clear sky over pyramid
Science News

Tutankhamun’s Tomb Unfolding: Untold Stories

Tutankhamun’s Tomb: In a nutshell, King Tutankhamun was the last Egyptian pharaoh to rule during the New Kingdom. Sometimes called King Tut, he was the last pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty to rule during this time. He is one of the most famous pharaohs in Egyptian history.

Tutankhamun's Tomb
Tutankhamun’s Tomb

King Tutankhamun’s Tomb: Untold Stories

Unfinished tomb

The discovery of King Tutankhamun’s uncompleted tomb has raised questions about the tomb’s original purpose. While some believe Tut was an early pharaoh, others believe his final resting place was in front of Queen Nefertiti’s tomb. This theory is based on the discovery of the tomb’s unfinished chambers. Researchers have discovered traces of doorways and passageways, which were plastered over and painted over.

The Burial Chamber

The burial chamber contained a golden coffin and throne, as well as the famous gold death mask. In addition, there are 143 pieces of gold jewelry buried beneath the mummy wrappings. Other objects discovered in the tomb include canopic jars that contained the internal organs of Tutankhamun. Some of these items were buried with the body and were repurposed or reused from other tombs.

Reeves suggests that the unfinished tomb was not originally built for the boy king. Instead, it was meant for an older Egyptian queen. The unfinished chamber is located to the right of the entrance shaft. It is significantly smaller than Tutankhamun’s original tomb.

Reeves

Additional information About Tomb

Since the tomb was uncovered in 1922, Tutankhamun’s iconography has been transferred to the newly emerging Art Deco architecture movement. Today, the icons from Tutankhamun’s tomb can be found on buildings such as New York’s Chrysler Building. Tutankhamun’s tomb was also found to contain treasures, which helped Egyptologists understand the process of mummification better.

During the time of King Tutankhamun’s reign, Egypt was in a semi-dark period. Akhenaten worshipped a sun-disk known as “the Aten.” His successor, Tutankhamun, tried to bring back the traditional pantheon, and rebuilt the state temples. However, his reign was not complete, and his body suffered damage during the mummification and the exhumation process.

The crook and flail

The crook and flail, two of the oldest symbols of royal power in Ancient Egypt, were among the most precious items found in the tomb. Crook and flail were crafted from gold and colored glass, and were essential tools of the royal class. The tomb also contained numerous other objects, such as jewelry and musical instruments.

Gold

King Tutankhamun’s gold mask is a gold mask that depicts the pharaoh from the 18th dynasty of Egypt. It was discovered in 1925 by Howard Carter and is now part of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. It is one of the most famous objects in Egypt.

Gold/Iron Blade

Howard Carter discovered two daggers hidden in Tutankhamun’s mummy, one with a gold blade and the other with an iron blade. Although both had gold sheaths, the iron dagger was far more valuable. During Tutankhamun’s reign, iron was obtained almost entirely from meteorites.

Treasures

King Tutankhamun’s tomb was filled with 3,000-year-old treasures. The walls of the burial chamber were painted with scenes of the king’s journey to the afterlife. There were also four gilded shrines, and three nesting coffins. The innermost coffin held Tutankhamun’s mummy. The mummy was covered in gold and was topped with an intricate gold mask.

Outer Coffin

The outer coffin was two-and-a-half meters long, with the head in the west. A thin layer of gesso and gold-covered wood held the outer coffin together. It was decorated with precious gems and engraved with a protective incantation.

Gold beard

The ancient Egyptians did not discard anything that touched a king’s body. They buried rubbish near the tomb, but they were not allowed to throw away their finds. Many of the objects that Carter and his team found were buried close to the tomb. Some contained embalmers’ powders, rags, and animal bones.

They also discovered a wooden chest that contained knickknacks and toys belonging to Tutankhamun. They wrote down the details on three thousand journal pages and hundreds of notecards.

The gold beard belongs to Tutankhamun’s funerary mask. The gold beard is decorated in herringbone pattern. Unfortunately, the gold beard was broken when employees were working on the display lights in August 2014. It was later glued back in place using epoxy.

Musical instruments

The BBC’s ‘Ghost Music‘ radio series has uncovered a fascinating story about King Tutankhamun’s musical instrument collection. Discovered in 1922, the tomb of Tutankhamun is home to the world’s oldest intact musical instruments. Although they have been silent for nearly three thousand years, the trumpets still hold the same magical power they did when they were first played.

Sistra/trumpets/ivory clappers

Tutankhamun’s musical instruments include two trumpets, a sistra, and two ivory clappers. The trumpets are of military and funerary significance, and the clappers were used as ritual instruments. The silver trumpet originally had a lotus flower design on its bell. It was later erased to make way for the square panel.

The trumpets were extremely fragile, but the Carter team convinced the BBC to air the instrument. In the broadcast, Rex Keating, a well-known radio personality at the time, played the trumpet for the audience. The radio host also consulted archaeologist Alfred Lucas, who was part of the Carter team that had recovered the tomb in 1922.

The Egyptian Harp

The Egyptian Harp dates back to about 2030 BC. It was one of the most common musical instruments during pharaonic times, and can be seen in paintings of the instruments. The Egyptian Harp developed into a more complex instrument as the years went on. It had a long wooden neck and a curved soundbox that resonated when the musician plucks its strings. It was also covered with animal skin.

Iron objects

A new book examines the iron objects in King Tutankhamun’s tomb. This study was conducted by an international team of researchers. It describes the discovery of sixteen model chisels with iron blades, the iron wedjat-eye amulet found on the boy king’s right thigh, a dagger with an iron blade and a golden armlet decorated with iron objects.

Meteoritic iron

The ancient Egyptians valued meteoritic iron. They used it to fashion ornamental objects. However, smelting this iron resulted in low-quality iron. Tutankhamun’s dagger blade is an early example of a successful iron smithing practice in the 14th century BCE.

The dagger

The dagger is also believed to be made of meteorite iron. Its composition matches the composition of 11 iron-bearing meteorites. The researchers still don’t know where the meteorite came from. The discovery of the blade suggests it came from a landed meteorite.

A dagger made of iron is a rare find. Despite being 3,300 years old, it is considered one of the earliest objects to contain meteoric iron. Archaeologists and historians have been intrigued by the discovery.

The iron dagger features a gold handle, rock crystal pommel, and a decorated gold sheath with a lily and a jackal pattern. The dagger is now on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

The discovery of this buried treasure is an important step in understanding ancient metal working and history. However, more research is needed in this area to gain more insight into metal working practices in the Mediterranean.

Mummy’s injuries

Recent research has revealed that the mummy’s injuries were more serious than originally thought. In fact, a fracture in King Tut’s left thigh bone was found in a recent CT scan. This suggests that the mummy may have been injured before it was embalmed. The resulting open wound may have led to infection and even death.

Fracture

This fracture caused the mummy’s bones to separate. Fortunately, the mummy was stuffed with linen to protect it. But the mummy was so badly damaged that it was almost impossible to open it for viewing. The fracture was so deep that it required a CT scan to reveal it.

The chest wound

The chest wound, in which Tut was severely injured, is especially significant. This kind of chest injury is unusual for an upscale mummy. Typically, the transverse incision is covered by an embalming plate. But the transverse incision in Tut’s chest wasn’t covered by the embalming plate.

Accidentally burned alive

The charring on the boy king’s body suggests a botched mummification process. It’s also possible that he was accidentally burned alive. This theory has drawn attention from scientists worldwide. British biologist Brian Ford says that the flammable acetone produced by the body could cause a human body to burn.

Latest Science News from Witfire