June 18, 2022 – January 8, 2023
Gold Ring of Sekhmet, ancient Egyptian, New Kingdom, about 1539–1077 BCE, gold, Mrs. Kingsmill Marrs Collection, 1926.97
The magnificence of ancient Egypt comes to brilliant life through jewelry—the most precious and personal of human possessions—in this expansive exhibition at WAM. Timed to open 100 years after the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, Jewels of the Nile: Ancient Egyptian Treasures from the Worcester Art Museum puts the Museum’s collection of early Egyptian jewelry on view for the first time in a century. Remarkable for both its breadth and quality, this collection was assembled by Kingsmill Marrs (d. 1912) and Laura Norcross Marrs (1845 – 1926) and given to WAM by Mrs. Marrs.
Jewels of the Nile showcases 300 objects, ranging from tiny beads and gems to large sculptures from the Museum’s other Egyptian holdings. Through the singular story of Kingsmill and Laura Marrs and their friendship with British archaeologist Howard Carter, the exhibition also delves into the materials and techniques used in the creation of personal adornments, the evolution of style over the centuries, and the early twentieth-century phenomenon of Egyptomania sparked by archaeological exploration in the region. Interactive components and interpretive programs will allow visitors of all ages to explore and experience themselves this fascinating aspect of ancient Egyptian culture.
Laura Marrs was the daughter of Boston mayor Otis Norcross (1811-1882) and wife of amateur photographer Kingsmill Marrs (d. 1912). During a trip to Egypt in 1908, the Marrs met archaeologist Howard Carter (1874-1939), who would later discover Tutankhamun’s tomb. The Marrs struck up a friendship with Carter, and they wrote letters and visited one another in Florence, Italy, and in Luxor, Egypt. Carter also advised them on purchasing antiquities—particularly jewelry, which was legal at that time. With his knowing eye and the Marrses' acumen, together they assembled a truly outstanding collection.
The exhibition is curated by Peter Lacovara, Ph.D., Director of The Ancient Egyptian Archaeology and Heritage Fund; and Yvonne Markowitz, Rita J. Kaplan and Susan B. Kaplan Curator Emerita of Jewelry at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
This exhibition is made possible through the generous support from Dr. Sohail Masood, his wife Mona Masood, and their children Laila Masood and Omar Masood.
Additional generous funding is provided by the Rita J. and Stanley H. Kaplan Family Foundation, Inc., Fletcher Foundation, and Sandy Hubbard and Thomas J. Logan.
Interactive elements in the exhibition are supported in part by the Mass Cultural Council's Innovation Fund. Related programming is supported by the Schwartz Charitable Foundation.
Sponsored by: Kaplan Construction, Patrick Motors and Webster Five.
Media Partners: The Boston Globe and WGBH
Additional support from: Mass Cultural Council's Innovation Fund
Related Programs
Public Docent-led Exhibition Tours
Every weekend – check our calendar for the latest schedule
Space is limited – please register at the front desk as you enter the Museum
Free with Museum admission
Meet in Lancaster Lobby
Learn how this collection of works came to the Worcester Art Museum as you take a closer look at the exhibition.
Art Cart: Hieroglyphic Cartouches
Please check our calendar for the latest schedule
Free with Museum admission
2nd Floor Salisbury Hall
Learn to write like an Egyptian! Write your name the way a pharaoh or a god would have theirs displayed, inside a protective cartouche.
Press
Republican American
Worcester museum blings it home with Ancient Egyptian exhibit
By Tracey O'Shaughnessy, November 12, 2022
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
In storage for 100 years, Jewels of the Nile required special attention at WAM
By Nancy Sheehan, November 9, 2022
Worcester Business Journal
After nearly 100 years, WAM begins full exhibition of Egyptian jewelry donation
By Sadie Leite, June 20, 2022
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Worcester Art Museum shows off Egyptian treasures in 'Jewels of the Nile'
By Nancy Sheehan, June 17, 2022
The Arts Fuse
Coming Attractions: June 12 Through 28 – What Will Light Your Fire
June 12, 2022
Lowell Sun
Eye on Art: WAM showcases ancient Egypt in ‘Jewels of the Nile’
By Nancye Tuttle, June 1, 2022
Worcester Magazine
Ancient Egyptian bling: WAM exhibit examines power and symbolism of 'Jewels of the Nile'
By Veer Mudambi, March 30, 2022
Rapaport Magazine
Pharaonic Finds: The wonders of Egyptian jewelry come to life in a new book and exhibition from the Worcester Art Museum in Massachusetts.
By Phyllis Schiller, March, 2021
Selected Images
Exhibition Catalog
This exhibition is accompanied by an illustrated book, published by the Worcester Art Museum, which brings to light these ancient treasures using the letters of the Marrs and Howard Carter and exquisite photographs of the Marrs collection. The catalog is written by the curators Peter Lacovara and Yvonne Markowitz, with contributions by Paula Artal-Isbrand, Worcester Art Museum Objects Conservator, Erin R Musak; and Richard Newman. This book, edited by Sue D’Auria, is available for purchase in the Museum Shop ($49.95 hardcover, $39.95 paperback).
For mail orders, please call the Shop at 508.793.4355 or email shopsales@worcesterart.org.
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