This is a cachet (of mummies), which means that the ancient Egyptians since the end of the New Kingdom began to take the mummies out of the tombs and hide them. We don't really know what kind of people are inside but I do believe they look royal. Maybe they are kings or queens or nobles.

For the first time, we will make these dead mummies come alive,

Maybe they are mummies of kings or queens or nobles, we don't know. But it's definitely someone connected to the royal family.

Two hundred and fifty mummies covered in gold. Something like this cannot be explained – mummy after mummy covered in shining gold,

This is a very interesting exhibit. It will educate people about death and the afterlife, and how Egyptians used the Book of the Dead and other rituals. It's from the New Kingdom, our golden age. And by coming to Dayton, it is helping to bring the money we need in Egypt. Our project does not have any government money — it's all from tourists and sending out these exhibitions.

I found in one of the tombs an inscription saying, 'If you touch my tomb, you will be eaten by a crocodile and hippopotamus.' It doesn't mean the hippo will eat you, it means the person really wanted his tomb to be protected.