New Louvre exhibition in Paris honours Egyptian pharaoh Taharqa

Taharqa was the third ruler of the 25th Dynasty, a line of African kings who ruled for half a century

The entrance to the Pharaoh of the Two Lands: The African Story of the Kings of Napata exhibition at the Louvre museum in Paris. All photos: AFP

Taharqa, the third ruler of the 25th Dynasty, is the star of the exhibition.

The 25th Dynasty, a line of African kings ruled for half a century an area spanning the Mediterranean and the junction of the White and Blue Niles.

Running until July 25, the exhibition brings together artefacts and works from museums across the world to highlight the reign of the 25th Dynasty.

The exhibition goes back to the beginnings of the 25th Dynasty, when the armies of King Piye conquered Egypt in the 8th century BC.

Gold pieces, granite statues, papyrus works and sarcophagi represent the millennia-old epics of King Piye and his successors.

Several of the exhibited pieces were discovered in the excavations Louvre archeologists conducted in Sudan over the past decade.

The exhibition puts a spotlight on Taharqa's reign, which was prosperous despite a lengthy conflict with the Assyrians.

Taharqa ruled for nearly three decades in the 8th century BC.

During his rule, Taharqa restored temples, built new ones and and structured what has been described by historians as “an efficient central government”.

Taharqa reigned from Napata, the ancient capital of the kingdom in Nubia, located in what is now northern Sudan.

French archeologist Jean-Francois Champollion deciphered hieroglyphics for the first time in 1820 using the Rosetta Stone.

The exhibition marks the 200th anniversary of his breakthrough.

A vast collection of hieroglyphics will be on display to honour Champollion’s achievement.

The exhibited pieces are sourced from museums around the world including The Louvre, The British Museum, and The Berlin Ägyptisches Museum.

The 25th Dynasty unified two ancient kingdoms and ruled for half a century.

The exhibition highlights the rule of the 25th Dynasty, starting with King Piye's conquest of Egypt.

Pharaoh of the Two Lands: The African Story of the Kings of Napata will be running until July 25.

The reign of Taharqa, pharaoh of Egypt and the Kingdom of Kush, is the focus of a new exhibition at the Louvre museum in Paris

Taharqa was the third ruler of the 25th Dynasty, a line of African kings who ruled an area spanning the Mediterranean and the junction of the White and Blue Niles for half a century.

Taharqa is undoubtedly the most renowned among them. The pharaoh ruled for nearly three decades in the 8th century BC from Napata, the ancient capital of the kingdom in Nubia, located in what is now northern Sudan. He spearheaded a thriving period in Egypt and Kush, restoring temples, building new ones and structuring what has been described by historians as “an efficient central government”.

The exhibition at the Louvre, Pharaoh of the two lands: The African story of the Kings of Napata, puts a spotlight on this period, which was prosperous despite a lengthy conflict with the Assyrians.

Running until July 25, the exhibition brings together artefacts and works from museums across the world. Many of the exhibited pieces are sourced from the excavations Louvre archaeologists conducted in Sudan over the past decade.

The exhibition doesn’t only focus on Taharqa’s reign. It goes back to the beginnings of the 25th Dynasty, when the armies of King Piye conquered Egypt in the 8th century BC, unifying two vast ancient kingdoms and extending the dominion of the Pharaohs.

Gold pieces, granite statues, papyrus works and sarcophagi represent the millennia-old epics of King Piye and his successors. The star of the show is, however, Taharqa.

The exhibition also marks the 200th anniversary of French archaeologist Jean-Francois Champollion deciphering hieroglyphics for the first time. A vast collection of hieroglyphics will be on display to honour his work.