Despite the taboos surrounding it, Liang En and the other person didn't visit the Royal Mummy Museum. Instead, they went to a nearby free animal mummy museum.
It must be said that the ancient Egyptians had a considerable knack for preserving animal bodies for long periods. Therefore, Liang En and the others saw a series of animal mummies in this room, including baboons, crocodiles, lions, cats, and more.
Compared to the adjacent room containing a series of mummies of ancient Egyptian royalty, this room had a much better vibe. At least most of these mummies were enclosed in plaster shells, making them appear less unsettling.
After leaving the museum, it was already 3 PM. Because they were starving and the area was a tourist hotspot in the city center, Liang En and the others followed a group of French tourists to a nearby street to find something to eat.
To be honest, things near tourist spots around the world are pretty similar. For instance, street vendors selling grilled food can be found wherever there are people. However, for some reason, there was no beer available with the barbecue here, only some tea to suffice.
After each of them devoured a large portion of kebab rolls and drank a big cup of freshly squeezed juice, Liang En and his companions, who had been famished just a while ago, finally perked up. They also took the opportunity to plan their next travel destination.
Since the pyramids were scheduled for a collective visit tomorrow, they briefly discussed and decided to stroll around the vicinity while searching for any interesting items.
Although Liang En didn't intend to buy any artifacts or relics obtained through illegal excavation, there were state-run souvenir shops near various tourist attractions in Egypt to promote tourism.
Unlike Liang En's previous world, the state-run souvenir shops in this Egyptian world somewhat resembled the cultural relics stores that early China had for overseas trade. They offered some legally acquired artifacts.
"Why does it feel like every place in Egypt related to artifacts has the same style?" After entering, Fan Meng whispered to Liang En in Chinese.
Similar to the museum they had just visited, this place was crammed with items. Replicas of various artifacts and artworks in the ancient Egyptian style occupied almost every inch of the room.
Thanks to the gift from Champollion, Liang En conversed with the shopkeeper in Arabic after a few sentences in accented English. Upon learning the purpose of their visit, the shopkeeper led Liang En to a row of glass display cases.
"If you're interested in authentic artifacts, you'll find them in these cases," the shopkeeper pointed at five or six glass cases and said, "Take your time looking here. Let me know if you find something you like."
"Are these items all legal?" Despite having done some research beforehand, Liang En still inquired, "We're foreign tourists. Can we legally take these things through customs if we buy them here?"
"Of course, that's precisely why our shops exist," the middle-aged shopkeeper explained, "If you purchase items from us, we'll provide you with an authentication certificate. This way, you can take those items home without any issues."
"Hey, why does it seem like everything here is just junk?" After the elderly shopkeeper left, Fan Meng looked at the items in front of him with confusion.
Inside the glass cases were either tarnished Arabian-style bronze artifacts or various pieces of stone and mud. Only a few gold and silver coins in plastic boxes seemed to hold any value.
"No, no, there are quite a few treasures here," Liang En said, his eyes gleaming as he looked at the fragments on the clay tablets and stones. "While they might not have much economic value, from a historical perspective, they're invaluable."
Evidently, the expertise of Egypt's antiquities department in appraising items wasn't much different from that of Fan Meng's. In their eyes, the value of relics was obviously tied to the material and size. Naturally, some significant pieces found their way into these shops.
"And don't forget, in principle, artifacts from before 1883, whether excavated or newly discovered, cannot be taken out of Egypt without approval from the Ministry of Culture or even higher-ranking officials. This applies to research, exhibitions, and even private ownership."
Liang En had reviewed Egypt's laws before coming here, so he sighed and looked at the jumbled mess before him.
"Although the things displayed here might look like rubbish, they're the only legally obtainable relics in this country."
As there were so many items piled here, Liang En decided to use a [Detection (N)] card to avoid overlooking any valuable items. In an instant, a white light emanated from beneath one of the shelves.
Bending down, Liang En found that the source of the white light was a small heap of broken clay tablets. And after glancing at the cuneiform inscriptions on one of them, he realized it contained Akkadian text detailing the epic of Gilgamesh.
The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of humanity's oldest known epics, originating from Sumerian poems and legends. The story has various sources and versions, each incomplete due to its more than two-thousand-year-long transmission.
The earliest tablets of the epic come from ancient Babylon and, combined with later discovered Akkadian tablets, form the foundation for modern translations of Gilgamesh. By the 1870s and 1880s, the full epic was already translated.
Regarding why Middle Eastern artifacts were found in Egypt, the reason was straightforward—there was significant cultural exchange between the ancient Middle Eastern countries and ancient Egypt. Hence, discovering each other's artifacts on their respective territories wasn't uncommon.
As for why the clay tablet Liang En was interested in was being sold here as merchandise, the primary reason was that it was mixed in with a basketball-sized pile of broken clay tablets on the floor, making it appear like a heap of trash.
Moreover, upon closer examination, Liang En spotted some intriguing things amidst the pile. So, if things went as expected, he might be able to haggle down the price quite a bit.
"How much for this pile of tablet fragments?" Having made up his mind, Liang En called the shopkeeper over and gestured towards the pile beneath the counter. "I hope you'll give me a fair price."
"12,000 euros." The shopkeeper pulled out a notebook from behind the counter and glanced at it before answering.
"These are some of the oldest pieces we have, so even though they're fragmented and in disrepair, their value isn't cheap due to the inscriptions. However, if they're all authentic, the price is appropriate."
"If they are indeed all genuine," Liang En nodded after considering it, "then the price is fair. But selling them at this price with the possibility of forgeries—"
"How could there be forgeries—" The shopkeeper immediately began to argue upon hearing this but abruptly stopped mid-sentence as Liang En showed him a picture he had just taken.
In the photo, a broken clay tablet was circled in red. Embedded in its broken edge was a plastic sequin, commonly used on clothing. Obviously, such a thing couldn't have existed during the time these tablets were crafted.
"Uh... I apologize." After stooping to take a closer look at the tablets, the shopkeeper immediately bowed to Liang En and pulled out his phone to consult a superior. Soon, a well-dressed Arab man entered from outside.
"Hello, I'm the manager here," the middle-aged man said. "I apologize for the presence of forgeries among these tablet fragments. If you're still interested in these items, we'll compensate you in terms of the price—"