Elephantine: Island of the Millennia

The first major exhibition on the island of Elephantine on the Upper Nile in Egypt presents hundreds of archaeological artifacts found in the archaeological excavations of Elephantine. Visitors are able to experience the international research cooperation that deciphered, translated and made these treasures digitally accessible, and thus enables them to experience the ancient culture of Elephantine. The papyrus and ceramic fragments on display, which contain text in ten ancient languages, span around 4,000 years and provide insights into the various cultures and religions that have continuously inhabited this unique site and establish a link to life in a multi-ethnic city today.



RAA's design translates the research findings into an immersive and interactive experience that conveys a fascination for the manifold stories that can be explored and discovered through the more than 10,000 papyri and ostraca found on Elephantine Island. The exhibition is divided into the major themes of "Time" and "Space.” Despite the spatial separation of the exhibition areas in the James-Simon-Galerie and the Neues Museum, the exhibition design is based on one scenographic design language and visual identity that makes it possible to experience it as a whole.



The main exhibition hall in the James-Simon-Galerie welcomes the visitors with the abstract form of an historic excavation tent, where visitors learn about the first excavations on Elephantine in the 19th century. From there, the entire length of the Exhibition Hall is on view – with the nearly 60-meter-long timeline of events on the opposite wall and rock-shaped thematic island in front of it – and boat-shaped seating elements in-between. Six thematic islands focusing on medicine, trade, religion, family, law, and diversity comprise the length of the hall. In the Greek Court, a sound installation with a reading of the so-called ‘Hunger-Stela’ in three languages and specially-created soundscapes form the atmosphere of the room. Lastly, the adjacent ERC Gallery is home to interactives and media stations that provide up-to-the-minute updates on the international research project that comprises the basis of the exhibition.