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Pharaoh
Tutankhamun's funerary relics occupy a large section of the upper
level of the Cairo Museum. This is not surprising, since most of
the artifacts are in spectacular condition and many composed of
precious metals. But whether they are made with gold, silver, bronze,
wood or alabaster, they are all remarkably crafted and beautiful.
King
Tut ruled Egypt from 1333 to 1323 B.C., only 10 years, before he
was probably murdered and his throne ursurped by his royal vizier,
Ay. He came to rule in the midst of political and religious turmoil
brought about by his father, Akhenaten.
His
funerary mask (at right), is perhaps the most impressive
piece in the collection. The mask is about 25 pounds of solid gold,
inlaid lapis lazuli, carnelian, quartz, turquoise, obsidian, and
colored glass. The beautiful mask is extremely lifelike and attracts
the most tourists of any other object on the upper level of the
museum.
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The back
of the mask is engraved with a magic
formula for added protection of the body.
Below
are a few photos of Tutankhamun's coffins.
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His
body was encased in a series of three coffins. Two are on display
at the Cairo Museum; the outermost coffin still covers the body
of the young pharaoh in his tomb in the Valley
of Kings.
One
of the coffins was almost 300 pounds of solid gold, the other was
wood, layered with gold. Both were encrusted with precious and semi-precious
gemstones and engraved with protection spells.
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During
the process of mummification, his key internal organs were removed
from his body and placed into these protective jars. The jars were
housed in a chest and the chest was placed inside a large gilded,
wooden shrine.
The
jars and the chest were carved from white alabaster, quarried from
Hatnub, and then carved and painted with hieroglyphic spells. The
shrine, along with many other priceless artifacts, was crammed in
the small "Treasury of the Tomb".
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The shrine
that stored King Tut's canopic jars
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Cabinet that
stored a golden statue
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A closer view of the shrine is at the right while a wooden statue
of Anubis, the guide of the dead, sits upon a great chest. Both the
chest and the shrine are covered in sheet gold and covered with hieroglyphs.
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The hammering
work on the gold panels on some of the objects is incredible
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An
alabaster perfume jar
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A
gilded and gem-encrusted chest
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Here
are two beautifully carved alabaster items. The one on the left
is a perfume jar,
and the container on the right was probably made to hold ointment
or sacred oils.
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Tutankhamun's
gilded and gem-encrusted throne
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Yet another
beautiful piece of alabaster
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marvelous chair was found in the annex of the antechamber among a
jumble of furniture, boxes, and objects of alabaster. |
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Tutankhamun
was entombed with 413 shawabtis. Shawabtis are figurines
that would assist the deceased when they entered the afterlife.
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Hundreds
of other items were found in Tutankhamun's tomb. Furniture, food,
jars of beer, clothing, jewelry and other riches. Above right is
a gilded divan.
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