King Tutankhamun and His Treasures

A detailed Summary of King Tutankhamun and His Treasures

The ancient Egyptians were noted for many things, one of which would have been their artwork. Egyptians used many medians in their artwork that enhanced the details and beauty of every piece of art. Their artwork is fascinating and mysterious, which pulls in the viewer into wanting to learn more. One of the most important and unique Egyptian artworks belongs to King Tutankhamun, a young pharaoh of Egypt. A brief history of the discovery of King Tut's tomb and the importance and beauty of certain pieces found in his tomb, will be discussed in this essay.

King Tutankhamun's tomb was the prize that archaeologist Howard Carter sought out for in the Valley of the Kings. Carter was running out of time and also the Earl of Carnarvon's patience. Disappointed for years by Carter's discoveries, Carnarvon told Carter to not apply anymore for the renewal of his excavating concession. Only by his pleading and offers to pay the cost himself if nothing were found convinced Carnarvon to add one more excavating season. At the time, thirty-three tombs had been discovered, and thieves who had pillaged and destroyed them had already broken into all. Because of this, it was believed that the Valley burial ground held no more secrets.

One piece that stands out of all the treasures in King Tut's tomb is the bust of his head that is resting on what is said to be a lotus. The bust is carved in wood and overlaid with gesso (a mixture of plaster and glue for use as a surface for painting). The face represents King Tut as a child with disproportionate earlobes and it has an elongated skull. The bust depicts one of the most striking ancient Egyptian accounts of the initial creation. It represents the infant sun god at the moment of birth emerging from a blue lotus that was said to have grown in the primordial ocean. The features of the face are that of King Tutankhamun. According to the Egyptians beliefs, it was not uncommon to portray the sun god with the features of a deceased king. Another example of this is the great sphinx at Giza where the sun god is represented as a human-headed lion with the features of King Chephren. It is a beautiful piece that captures the facial features very well.

King Tut became pharaoh at the age of nine and ruled for nine years until his death at eighteen. The cause of his death is unknown. The period he ruled was that of economic prosperity and some religious confusion. The last part of his name was a sign of his family's devotion to the Aton, the Egyptian god of the sun. Peace was brought to Egypt during his reign as the worship of Amon, the Egyptians' universal god, abandoned under Akhenaton, was restored and Thebes, the city sacred to Amon, was again made Egypt's capital. King Tut was not really an important pharaoh, but he is well known today because of his intact tomb and the fabulous treasures found within.

One of the most peculiar artworks found in King Tut's tomb was a headrest. Made entirely of ivory, the headrest consisted of three parts: a flat base, a small central pillar, and a curved support for the head. Tutankhamun possessed four of these headrests. One headrest, which was made out of iron, was placed in the linen wrappings of his mummy at the back of the head. The ivory headrest depicts the god Shu, h

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Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History