Although it was worn by wealthy Egyptians in life, it was also worn by them in death, with jewellery commonly placed among grave goods.

Egypt was famous for its oriental alabaster, and the tombs of wealthy Egyptians were often made of this material.

The Muslim Brothers carried out a fundraising campaign that was impressive because it relied upon donations from rural and urban working classes rather than wealthy Egyptians.

And then, in a luxury hotel beside the Nile they did what many wealthy Egyptians do: they held a great wedding party to seal their union.

The second major collection is at the Gezira Museum, on the grounds of Cairo's new opera house and made up of works seized from wealthy Egyptians after the 1952 revolution, which overturned the monarchy.

It is chiefly a residential neighborhood for wealthier Egyptians, including professionals, and foreigners living in Alexandria.

And wealthy Egyptians hold some $120 billion abroad.

Recently the Egyptian government has ramped up efforts to increase ties with its expatriate community, as it seeks to capitalize on the possibility of increased foreign direct investment, and multilateral business deals by wealthy Egyptians abroad.

What did wealthy Egyptians eat?

The staples of both poor and wealthy Egyptians were bread and beer, often accompanied by green-shooted onions, other vegetables, and to a lesser extent meat, game and fish.