisch-Deutsche-Gesellschaft Nord e.V. (Egyptian-German Society North e.V.), Semmel Concerts presented "My Discoveries" in the CCH Hamburg. The Egyptian Consul-General has taken on patronage of the event.

Hawass, who gained his doctorate in Philadelphia, is highly regarded among experts for his extensive work. His commitment to drawing worldwide attention to Egypt's history and treasures has made a decisive contribution to the lasting public popularity of Ancient Egypt and the far-reaching cultural significance of this era.
Lecture "My Discoveries"
Over the course of the 90-minute multimedia lecture, Dr Zahi Hawass spoke on the search for the tomb of Queen Nefertiti, new insights on the tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the exciting research into the tombs of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. Biographical anecdotes and personal experiences from his many years of scientific activity rounded off his presentation.

A golden spring in Hamburg
With his stay in Hamburg, Dr Zahi Hawass gave the starting signal for an Egyptian springtime in the Hanseatic City. Together with the lecture in the CCH he introduced his new limited-edition illustrated book "A Secret Voyage", as well as the newly published museum guide "Inside the Egyptian Museum", during a public signing session.

At the same time, the lecture "My Discoveries" announces the start of the special exhibition "A Secret Voyage - Liebe, Magie und Mysterien im Reich der Pharaonen" (A Secret Voyage - Love, Magic and Mysteries in the Kingdom of the Pharaohs), featuring 50 large-format photographs from the art book of the same name. The captivating shots of Egyptian monuments and landscapes by the Italian photographer Sandro Vannini can be seen in the Hamburg Museum of Ethnology from 24 March 2010 until 29 August. Under the patronage of the Egyptian Consul-General Hala el Ghannam, Semmel Concerts and the Museum of Ethnology present a breathtaking collection of large-format photographs of Egypt's treasures previously hidden from the outside world.