Egypt State Information Service

Along 25 years, the young golden Pharaoh, King Tut, has toured all over the world. He has been an extraordinary ambassador for Egypt, where he carries upon his shoulders a great responsibility represented in his participation in funding the Egyptian monument restoration projects and the establishment of the Grand Egyptian Museum.

These antiquities were exhibited in Basel museum of antiquities, Switzerland, under the name of “Tutankhamun; … Treasures from the Valley of Kings”; moved to Bonne, Germany, under the name of “Egypt in its Golden Era”, from November 5th, 2004 to May 1st, 2005; and finally has taken a destination to exhibit in the USA under the name of “the Pharaohs Golden Age” in the museums of Los Angeles county from June 15th to November 15th, 2005; Miami from December 15th, 2005 to May 15th, 2006; Chicago Field from June 16th, 2006 to January 1st, 2007; and Franklin institute in Philadelphia from February 3rd to September 30th, 2007.

This is conditional that the American party pays US $ 5 million to the Egyptian Supreme Council for Antiquities in return for exhibiting in each of the aforementioned 4 US states, to total US $ 20 million. The US party is going to report weekly to the Supreme Council for Antiquities on the exhibition and the ticketing progress.

The number of the exhibits exceeds more than the double exhibition of the 1970s. It thus inaugurates an era of the huge shows in museums.

The ticket price is about US $ 30. This will allow the organising companies to allocate a part of the profits towards a new direction that may open new aspects of partnership among the private companies, the museums and the antiquity-owning countries. “It is a new aspect of business, where many museums would face financial difficulties in organising big exhibitions of extreme costs”, said John Norman, head of the company specialised in art and international fairs, which is one of the financing entities.

With the “art and international fairs” company does the American International Geographic magazine and the An-shots Entertainment group, which works in managing football fields and musical and theatrical shows, unite to sponsor the exhibition. These three bodies are going to finance and sponsor King Tut's exhibits shipment, design, exhibition and marketing, and they will share profits with the participating museums and with the Egyptian Supreme Council for Antiquities. It is an extraordinary idea in sponsoring arts and exhibitions. It has started to be applied to give life to orchestra and musical shows and art museums at the end of the 20th century.

Dr. Zahi Hawas, head of the Egyptian Supreme Council for Antiquities, expressed his hope that Egypt would collect US $ 10 million from each of the 4 US cities. Dr. Hawas also said that this money would be directed to building the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo and maintaining the other ancient Egyptian monuments: such as the Pyramids and Sphinx.

King Tutankhamun ruled Egypt three thousand years ago. He ruled when he was 8 years old till he died in his teenage in mysterious conditions. The British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the gold-teeming tomb of King Tut in Luxor's Valley of Kings in 1922.

The organisers expect the number of visitors to reach 3 million. They mention that the ticket prices range between 15 to 30 US dollars in the first stop of the exhibition in Los Angeles.

Doctor Zahi Hawas says that Tutankhamun's exhibition comprises about 116 archeological pieces that date back to the 18th dynasty and is divided into 4 sections. The first section holds some pieces and statues that date back to the 18th dynasty. The second holds some pieces from another important archaeological discovery; the tombs of Yoya and Toya, the parents of the famous queen; Ti, unearthed by the archaeologist Diver in 1904/05. The third section exhibits the belongings of Akhnaton.

The fourth section is dedicated for the Pharaoh Tutankhamun and comprises 50 marvellous pieces. Such an exhibition will contribute to uphoisting Egypt's name worldwide as it clarifies to the whole world that monotheism was revealed for the first time in Egypt through the great King Akhnaton, who lived in Tal-El-Amarna and declared for the first time the worship of one god: the god who has no other companion.

Moreover, the exhibited monuments clarify that ancient Egyptians were the first among nations to establish a central government worldwide more than 5000 years ago through science and knowledge, and that they were governed justly and peacefully. This is represented in the goddess of justice, Maat.

Dr. Hawas says that the exhibition clarifies the hereafter in the underground world, in addition to the creativity of the ancient Egyptian art in the Modern Kingdom, as such an art was distinguished by its magnificence as during this era, Egypt was the first huge empire at that time and it was known as the golden era of the Egyptian civilization.

The exhibition sends an important message to the whole world; a message of peace. The ancient Egyptian had established his civilization on the basis of love and peace and not as some people may think that such a civilization was established based upon wars.

Undoubtedly, wars always distract people from artistic creativity. Had it not been for the stability that Egypt enjoyed during this epoch, we would have never seen these valuable artistic pieces. The exhibition also opens the doors before the students of the Egyptian civilization, with its different branches, to find the real cause behind the death of Tutankhamun.

Dr. Hawas points out that it comprises the trinity of god Amun, the master and protector of Thebes, King Thotmosis I and King Ahmos. Such a trinity is one of the marvellous pieces that were found in Amun Temple in Al-Karnak in 1899 as during this era, artists used to put kings and gods on equal footing through personifying the gods in the form of human beings.

The exhibition also holds the double statue of Thotmosis IV with his mother Toya, which was found in the temple of god Amun in Al-Karnak. This statue is made of granite and depicts Thotmosis IV sitting, putting his right hand on his knee, holding the sign of conquest and embracing his mother with his left hand. This double statue is one of the marvellous artistic masterpieces that asserts the capability of the artist to manipulate the stone.

Dr. Hawas adds that Toya's mask, which is covered with gold and the eyes are inlaid, is one of the most important pieces in the exhibition. It is an artistic masterpiece through which the artist had perfectly succeeded in depicting the features that are apparent in the shape of the face and neck and his accuracy in choosing the colours of the necklace.

This is in addition to some other pieces that belong to King Akhnaton such as the huge head that was found in Aton Temple in Al-Karnak. It is made of sand stone and depicts Akhnaton with his long face and thick lips and wearing a headgear known as the sun. It is one of the masterpieces that clarifies the change that happened in art as a result of the change in religion during this epoch.

Moreover, there is a marvellous collection such as the two statues of Tutankhamun that depict him wearing the two crowns of Upper Egypt and Lower-Egypt. Both statues are made of wood covered with gold and the eyes are inlaid. He is holding a stick in his left hand and a spectre in his right hand, thus giving evidence on the accuracy and excellence of the artist in showing the minute details that are apparent in the royal sandals.

In addition to the royal head of Queen Nefertiti; the wife of Akhnaton, which is made from the brown quartizette stone. This piece was found in Thebes in King Meremptah palace, as the Egyptian artist wanted to inlay the eyes and brows. It exists now in Berlin, Germany.

There is also a small gold-plated wooden compartment. On the sides of which there are wonderful scenes of Tutankhamun hunting birds and receiving flowers from the queen, in addition to other great scenes on the doors.

The exhibition also includes patterns of 4 boats. Tutankhamun's belongings comprise 35 patterns of wooden boats that were used in transportation and picnics. Such patterns give us valuable information about making and decorating sailboats, oars, cabins and compartments. It also gives us further information about the small boats made from papyrus and used in picnics and fishing in the Delta.

About the secrets of the Golden Pharaoh, Dr. Zahi Hawas says that the name of the archeologist; Howard Carter, had entered history on November 4, 1922, when he had discovered and unearthed Tutankhamun's tomb that had echoed in the entire world.

Since the first moment of its discovery, many paradoxes happened such as the curse of the pharaohs, especially when Carter arrived in the last excavation season after Lord Karnarfon, the excavation financer, told him that this would be the last season of excavation because he had spent much money in vain.

He adds that the tomb had been discovered coincidently through a small boy who used to get water everyday for the workers, during his digging to fix the jar he found the entrence of the tomb, so he informed Carter immediately.

Carter returned to his tent after he knew that this is Tutankhamun's tomb to find that a snake killed his bird. Lord Carnarfon came to Egypt with his daughter who loved Carter that was then fascinated with monuments more than anything else.

Then Carnarfon died as he was exposed to a toxic microbe in Cairo and newspapers began talking about the curse of the pharaohs that affected the working team, especially when Morqos Pasha Hanna, the then Minister of Public Works, expelled Carter and closed the tomb as he made many oversteppings and the masses went out cheering: “Long live the minister of Tutankhamun”.

Dr. Hawas also mentions that the research done on the mummy of Tutankhamun asserted that he died at the age of 18. The celebrity of Tutankhamun is attributed to discovering his tomb complete; without anything stolen from it, especially that there were many attempts of stealing it, but the thieves escaped after hearing the footsteps of the priests, so they re-closed the tomb and sealed it once more. That's why the tomb was discovered complete, with more than 5000 golden pieces such as the mask, the royal chair and the military chariots.

Tutankhamun lived six other years in Thebes and died 9 years after ascending the throne. He was buried in the Valley of the Kings in a great tomb.

Tutankhamun is the 12^th king in the 18^th dynasty. He ascended the throne in the 14^th century B.C.; around 3500 years ago, at the end of the religious revolution erupted by Akhnaton.

Actually, we do not have any information about the place where Tutankhamun was born or raised, but undoubtedly, he belongs to the royal family. Our proof on this assumption is not based on the statue found in the Sudanese Nubia and exsists now in the British museum, but on the physical characteristics in his statues that affirm a strong blood relation between the young king and Akhnaton.

Despite Tutankhamun's various attempts to support Amun's doctrine, priests did not forgive him for his relation with Akhnaton. So after his death, his name was not written in the list of the Egyptian kings. Furthermore, Hor Moheb ignored his name on every possible occasion.

According to the statues and images found, Tutankhamun was happy in his marriage. We always see the queen beside him giving him flowers and arrows.

Tutankhamun died young, 9 years after ascending the throne. He was buried in a small tomb that was erected for someone else as he didn't have time to build a large tomb as other phraohs did. His furniture was heaped up in a manner that does not suit its greatness and loftiness.

Concerning the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, Lord Carnarfon says that while Carter had been digging in November 1920 in front of the cemetery of Ramsis IV, he had found a rock-hewed stair leading to a royal-sealed engraved wall.

Carter sent a telegram to Carnarfon who immediately came to the valley and began removing the dust that covers the entry. First they found broken dishes near the entry which means that there were steeling attempts in the old ages, but such attempts failed and the tomb was re-closed and re-sealed.

In the next day they dug a hole in the entry through which they looked inside the tomb using a low candlelight. They found a great collection of jewelleries, clothes boxes, beds and chariots as well as other coloured furniture heaped up in an unimaginary way.

Actually this collection is one of the rarest collections in the ancient and modern worlds alike. The royal seat is made of engraved wood and plated with pure gold. It is also decorated with wonderful coloured decorations from precious stones and silver.

Furthermore, the Egyptian artist decorated the back of the royal seat with a fascinating scene representing the king and queen in a happy family meeting under the sun which sends its golden rays on them.

There is also the king's pure gold mask that covers the head of Tutankhamun's mummy. It is actually a fascinating image for the king's face that is made of gold and precious stones, in addition to the artistic perfection.

After opening the four caches that include his stony coffin and after revealing the cover, they found that the mummy is put inside three other coffins. Two external golden plated wooden coffins and a third 110 kg pure gold coffin.

When everyone knew about the discovery of the tomb, scholars from the entire world came to see this wealth with their own eyes. Carter, Carnarfon and another Egyptologist devoted themselves to studying the contents of the tomb.

During the first days they found a pale-coloured bunch of flowers but the excavators were not able to take it to the Egyptian museum as it turned into powder upon touching it. But in the eyes of the world, such powder worth more than the golden monuments because it narrated the immortal love story.

So it is not strange that many countries all over the world exert strenuous efforts to display such monuments in their exhibitions after securing them with millions of dollars.