Beheira needs museum to host antiquities heaped in its storehouses

The success realized by several archeological teams in the governorates of Beheira proving that the governorate abounds in monuments pertaining to different ages from the pre-historic to the Roman Age has prompted officials of the supreme council of antiquities to approve conducting excavations at a number of sites.

But unfortunately, the unearthed items are stored at the storehouses of the SCAin Alexandria since Beheira is lacking of a provincial museum.

It may be surprising to know ages. About the recently discovered antiquities Rabie Qassem Director of Beheira antiquities said that a complete housing agglomeration was found at Kom Nagi area, 36 kilometers from Kafr AL Dawar.

The Roman city included a winery built of red brick and cistern whose floor is lined with white limestone.

A large collection of earthen pots of long necks in addition to bronze coins were also unearthed.

Qassem pointed out that an excavating team at Delingat found burials and rare ceramic sarcophagus some of which took the shape of human figure.

Hassan Sherif, a history professor at Damanhur University calls for the need to establish a museum in Beheira following the example of other provinces.

He explained that Damanhur Faculty of Arts has a small museum that is described as a small Louver.

But its rather limited area that provides no room for recently 68 discovered items couldn't be considered as the main show room in the governorate.

It is suggested, however, that AL Nasr movie theatre that is in a dilapidated condition could well be turned into a museum after being restored.

The movie, theatre enjoys a unique archit-ectural style similar to that of the old opera house that used to be in Cairo and it also lies in the heart of the city.

The movie theatre is thus potentially fit for the display purpose and it is up to officials to consider the suggestion and start moving, before losing the movie building that is now suffering negligence.