|
 n
this relief sculpture Tutankhamun wears the traditional Nemes
head cloth surmounted by a uraeus or cobra-an exclusive protective
adornment of kings, queens and gods. He also carries the ceremonial
flail. The actual flail he carried was found in his tomb and
made of gilded wood with solid gold cascades of the bell like
segments. The flail was based on a much earlier version of
a fly whisk which must have been a royal prerogative at the
dawn of Egyptian civilisation.
 utankhamun
is the most famous king of Egypt. This fame is based on the
fact that he was one of only three kings during Egypt's long
history to have had his tomb virtually spared from vicious
plunder. To be accurate, a few pieces of jewellery and some
statues were removed shortly after burial as a robbers tunnel,
empty shrines and ransacked chests testify. The removal of
these objects however did little to reduce the impact of this
most magnificent collection of royal splendour ever found
from any ancient culture. Apart from the objects that were
crafted especially for the burial, a vast array of personal
courtly richness presented itself. The kings throne, gilded
of course as were his chariots. Gloves and garments, toy boats
and ornate alabaster jars and statuary. Even a lock of his
grandmothers hair accompanied him to the next world.
 ompared
to other kings that were interred in the valley of the kings
within vast underground sepulchres, King Tut was buried in
a hole in the ground." This quote was made by popular archaeologist
John Romer in the early eighties and sparked my imagination
into realising the overwhelming artistic glory that had once
filled all of the tombs in this valley. Tutankhamun died before
he was twenty years old and did not have an appropriate tomb
constructed befitting his kingly status. The four small chambers
of his tomb were probably appropriated from a princeling or
other high ranking individual.
|
