Pectoral jewel of Tutankhamun depicting Horus in the form of a falcon with outspread wings around the sun disk, holding shen rings, the symbols of eternal protection in his claws. The pectoral is a symbol of protection and divine power, and it showcases the exquisite craftsmanship and wealth of the New Kingdom period in ancient...
This ceremonial fan of Tutankhamun originally held ostrich feathers, it is made of wood covered with sheets of gold and inlaid with colored glass, turquoise, lapis lazuli, carnelian, and translucent calcite. The handle is inset with gold bands at intervals. The palm of the fan is decorated with the king’s twin cartouches, which are protected...
A pair of golden sandals of Tutankhamun were found on his feet. These stunning gold sandals were just one of 42 pairs King Tutankhamun had in his tomb. Too many ointments poured on Tutankhamun’s mummy caused severe damage to the tissues, except for those protected by gold: the face, fingers, and toes. In fact, gold...
Found resting between the two innermost shrines within the burial chamber of Tutankhamun, this magnificent fan once bloomed with thirty ostrich feathers, alternately white and brown, fluttering like desert light and shade. Though the feathers have long since vanished, their tiny stumps still cling to the perforations along the outer rim: a ghostly reminder of...
Among the earliest treasures glimpsed by Howard Carter when he first peered into the antechamber of KV62 on 4 November 1922 lay a vessel of almost poetic delicacy: a chalice carved from a single piece of translucent alabaster, shaped as a white lotus in full bloom. Dating to the reign of Tutankhamun (c. 1332–1323 B.C.),...
Inside his innermost coffin Tutankhamun was buried with six collars, each with falcon heads at the ends, this amazing Usekh was found draped over the king’s thighs. A rainbow of colors: This broad collar has 11 main sections made of gold, as well as a counterweight or (mankhet). It is standard collar of tubular beads...
Amenhotep II, who reigned c. 1427–1401 B.C., strides through history as the son of an almost impossible act to follow. His father was Thutmose III, conqueror, empire-builder, and the very definition of the warrior-pharaoh. Amenhotep inherited not only a vast dominion, but a reputation already carved in stone. He was born into the Thutmosid line,...
King Tutankhamun was buried with no fewer than five senet game boxes. Senet was an ancient Egyptian board game popular with all classes. Archaeological evidence reveals that senet was played by both royalty (as demonstrated by this elaborate ivory set) and commoners (crude boards scratched in rock). The course of the game was thought to...
Fashioned from translucent alabaster and poised upon a square, pool-like plinth, this miniature barque ranks among the most exquisite treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb. Howard Carter discovered the piece in the annexe, still entwined with garlands of faded blossom; suggesting it once served as a festive centrepiece, perhaps holding scented oil or water to complete the...
The mummy of Queen Ahmose-Meritamun was buried in tomb (TT358) in Deir el-Bahari in two cedar wood coffins and a cartonnage outer case, which is now damaged. Cartonnage is linen or papyrus held together by glue and molded into coffins. The tomb, in antiquity, had been robbed and apparently the mummy was plundered. Nevertheless, during...
