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Egyptian Textile Museum. Photo By LittleT889 –

Top 10 Sensational Facts about The Egyptian Textiles Museum

The history of Egyptian textiles dates back to 3400 BC. Linen, the earliest textile, was made from the flax seeds grown on the Nile River. Today, the textile industry is diverse with the addition of silk, wool, and cotton.

According to Egyptian history, linen was considered a gift from Isis, the goddess of healing spells. She was the originator of flaxseed and taught Egyptians how to cultivate the plant. Aside from linen fiber, flaxseeds were believed to have healing properties, be a form of protection from dark magic, and a generator of good fortune.

The Egyptian Textiles Museum was put up to preserve the country’s rich culture throughout the ancient, Roman, and Islamic eras. The historic two-story museum located on Muizz street is tucked away from the city’s main attractions in old Islamic Cairo.

 The textile museum had over 200 textile displays. It also showcases tools used in textile production and laundering. Furthermore, the museum set outs ancient Egyptian carpets from the Coptic and Islamic eras.

The Egyptian Textile Museum has a variety of items such as loincloths, baskets, sheets, statues, and bandages.  Each item on display has informative placards on description, use, and time of existence.

1. The Egyptian Textile Museum Is Situated In The Oldest Street In Cairo

Al Muizz Street is considered an important street artery in Cairo. It forms a base for the city’s economy and historic religious institutions. The street dates back to the 10^th century during the reign of Al Mu’izz Ii Din Allah, the fourth successor of Mohammed.

2. It Has The Headless Statue of the Goddess Of Agriculture

Demeter, the goddess of Agriculture in Greek mythology, was in charge of the fertility of the Earth. The statue of the goddess has a long garment with characteristics of the Greco-Roman costumes of the 1^st -2^nd centuries AD.    

Demeter is an essential idol in the textile history of Egypt as linen, the first textile fibre, was produced from flaxseeds.

3. The Egyptian Textile Museum Has A 3D Life Size Illustration On Textile Making

Loom silk thread weaving loom. Photo By hakelbudel –

On the second floor, the museum illustrates the process of textile weaving with life-size displays of Egyptian models and weaving looms. The museum also gives details on the whitening of linen and laundering of textiles. Linen clothes were a symbol of purity therefore they needed to be kept clean and in good condition.

4. It Has Exhibits Of Excavated Linen Cloths from Deir El-Medina Village

Ancient artisans’ village en:Deir el-Medina close to Luxor in Upper Egypt. Photo By Djehouty –

In 1922, pieces of linen textiles were discovered in a family tomb at a village west of the Nile. The clothes displayed in the museum seemed to have existed between 1458 BC and the 19^th dynasty of the New Kingdom.

Before its extinction, Deir el-Madina was a community of workmen. It existed during the reign of Hatshepsut. It is considered Egypt’s main research site on the working and living conditions of prehistoric community life.  

5. The Egyptian Textile Museum Is Located Next To Ottoman Sabil

The Ottoman sabil is a water fountain that was put up by Mohammed Ali Pasha of Egypt and Sudan. It holds historical heritage to the Egyptian culture. Ali Pasha was known as the founder of modern Egypt who brought reforms in the both military and cultural spheres.

The sabil was built in commemoration of his son Ibrahim who had passed away in 1822 after falling ill on his trip from Constantinople.  

6. The Museum Forms A Link To The History of Egyptian Civilization

Egypt was a powerful Middle Eastern territory and has one of the longest-lasting civilizations in the history of the world. The items in the Museum date from 2500BC to modern Egypt. The museum shows cases a variety of textiles from the Umarad and Abbasid dynasties.

Aside from different forms of art and pottery, Egypt was an influential country when it came to textiles.

7. The Loincloths Found In The Egyptian Textile Museum Belonged To King Tutankhamun

The famous burial mask of King Tutankhamun. Photo By
Mark Fischer –

More than 145 pieces of cloth were found during the excavation of King Tutankhamun tomb in the Valley of Kings. Some of the pieces are displayed in the textile museum. Linen fabric was worn as a symbol of wealth throughout life and the afterlife.

Previously, royalties would be buried with their belongings including their garments. This is because they believed that death was a passage from life on earth to life in the world to come.  

8. The Museum Has A Linen Shroud Statue With A Life-Size Painting of The Egyptian God of Death

Osiris was the god of death, the afterlife, and the underworld. According to Egyptian legends, linen shroud was a significant part of sending off the dead. As the lifeless bodies are wrapped, the embalmers laid protective amulets as a form of protection in the afterlife.

The linen shroud, decorated with hieroglyphic inscription and image of Osirir, were tied over bandaged mummies as a send away to rebirth in the afterlife. Moreover, a statue of Osiris displayed in the museum, which existed between 664 -332 BC, is covered with linen bandages with a life-size portrait of Osiris.

9. The Egyptian Textile Museum Shows The Significance Of Textiles In Offerings To Egyptian Deities

The museum has displays of offerings where Egyptians are dressed in white garments which were a symbol of purity and light. They were worn during traditional and religious ceremonies.  

On the funerary stela of priest Pa-nefry, he is seen wearing a white clit as he offers incense to Osiris, the Egyptian god of death. The museum also has models of female bearers during the 6^th dynasty of the Old Kingdom dressed in white linen wrappings as they proceed to lay the offerings.

10. The Egyptian Textile Museum Has Statuettes Of Nephthys and Goddess Hathor’s Temple

Goddess Hathor. Photo By imordaf –

Despite it being predominately textile displays, the museum also showcases several statuettes. The votive statuettes, wrapped in decorative linen, were found in the temple of goddess Hathor in the Red Sea. They were a representation of the sky and fertility.

Furthermore, the museum shows the statuette of goddess Nephthys, the sister to Osiris. The statuette is wrapped in wool and linen clothing.