Here you'll find articles about ancient cultures and their artifacts.

The Bounty of King Tut's Tomb
by Bob Brooke

The discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922 turned the archaeological study of ancient Egypt upside down. Many of the tombs of other pharoahs had long been robbed and stripped of their mummies and treasures. And like his predecessors, King Tut had been buried with hundreds of precious objects, including pieces of jewelry.

Carter finally unsealed the tomb in February of 1923. Inside, he gazed at over 5,000 artifacts—a solid gold coffin, thrones, archery bows and arrows, wine, food, and even sandals. Placed there with the King to accompany on his journey into the afterlife. The bounty of the tomb was so massive, it took Carter 10 years to catalog all of its contents.

One of the most stunning artifacts was Tut’s alabaster ship. Crafted during his reign, it was most likely intended to be his main means of transportation in the afterlife. The design of the ship is a testament to the remarkable skill of ancient Egyptian artisans. They had beautifully carved the bow and stern to resemble ibexes, each facing the same direction with pierced ears and actual ibex horns, showcasing the attention to detail. Artisans etched and painted the hull and base with matching patterns, further adding to the boat's artistic grandeur. Even the ibex on the prow has a distinct beard.

At the stern of the boat, a naked dwarf figure stands holding a pole, possibly acting as the boat's helmsman, while the bow features a seated female figure under a canopy, adorned with golden jewelry and a luxurious bead bracelet. The figure’s wig, made from grey stone, and the stained ivory lotus she holds in her left hand further emphasize the opulence of the piece. Supported by four elegant columns, the canopy enhances the ceremonial nature of the ship, marking it as a symbol of both royal power and divine protection in the afterlife.

he Egyptians laid King Tut to rest in three nesting coffins. The upper part of the third and innermost anthropoid coffin which contained the mummy of the young pharoah. Craftsmen made this coffin of solid gold inlaid with semi-precious stones and glass paste.

When Carter discovered this coffin, made of solid gold inlaid with semi-precious stones and glass paste, its splendor was almost entirely concealed by a hardened layer of pitch, which workers removed with solvents and a scalpel.

Furniture
The golden throne of Tutankhamun, Its intricate design, featuring lion heads and winged cobras, reflects the exceptional craftsmanship of the period. This stunning artifact symbolizes royal power and divine rule, capturing the essence of the ancient Egyptian monarchy. The golden throne remains a lasting symbol of Tutankhamun’s reign, preserving the mystique and majesty of Egypt’s rich cultural heritage.

The throne’s vibrant colors have endured for over 3000 years, retaining much of its original brilliance. It holds deep significance, especially in its depiction of divine authority, with references to the goddess Isis, which links the young king to the gods. A poignant scene on the throne portrays Queen Ankhesenamun, Tutankhamun's wife, anointing him, offering a rare and intimate glimpse into the life of the royal family during the 18th Dynasty, around 1332-1323 BC.

One of the two lioness heads from a ritual couch discovered in the tomb of King Tutankhamun. Artisans carved the head of this lioness, identified with the goddess Mehyt, of solid timber, covered it with gesso and then gilded it.

They used inlays of bright blue glass for the nose and tear drops, while using darker glass for the eye frames. They created remarkably life-like eyes of translucent crystal with color details painted behind it—the irises were brown, the pupils were black, and the corners of the eyes were red.

Clothing
King Tut wore a pectoral depicting Nekhbet, the patron deity of Upper Egypt, in the form of a vulture with outstretched wings, holding a shen ring in each talon. Craftsmen made this item of gold inlaid with lapis lazuli, carnelian, feldspar, and colored glass paste.

The complex decoration of this pectoral centered on a large green funerary scarab beetle, which had two oddly shaped wings filled with a colorful feather pattern. The scarab carried the cartouches of Tutankhamun, flanked by the two kneeling sister goddesses Isis and Nephthys), both of whom held their outstretched arms as a sign of protection. A winged sun disk with two uraei—representing the god Re---hovered over the-scene. Two other uraei bearing sun disks on their heads occupy the upper corners.

The scarab, known as the "scarab of the heart," had inscribed on its obverse Spell 30B of the Book of the Dead, in which Tutankhamun urged his heart to testify in his favor before the god Osiris in order to better the odds of a successful journey into the next world.

It seems KingTut also had a shoe fetish. Sandals discovered in his tomb depicted his enemies on the inside of the soles so that he could crush them underfoot as he walked. Although a vast collection of footwear was buried with the king, only 81 examples remain.

Jewelry
The most outstanding piece of King Tut’s jewelry is an intricate golden pendant inlaid with semiprecious stones and colored glass. The central element of the composition was a winged scarab with a yellow stone which grasped a lotus flower on one side and on the other a papyrus flower, flanked by two uraei or cobras. A gold frame outlined the main composition. A slim solar boat rested upon the front feet of the scarab and carried the Udjat eye of Horus, flanked by two cobras. A lunar crescent of gold and a silver disk with images of images of the gods Thoth and Re-Horakhty surmount the Udjat eye,
crowning the central figure of the king.

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