A 3,000-year-old mummy and a 2,100-year-old gold pendant featuring Aphrodite and Eros will be among the fascinating antiquities featured at the Beijing exhibition.

Roman, Greek and Egyptian antiquities, many of them thousands of years old, are coming to China courtesy of the British Museum and its touring exhibition titled 'Treasures of the World's Cultures'. The exhibition will open in Beijing on March 18. On Wednesday Guo Xiaoling, curator of the Capital Museum, confirmed that 272 items would be on display.

Among the treasures to be exhibited are ancient Egyptian inscribed tablets and Greek and Roman sculptures and a work tool which is thought to be the oldest such artifact in the world. However, no Chinese items which have been collected by British Museum will be on display in Beijing.

"There is no need to bring Chinese items here," said Jane Portal, assistant curator of the British Museum.

"The two and a half month exhibition will enable Chinese audiences an opportunity to enjoy the collection of a world class museum without going abroad," Guo said.

Five lectures on world history have been arranged as part of the exhibition. Students studying world history in Beijing's universities are providing assistance to visitors.

In the exhibition hall, guide Li Xue, is rehearsing her explanation of how the ancient Egyptian mummies were actually made. "I have been reciting it for three days," she said excitedly. "It's my first opportunity today to practice my words alongside the pieces of work," Li said. She added that tours are free to museum visitors.

Guo said it was the first large-scale international exhibition since the newly-built Capital Museum opened last year and it will make every use of its new equipment and technology. The sophisticated temperature and humidity controls and the security systems in the museum would guarantee the safety of the pieces, Guo added

The 'Treasures of the World's Cultures' collection has been shown in Japan and the Republic of Korea attracting 1.3 million visitors during its four city tour of Japan and 600,000 in Seoul.

The British Museum is planning to hold exhibitions in China in the future in co-operation with the Palace Museum and the National Museum of China. The British Museum is also considering showing Chinese treasures in Britain.

(Xinhua News Agency March 16, 2006)