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[bobdrake12]

http://touregypt.net...ce/tomb/burial/







This superb model, the king's portrait mask, stands without parallel as a masterpiece of Egyptian--and perhaps the world--craftsmanship. It is made of two separate sheets of gold and represents the young King as Osiris, god of the Underworld, wearing the nemes (head cloth), with a pig-tail falling at the back. This is inlaid with blue glass in imitation of lapis lazuli. On the brow sit the vulture and cobra to spit fire at the Pharaoh's enemies. The back of the mask is chased with a series of texts from the Book of the Dead.




(Left) In its original form it was constructed of thick cedar wood covered with gold foil. It is ornate, with beautiful etchings and inscriptions. It shows the King in the shape of Osiris carrying the Crook and Flail.

(Right) These are part of the royal regalia. The crook and flail are worn by the god Osiris, god of the underworld, and by the divine pharaoh. The crook (hega) and flail (nekhakha) are made of cylindrical sections of dark blue glass, obsidian and gold mounted on a copper rod.




(Left) King Tut's Crown - This was the royal diadem found on the King Tut mummy. It is made of pure gold with inlays of glass and semiprecious stones and carries the vulture and the cobra to protect the young pharaoh.

(Right) Horus Pendant - This striking pendant, also found on Tutankhamun's body shows, the falcon god Horus. It is made of gold inlaid with semi-precious stones.


EGYPTIAN MARKETPLACE P.O. BOX : 49084 / ATLANTA. GA 30359

[bobdrake12]

http://touregypt.net.../tomb/treasure/







(Left) Anubis On Shrine - The Jackal god of mummification, mounted on a gilded shrine with carrying poles. This figure of Anubis was found guarding the entrance of the treasury. It is carved from wood with a covering of black resin. The inside of the ears and collar are of gold leaf, inlaid eyes of calcite and obsidian set into gold, and nails of silver.

(Center) The Canopic Shrine - It was of gilded wood, protected by a canopy also of gilded wood, with sacred cobras and standing on a sled. It was located at the east wall of the treasury of King Tut and contained his embalmed internal organs. Howard Carter described this shrine as, "the most beautiful monument that I have ever seen--so lovely that it made one gasp with wonder and admiration"

(Right) Cartouche Box - This unusual box for the king's jewelry in the shape of a cartouche, has Tutankhamun's name on the lid.

EGYPTIAN MARKETPLACE P.O. BOX : 49084 / ATLANTA. GA 30359

[bobdrake12]

http://www.civilizat...ca07e.html#page



Valley of the Kings - Part 1

The Valley of the Kings is famous for its royal tombs. These beautifully painted tombs have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. For over a thousand years, the kings, queens and nobles of the New Kingdom (1500-1070 B.C.) were buried in this valley, which is the world’s most magnificent burial ground.




The tombs were cut into the limestone rock in a remote wadi (a dried-up river valley) on the west side of the Nile, opposite the present day city of Karnak. Their walls were painted and sculpted with magnificent murals depicting scenes of daily life and the land of the gods. The chambers were filled with treasures -- everything from furniture to food, statues, boats and jewels, which a person needed to sustain life into eternity. The royals and their courtiers hoped to find refuge from robbers and their enemies, who caused such havoc in the pyramid tombs of their predecessors.

[bobdrake12]

http://www.civilizat...ca07e.html#page




Valley of the Kings - Part 2

The Valley of the Kings was located in the ancient necropolis of Thebes, the capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom. Two branches separate the valley into the Western Valley and the Valley of the Monkeys. The Theban Peak, shaped like a pyramid, can be seen high above the burial grounds. This is perhaps one of the reasons the pharaohs chose this remote location.





The valley contains hundreds of tombs, many of which have yet to be excavated and others that have not yet been found. The most famous tomb (KV No. 62) belongs to the boy king Tutankhamun. It was discovered on November 22, 1922 by the English archaeologist Howard Carter. Here is a quote from Carter’s diary describing his reaction as he first peered into the tomb’s antechamber.




I inserted the candle and peered in, Lord Carnarvon, Lady Evelyn and Callender standing anxiously beside me to hear the verdict. At first I could see nothing, the hot air escaping from the chamber causing the candle flame to flicker, but presently, as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues and gold - everywhere the glint of gold . . .

When Lord Carnarvon, the English patron who financed Carter’s work, could no longer stand the suspense, he asked, "Can you see anything?" Carter replied, "Yes, wonderful things."


This famous quote sums up the excitement of this incredible discovery that took the world by storm. The awe-inspiring beauty of Tutankhamun's treasures has generated enormous interest in the history of Egypt. These treasures are the quintessential symbol of this remarkable civilization.


Created: January 9, 1998. Last update: May 22, 2001
© Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation

[bobdrake12]

http://www.civilizat...t/egtut05e.html





Life and Times





In 1323 B.C., a young Egyptian king died. His name was Tut.ankh.Amum - "the living image of Amun". Tutankhamun is the best-known pharaoh of ancient Egypt. He was probably the son of Akhenaten, the heretic king of the eighteenth dynasty. His mother was probably Queen Kiya, one of the king's secondary wives. Ankhesenpaaten (or Ankhesenamum), his older half sister, became his queen. He ascended the throne in 1333 B.C., at the age of nine, and reigned until his early death at the age of seventeen or eighteen. Some speculate that he was murdered and others think he may have been deliberately sent into battle to be killed. However, the exact cause of his death is unknown. Those who believe he was murdered point to the hole in his skull as evidence, but some experts believe the hole was made after his death. His mummified body was so badly preserved that we may never know the true fate of this minor pharaoh.





Not all scholars agree on the identity of Tutankhamun's parents. One theory suggests that he was the son of Amenophis III and his principal wife Tiy or his secondary wife Meritre. When the results of DNA testing on the pharaohs become available, we may get a clearer picture of the royal lineage.




This bust was found at the entry to Tutankhamun's tomb. Tutankhamun is depicted as the sun god, Re, emerging from a blue lotus in the primeval sea at the moment of his birth. The features are unmistakably those of Tutankhamun, and the exaggerated elongated skull is reminiscent of the Amarna princesses who may have been his half-sisters (the daughters of Akhenaten).

Wood, plaster and paint
Full-scale replica by Aded Zeibdawi


Created: January 9, 1998. Last update: May 29, 2001
© Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation

[bobdrake12]

http://www.civilizat...t/egtut05e.html




The Cause of His Death




Researchers continue to investigate the cause of Tutankhamun's premature death. Bob Brier, a mummy specialist from Long Island University, has been tracking down clues that indicate Tutankhamun may have been killed by his elderly chief advisor and successor, Ay. An X-ray of his skull revealed a calcified blood clot at its base. This could have been caused by a blow from a blunt implement, which eventually resulted in death.




The painting in Tutankhamun’s burial chamber depicts Ay at the "opening of the mouth" ceremony, giving life and breath to the young deceased pharaoh. Ay, a commoner, is wearing the leopard skin of a high priest and the crown of a pharaoh. Since Tutankhamun did not have a child to succeed him, it appears that Ay decided to seize the crown and declare himself King of Egypt.


There were at least two other deaths following that of Tutankhamun. His young wife Ankhesenamum pleaded with the king of the Hittites to send her one of his sons for a husband. She did not want to marry a servant, such as Ay. A son was sent, but he was murdered before he arrived.




Queen Ankhesenamun offers Tutankhamun a bouquet of flowers. Scene taken from the lid of an ivory chest found in Tutankhamun's tomb.
Papyrus painting, modern


So who did Ankhesenamum marry? There is now evidence that she married Ay. A ring has been found with her cartouche inscribed next to his. Did Ay force her to marry him, thus legitimizing his claim to the throne? Within three years of Ay's death, Ankhesenamum disappeared. Could she also have been the victim of a serial killer?

What happened to Ay? He died within a few years of seizing the throne. His cartouches, which he had inscribed on temple walls, were eradicated, his tomb was robbed and vandalized, and his mummy disappeared. His name was also eliminated from the official list of pharaohs, as was that of Tutankhamun.

Another theory on Tutankhamun's death suggests that he was murdered by General Horemheb, a man of low birth who became one of Akhenaten's closest advisors. Under Tutankhamun, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the army and deputy of the king. Following the demise of Tutankhamun and Ay, Horemheb became pharaoh. During his reign, he had the names of Akhenaten, Tutankhamun and Ay removed from the royal list of pharaohs, which suggests that he had personal reasons for eradicating those rulers from the records.


Created: January 9, 1998. Last update: May 29, 2001
© Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation

[bobdrake12]

http://www.civilizat...t/egtut09e.html




Tutankhamun's Funeral


Since Tutankhamun died suddenly, his burial was arranged in haste. Following the mummification of his human remains, his body was placed in a gold coffin and transported across the Nile to the Valley of the Kings. In the funeral procession were Tutankhamun's wife and close relatives, priests and the highest officials of the land.

The outer coffin was made of wood covered with a thin layer of gesso (plaster) and overlaid with gold foil. It was sculpted in the image of Tutankhamun as Osiris, the god who presided over the judgement of the dead. He carries a crook and flail, and wears the royal beard and a nemes headcloth. On either side of him, Isis and Nephthys spread their wings in a protective embrace. Two rows of hieroglyphs run down the front of the lid.




This boat, with its high prow and stern, is typical of those built during the New Kingdom. It carries an exact replica of the gold coffin in which Tutankhamun's mummy was transported across the Nile to his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Statues of gods and goddess were taken from one temple to another along the Nile in divine barks.




Mourners surround Tutankhamun's coffin. Re-enactment scene from the film Mysteries of Egypt




Priests lead the funeral procession taking Tutankhamun's coffin to his tomb. Re-enactment scene from the film Mysteries of Egypt.


The tomb in which Tutankhamun was buried was probably intended for another person, but because of the young pharaoh's untimely death, it became his final resting place. Following the ritual "opening of the mouth" performed by his successor, Ay, his body and coffins were placed in a red sarcophagus in the burial chamber. The foot of the outer coffin was sliced off and splashed with resin before the lid was set in place. The mismatched lid may have been dropped as it was being lowered into place because it was cracked. By the looks of it, the shrines around the sarcophagus were hastily erected, banged into place without due care as to the proper ritual orientation. A wall was constructed to seal the burial chamber from the antechamber. With all the worldly goods required for a happy existence in the afterworld in place, the entrance to the tomb was sealed, and Tutankhamun's cartouche was stamped on the wet plaster wall. The outer corridor was then closed off and the entrance to the tomb filled with rubble to prevent access to the burial chamber.





Created: August 25, 1999. Last update: May 29, 2001
© Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation

[bobdrake12]

http://www.civilizat...t/egtut02e.html




Tutankhamun's Tomb


Tutankhamun's tomb is located in the Valley of the Kings between the tombs of Rameses II and Rameses IV. Although robbers probably entered the tomb at least twice in antiquity, its contents were virtually intact when it was discovered by Howard Carter.





The design of Tutankhamun's tomb is typical of that of the kings of the eighteenth dynasty. At the entrance to the tomb there is a flight of stairs leading to a short corridor. The first room is the antechamber where many of the household items for Tutankhamun's voyage to eternity were found. Off this room is an annex, and at the far end is an opening that leads to the burial chamber. This chamber was guarded by two black sentry-statues that represent the royal ka (soul) and symbolize the hope of rebirth -- the qualities of Osiris, who was reborn after he died.








The burial chamber contains Tutankhamun's sarcophagus and coffin. Its walls are painted with scenes of Tutankhamun in the afterworld - the ritual of "opening the mouth" to give life to the deceased, the solar bark on which one travels to the afterworld, and Tutankhamun's ka in the presence of Osiris.








Off the burial chamber is the Treasury room, where a magnificent gilded canopic shrine was found. This was the most impressive object in the Treasury. Howard Carter explains what he saw when he first looked into the Treasury:

Facing the doorway, on the farther side, stood the most beautiful monument that I have ever seen - so lovely that it made one gasp with wonder and admiration. The central portion of it consisted of a large shrine-shaped chest, completely overlaid with gold, and surmounted by a cornice of sacred cobras. Surrounding this, free-standing, were statues of the four tutelary goddesses of the dead - gracious figures with outstretched protective arms, so natural and lifelike in their pose, so pitiful and compassionate the expression on their faces, that one felt it almost sacrilege to look at them.

Howard Carter, The Discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamen

A gold chest held four canopic jars containing the dead pharaoh's viscera (internal organs -- lungs, stomach, intestines and liver). Four goddesses protected the shrine -- Neith to the north, Selkis to the south, Isis to the west and Nephthys to the east. Also found in this room were thirty-five model boats and a statue of Anubis, a god represented as having the head of a jackal. For conservation purposes, all these treasures have been removed to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.



Canopic chest



Canopic jars

Created: January 9, 1998. Last update: May 29, 2001
© Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation