The surprising similarities between ancient Egypt and China

Not only the Egyptians, but also the Chinese developed very complex funeral rites in order to protect their dead in the afterworld. This precious robe in which a member of the royal family was buried consists of 2,216 little jade plates. Alone the silver threads holding them together weigh one kilo. The piece is part of the Berlin exhibition "China and Egypt. Cradles of the World."

In ancient Egypt, mummies often wore masks with individualized features. A winged scarab is painted on the head of the partially golden mask of Ta-Sherit-en-Hor. There is also a magic Udjat Eye - also called the Eye of Horus - that can be seen on the red ribbon on the forehead. It's the protective symbol of Horus, the god of light.

Alcohol played a big role in both ancient civilizations. In China, it was made of millet and consumed during religious ceremonies. It was kept in precious jars like this one, which has the form of an owl. It comes from the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 8 AD).

Archeological findings and antique texts have shown that in China, wine was also used for sacrificial purposes. It was heated up over red-hot charcoal so that the ancestors would enjoy the vapor. And it was poured on rocks and into springs in order to appease deities and spirits. The exhibition also includes this ox-shaped wine jar, dating back to the late Shang Period (13th-11th century BC.)

Egypt and China are among the oldest-known civilizations to have developed a script. Egypt already had a writing system by 3000 BC. They often used papyrus to write. This book of the dead that once belonged to Ta-remetch-en-Bastet of the early Ptolemy Period is also part of the exhibition. Among the earliest writing implements in China were bamboo strips and so-called oracle bones.

Due to climatic reasons, linen robes from ancient Egypt could be preserved over a long time. In China, however, cloths made from China grass, and later on from cotton, could not be preserved. This statue depicting a servant, however, gives us some insight into the fashion during the Western Han Dynasty.