The Grand Egyptian Museum has been in the works for over two decades. Construction ground to a halt during the Arab Spring a decade ago but the museum, which is set to fully open in the coming months, will be the largest archeological complex in the world, housing some of Egyptâ€s greatest treasures.
Among the most impressive artifacts come from the boy king’s tomb, the young pharaoh Tutankhamun, first discovered on November 26, 1922, by the British archeologist Howard Carter.
Tutankhamun, whose reign started at age 9 until around age 20 (from 1332 B.C. until 1323 B.C.), came at a time when ancient Egypt was wealthy. His tomb was one of the few that wasnâ€t robbed and still housed a collection of priceless artifacts. Much of the artifacts are set to be put on display at the new museum.
1. The Gold Mask of Tutankhamun
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This gold mask is probably the most famous object from Tutankhamunâ€s tomb. It sat on top of the pharaohâ€s face in his tomb, and it would have ensured the protection of the kingâ€s body. Itâ€s also an exact replica of what his face would have looked like because, under Egyptian religion, his soul would have to recognize him to come back to his mummified body.
The mask is beautiful, in great condition, and constructed of only the finest materials, including gold, quartzite, lapis lazuli, colored glass, and obsidian.Â
Read More:3 of the Most Important Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt
2. A Set of Nested Golden Shrines
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Tutankhamunâ€s sarcophagus was housed inside a set of nested shrines — gilded gold and rectangular structures decorated with funerary texts, says Josef W. Wegner, an Egyptologist at the University of Pennsylvania. They illustrate his relationship to the divine and the important role he played in the religion of the time.
The young king was famous for ruling during a period of restoration that reinstated traditional religion and art that had been banned during the reign of Akhenaten. Experts have recently restored the shrines, which are set to be some of the more striking pieces put on exhibit at the new museum, Wegner says.
Read More:King Tut’s Central Scarab May Have a Cosmic Connection
3. The Chariots
(Credit: Pierre Jean Durieu/Shutterstock)
Replica of an Egyptian ceremonial chariot
Tutankhamun had a series of six chariots that he would have used for the various roles he played in society. The chariots were in the first room of the tomb when Carter discovered them over a century ago.
The set includes two larger chariots for important functions and another that was intricately decorated, though smaller for his daily use of getting around the grounds. Others were designed for higher speeds and used for hunting and war. These stunning pieces transport you back in time to when the boy king was still on the throne.Â
Read More:Ancient People Had Public Death Matches for Fun, and These Other Pastimes
4. Golden Throne of Tutankhamun
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Tutankhamun would have had several thrones, but the most famous one was decorated with a scene of him and his wife, Queen Ankhesenamun. The scene shows him on the throne and the queen in front of him in a moment of embrace.Â
“Itâ€s a rarely intimate royal scene,†says Wegner, a moment of love and vulnerability that you wouldnâ€t normally see from the king. Additionally, two stillborn fetuses were buried in the tomb with Tutankhamun, but the couple doesnâ€t seem to have had any other living offspring. The young king died before the two would have any more children.
For Wegner, this might be one of the most striking pieces in the whole of the collection. Itâ€s also one of the most impressive pieces of furniture preserved from ancient Egypt because its colors are still bright and vibrant thousands of years later. The arms of the chair show two carved lions meant to protect the king from what might harm him.Â
Read More:We Celebrate King Tut, But He Was Once Erased From Ancient Egyptian History
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Sara Novak is a science journalist based in South Carolina. In addition to writing for Discover, her work appears in Scientific American, Popular Science, New Scientist, Sierra Magazine, Astronomy Magazine, and many more. She graduated with a bachelorâ€s degree in Journalism from the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia. She’s also a candidate for a masterâ€s degree in science writing from Johns Hopkins University, (expected graduation 2023).
