Head end of a wooden coffin, covered in plaster and painted. The decoration on the crown of the head shows a black scarab beetle holding a sun in the centre, surrounded by colourfully painted hieroglyphs.
Collections reviews

Scotland's Ancient Egyptian collections

From stelae to shabtis, canopic jars to Coptic cloth, immense public interest in Egyptology from the 1800s onwards has led to the development of ancient Egyptian collections across Scotland.

As part of the Ancient Egypt and East Asia National Programme we undertook  a national review of ancient Egyptian collections in Scotland, supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, delivered by the Museums Association. The review highlights some of the objects and stories from these collections. It is the largest and most detailed review of Egyptian collections in Scotland, tracking around 14,000 objects from 25 organisations, spread across 50 sites.

Ancient Egyptian collections by region

  • Egypt in Edinburgh and the Lothians

    Learn more about ancient Egyptian collections in City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian, as well as National organisations.

  • Egypt in Glasgow and Strathclyde

    Learn more about ancient Egyptian collections in East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire.

  • Egypt in Scotland South

    Learn more about ancient Egyptian collections in Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders.

Download the full collections review