The poster for Tutankahamun - His Tomb and His Treasures claimed that this was Tut's 1st time in Africa? How is this possible, you ask? Egypt is in Africa after all. It's because this exhibit is made up of all reproductions. More than 1,000 replicas reconstructed by master Egyptian craftsmen using traditional techniques.
No matter. I have seen the originals several times before. Beginning with The Treasures of Tutankhamun exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in the late 70's which is credited as being the first museum blockbuster exhibit. The one that started it all. Totally under the influence of Tut fever, I still have the poster and several pieces of souvenir jewelry from it!
Besides, as an archaeologist wannabe and newly minted Explorers Club member, I couldn't miss an exhibit about one of the most romantic and famous ancient treasure discoveries of the last century, could I? And one of the most influential, even inspiring the art deco design and fashion of the day. Nope.
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| light and sound show at the pyramids in Egypt; What would Howard Carter say? |
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| Howard Carter and Lord Carnavon |
One of the reasons this exhibit is so special is that the tomb and treasures of Tutankhamun have been faithfully reconstructed to scale. Not only does it give you a realistic impression of the overwhelming opulence of the offerings meant to serve the king on his magical journey into the Underworld, it is curated in such a way as to give you the sense of exactly how it must have felt to be Howard Carter as he unearthed his long-sought treasure in 1922.
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| the antechamber as Howard Carter would have first seen it |
Carter first spied the treasures in the ante-chamber through a chiseled peephole in the rock wall. It was heaped high with the things Tutankhamun would have needed in the Underworld. Like his beds and thrones and chariots.
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| the outer gold coffin |
The burial chamber contained a series of nesting shrines and coffins - one inside another - like a golden Matryoshka doll. Each shrine was covered in gold leaf and reliefs featuring heiroglyphics and drawings which told the story of Tut's life and described his journey into the Underworld.
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| shrines, coffins and sarcophagi |
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| the sarcophagi of Kinfg Tut |
Finally, inside the center stone coffin was a series of nested sarcophagi.
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| Howard Carter and Tut |
The most inner sarcophagus held the mummy of King Tut! Opening it up and seeing the mummy for the first time must have been amazing!
We were lucky to run into the world famous Egyptologist and star of “Chasing Mummies: The Amazing Adventures of Zahi Hawass,” a reality television series on the History Channel while we were touring the exhibit. Dr. Hawass was there being interviewed and recorded for a number of television and documentary videos in advance of his lecture series. Once again - under a relapse of my Tut fever - I had him sign one of his books which were on sale in the gift shop!
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| our group with Dr. Hawass |
Tutankhamun- His Tomb and His Treasures continues its run at Silverstar Casino through March 15. Don't miss it!
A true fan!
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