Tutankhamen's Treasure

The riches found in the tomb of Tutankhamen (sometimes called Tutankhamun or even just King Tut) are one of the most famous of all treasures. They've been seen by millions of people around the world - I remember as a kid standing in line for hours to see them at the British Museum in London. This year (2007) they are due to return to London for another exhibition, this time housed in the O2 Exhibition Centre (formerly the Millenium Dome).

History

Who Was Tutankhamen?

Tutankhamen was a young king of ancient Egypt. He was the twelfth king of the eighteenth dynasty and reigned from 1361-1352 BCE. His parentage is uncertain however he was probably the son of Akhenaten, best known for introducing monotheism to ancient Egypt.

Tutankhamen was originally named Tutankhaten, a reference to Aten the solar disc which was the symbol of Akhenaten's monotheism. Tutankhamen changed his name in rejecting of his father's ways, embracing instead the old religions.

Analysis of Tutankhamen's remains suggests that he was little more than 18 when he died, which means he must have been around 10 years old when he came to power. He is thus often referrered to as the Child King (or Child Pharoah) of ancient Egypt. Some have suggested that he was little more than a figurehead with the real power being weilded by his vizier Ay.

The exact nature of Tutankhamen's death is uncertain. An X-Ray analysis revealed a lump on the back of the head that could mean him having died from a severe blow. Theories put forward by some Egyptologists include a brain tumour or the possibility that he fell from a chariot during a hunting expedition. Other researchers are certain that he was murdered - making this a very early assassination conspiracy theory.

Discovery

The tomb of Tutankhamen - known as "KV62" - was discovered by an expedition led by English archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter. Carter's attempts to discover the tomb were financed by Lord Carnarvon. Initially Carter was unsuccessful and Carnarvon was ready to pull the plug on his funding - then, in 1922, Carter's team discovered KV62 in the Valley of the Kings. Tutankhamen's tomb was one of the few to have survived almost intact without falling victim to tomb-robbers. As such it contained the Pharoah's sarcophogus and mummy along with much treasure and valuable funereal items.

The Treasures

The treasure trove discovered in Tutankhamen's tomb is beyond price. As well as jewelry and precious gems there was gold in abundance including statues adorned with gold, golden shrines and even a solid gold coffin. Other treasures include ivory inlaid gaming boards (for the ancient game of Senet), gilded caskets and Tutankhamen's throne.

The most well-known of the treasures is the young king's golden mummy mask. This is not only priceless but stunning to look at.

For historians and Egyptologists, the greatest treasure was perhaps not the gold and precious jewels but the mummified body of Tut himself.

The Mummy's Curse?

There has long been a rumour that Tutankhamen's tomb was protected by a curse. Those who desecrated it would, according to the story, suffer an early death.

The first person thought to have been a victim of the Mummy's Curse was Lord Carnarvon who - a mere seven weeks after the discovery - cut a mosquito bite when shaving and died of infection. Six of the 26 people present at the tomb's opening died over the next decade. Even Howard Carter's pet canary was eaten by a cobra!

The Curse of the Pharoahs is a great story, unfortunatley statistical analysis shows no significant evidence of a correlation between Tutankhamen's tomb and an early death. In particular Carter himself - who should have been the prime target of any curse - lived another 17 years until almost 65 (not a bad age in 1939).

External Links:
Tutankhamen Exhibition London