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This episode is brought to you by Tipi, who randomly encountered me and a tour group

at the Memorial Temple of Setti I in Luxor in November. Teppi, thank you for saying hello. I hope the rest of your trip

was a great success.

The excavation season for winter 2025 to 26 has begun.

We have a few discoveries already, and some announcements over the past few months.

Let's explore.

First things first.

The museum is open.

After 20 years of work, multiple delays and a staggering amount of money, the Grand

Egyptian Museum, or Gem, is now fully operational.

Naturally, millions of voices suddenly cried out in glee, and have not yet been silenced.

The first few weeks were busy, with enormous crowds gathering daily to see the newly opened galleries.

The gem's lure is at scale.

Thousands upon thousands of objects are on display, and many of them are going on show

for the first time.

That includes the complete assemblage of items from the tomb of Tutankhamun.

In the past, the old Cairo Museum housed a selection of Tutankhamun's

goods, like the coffins, mask, jewelry, shrines, and chariots. But many smaller items,

or the less glamorous pieces, those remained in storage. Now they appear in their own devoted

space. There are cases upon cases filled with the

...