King Tut
Most people have seen King Tut’s burial mask in pictures or on television. For many, King Tut has become synonymous with Egypt. From images, we can see the jewels and the
youthful beauty of King Tutankhamun’s face cast in gold. But what can’t be seen from a distance is the incredible detail put into each row of jewels or into the features of the face. We can’t see the artistry with which this piece was created from afar, which is what makes King Tut’s burial mask a must see. In 1922, Howard Carter discovered King Tut’s mostly intact tomb filled with the items the King would need in the afterlife. A find of this magnitude had not occurred before and has not since. Because of this, Tut quickly became the most well-known Egyptian Pharaoh, receiving worldwide media coverage of his tomb and the artifacts inside. King Tut ruled in the 18th dynasty (1332 BC – 1323 BC) from age 9 until his untimely death at age 19. Tut most notably restored polytheism overturning his father, Akhenaten’s mandate of belief solely in Aten. King Tut was described as a frail, sickly youth. He was married but did not produce heirs to the throne. He died only ten years into his reign. After his death, Tut was hastily buried in an unfinished tomb. How he met his demise has been the source of interest since his tomb’s discovery. The details of King Tut’s life and death continue to be pieced together, but the contents of his tomb can be viewed at The Egyptian Museum. The mask itself, made of gold and inlaid with semi-precious stones, was placed on the head of King Tut’s mummy before the mummy was placed in the innermost sarcophagi. The vulture and cobra found above the brow were symbols of Upper and Lower Egypt respectfully. King Tut is depicted wearing the nemes, which is the traditional royalty headdress, done with blue glass stripes. Weighing about 25 pounds, the mask is adorned with obsidian, colored glass, and quartz, making it one of the most magnificent artifacts of the ancient world. The inscription on the back of the mask is intended to for protection. Visit Travel2Egypt for more information.