King Tut: Still a superstar after 3,300 years
VISCERA COFFIN
Tutankhamun possessed four miniature coffins
fashioned of gold and inlaid with colored glass and
semi-precious stones, and each stood in a separate
compartment in an alabaster chest. The band of
inscription running down the front names Imseti, one
of the sons of Horus, and the goddess Isis, who
would protect the deceased and the particular
mummified organ within, in this case the liver. The
cartouche encircling the king’s name on the interior
was reworked and originally had the name of one of
Tutankhamun’s relatives.
DIADEM
The golden diadem, inlaid with colored glass and
semi-precious stones, was still around the head of
Tutankhamun when Howard Carter opened the royal
coffin more than three thousand two hundred years
after the young king died. The two protective deities,
represented by the vulture and the cobra, originally
projecting from the front had been removed and
placed near the thighs of the mummy to allow the
golden face mask to be put into place. Photos:
Andreas F. Voegelin, Antikenmuseum Basel and
Sammlung Ludwig
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
FORT LAUDERDALE, USA: Caribbean residents have until April
23, 2006 to take advantage of one of the many special airfares currently on
offer to South Florida and take a once-in-a-generation opportunity to visit the
King Tutankhamun Exhibition at the Museum of Art in Fort Lauderdale.
No other cultural exhibit has piqued curiosity in
quite the same way as The Treasures of Tutankhamun the last time they came
to America from 1976-1979. During that period, nearly eight million visitors
viewed the rare artifacts during sold-out tours at each museum where they
appeared.
Drawing record crowds and critical praise, and
unleashing a consumer phenomenon that included jewelry, clothing, dance
moves, and even hairstyles, Tut’s impact on the art world, and most of all,
individual sensibilities, is immeasurable.
Now, marking the first time the treasures of
Tutankhamun have visited America in 26 years, an extensive exhibition of
more than 130 treasures from the tomb of the celebrated pharaoh, other
Valley of the Kings tombs and additional ancient sites have been brought to
the United States on a 27-month tour, including a four-month exhibit at The
Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art from December 15, 2005 to April 23, 2006.
“Since the discovery of his tomb in 1922, Tutankhamun
has captured the hearts of people around the world. Buried with him were
treasures beyond the imagination, giving us a glittering glimpse into the
past,” said Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of
Antiquities and director of the Giza and Saqqara Pyramids.
“It has been almost 30 years since the golden
artifacts of the boy-king last left their home in Egypt. Now Tutankhamun is
back, giving a new generation the chance to learn firsthand about the life
and magic of this ancient monarch.”
The exhibition includes 50 major objects excavated
from Tutankhamun’s tomb, including his royal diadem - the gold crown
discovered encircling the head of the king’s mummified body that he likely
wore while living - and one of the gold and precious stone inlaid canopic
coffinettes that contained his mummified internal organs.
More than 70 objects from other royal graves of the
18th Dynasty (1555 B.C.-1305 B.C.) are showcased as well, including those of
pharaohs Amenhotep ll and Thutmose lV and the rich, intact tomb of Yuya and
Tuyu, parents-in-law of Amenhotep lll and great-grandparents of Tutankhamun.
Yuya and Tuyu’s tomb was the most celebrated
historical find in the Valley of the Kings until Howard Carter discovered
Tutankhamun’s undisturbed burial chamber in 1922. All of the treasures in
the exhibit are between 3,300 and 3,500 years old.
Several US airlines offer flights from the Caribbean
directly to Fort Lauderdale, including Spirit, which has recently expanded
its Caribbean services. Regional airlines flying into Fort Lauderdale
include Air Jamaica, Bahamasair and Cayman Airways.
For more information on the King Tutankhamun
Exhibition, visit
www.kingtut.org
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