Since being one of the most intact monuments of Ancient Egypt, the finding of Tutankhamun's tomb by Howard Carter in 1922 is believed to be the utmost significant archaeological discoveries of the century. The treasures found were stored in the following parts of the tomb the Antechamber Annex, and then the Burial Chamber and Treasury. The Ancient Egyptians believed in the afterlife. The customs and beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians called for the preservation of the body and extensive provisions for the after-life which were buried with them in the tomb. These treasures were seen as a continuation of the life of the Pharaoh before his death. It was therefore seen as essential that the favourite items belonging to King Tut would be buried …show more content…
The shrine of Tutankhamun uncovers the burial customs of the New Kingdom Egyptians. The Canopic Shrine positioned on the east wall of the Treasury holds Tutankhamun's embalmed internal organs. A gold chest held four Canopic jars containing the dead pharaoh's internal organs in each jar. Undoubtedly, through the process of mummification, the embalmers must have removed the internal organs and preserved them in the Canopic jars, perhaps to be taken with the pharaoh to the next world. The third and innermost of three coffins of Tutankhamun is made of solid gold and is inset with semiprecious stones and coloured glass. It is covered with carved decorations and inscriptions inside and outside. It bears the names and epitaph of the deceased king and also protective texts. From this we discover the significance of the importance of the decoration of the mummy was, and the power the coffin was believed to hold. Originally, mummification was so expensive that it was a privilege enjoyed only by the Pharaoh and few nobles. Everybody else was given a simple grave burial in one of the vast cemeteries or "necropolises" of the time. But the promise of eternal life was so appealing that it wasn't long before other classes of Egyptians began signing up for mummification, too.
Strong religious and spiritual believes is shown through the Anubis shrine. It is associated with the mummification and protection of the dead for their journey into the afterlife. The Anubis
This latter point is exceedingly salient, and the prominent featuring of Egyptian gods throughout Tutankhamun’s tomb denotes the considerable cultural significance of religion and the way in which it essentially governed much of ancient Egyptian society. Correspondingly, such artefacts as the Shabti dolls further emphasize the importance of the afterlife, as the minuscule dolls are intended to represent servants for the pharaoh in life after death. This illustrates that the pharaoh was regarded as a hugely esteemed figure and shows the focus that was placed upon ensuring that the afterlife was a comfortable and hospitable environment for the ruler.
Tutankhamun was an Eighteenth Dynasty pharaoh whose legacy extends to the present, and currently one of the best-known ancient Egyptians of all-time. The “Boy King” inherited the throne at the age of nine, his reign lasting only ten years before his sudden unexpected death. The traditional burial customs and funeral processions were carried out upon him, but the tomb he was laid to rest in was unique from the typical Eighteenth Dynasty tombs characterised by their lavish style and large scale. This uniqueness has been evidenced in a variety of archaeological and written sources, which express the tomb’s historical significance.
Similarly to other Egyptian funerary rituals, the case of Paankhenamun was also buried inside of a “sarcophagus” case, a huge stone case for the coffin, and then inside of a decorated tomb, which most likely contained his most valuable personal belongings and religious symbols. The decorations often consisted of images
Tutankhamun is one of the most famous and instantly recognisable Pharaohs of the modern world even though he lived and reigned over 3,000 years ago. The boy King was born in the 11th year of his father’s reign in 1345 BCE and died in 1327 BCE at the age of just 17 or 18 after only being in power for 8 years. Until archaeologist Howard Carter discovered his almost fully-intact tomb in the Valley of the Kings in 1922 CE, the pharaoh was almost unheard of due to the common belief that he was a minor ruler, whose reign was of little consequence. However after this discovery and subsequent discoveries due to excavations, analysis of his mummy and other historical evidence, opinions changed, so much so that today Tutankhamun is recognized as an important
On November 4, 1922 Howard Carter discovered King Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt. Howard Carter spent almost his whole life looking for King Tut’s tomb and when he found it he was over the moon. King Tut’s tomb was very important, it helped us learn more about earlier civilizations, and showed us what king tut's reign was like while he was king.
The Egyptians also worried very much about the after life and made many preparations before the afterlife. There graves were very important to them, and they also did much to keep them from decaying after they passed. That is why they had the idea of mummification to allow them to not decay long after they passed. We also pay a lot of money to allow us to keep from decaying on our burials and the coffins.
The tombs had two main functions. The first function was a place that provided an eternal resting place in which the body could lay protected from thieves and scavengers. The second function of the tomb was a place where cults and ritual acts could be performed to ensure eternal life (Taylor, 2001:136). The body of the person was buried along with their belongings in the tomb to ensure the individual had all the proper materials needed for the afterlife. The Egyptians usually did this because “Tombs were constructed to mirror aspects of the afterlife” (Olson, 2009). These tombs were not only a place where bodies of a deceased lay; it was also a place where rituals would take place. One ritual that was done on the bodies was the ‘Opening of the Mouth’. This was a burial ritual that “accompanied the placement of funerary goods in a tomb- and was a necessary step in the deceased’s rebirth” (Olson, 2009). One very important service that had to be done was the mummification process in which the removal of organs
Masks of deceased persons are part of traditions in many countries. The most important process of the funeral ceremony in ancient Egypt was the mummification of the body, which, after prayers and consecration, was put into a sarcophagus enameled and decorated with gold and gems. A special element of the rite was a sculpted mask, put on the face of the deceased. This mask was believed to strengthen the spirit of the mummy and guard the soul from evil spirits on its way to the afterworld.
It all began, On Feb. 171923. A crowd of invited archeologists and Egyptian dignitaries, were gathered in the Valley of the Kings. They were there to view the uncovering of King Tutankhamen’s burial chamber. The outer rooms were filled with treasures, Egyptian art, and furnishings. But everyone was more anticipated to view the actual mummy. While the more leading kings and queens treasures had been looted long ago whereas, King Tut’s tomb had practically been untouched. It had only been robbed twice and luckily the robbers only got past the first chamber. Two months after the
Tutankhamun’s tomb is the only royal tomb in Egypt to have escaped the discovery of looters and was discovered by archeologist Howard Carter. The death of Tutankhamun was a sudden tragedy that til this day has yet to be solved. The cause of the famous teenage king’s death has been a long drawn out mystery with a range of theories as to how he met his end. There are no historical records explaining the cause or circumstances of his death, nor is there no positive evidence to suggest how he died. However, there are several theories and many of which have changed over the years.
British Archaeologist Howard Carter found King Tuts tomb on November 26th, 1922. In his amazement he found murals that told the story of Tutankhamens funeral and journey to the afterworld. Also in the room were various artifacts for his journey - oils, perfumes,
His tomb was found in a secret spot in the royal burial ground of kings called the Valley of the Kings. King Tutankhamun’s tomb features his coffin which has three layers. Also, in the tomb other objects of value were found. In the innermost one you can find his golden sarcophagus. His sarcophagus along with the other objects were found untouched. It features him holding a crook and flail which were symbols of a king’s right to rule. The coffin is made out of nearly 240 pounds of gold and inlaid with enamel and semiprecious stones. The materials were used to show the theme of importance of power and authority and also wealth. Using these materials in the tombs and by putting other objects representing wealth provided for the ka. Ka is what is left of your soul once you die. The ka makes its way back to your body and lives out eternal life doing regular activities. Gold is a material used to show wealth in modern times and to the kings in Egypt it was used to indicate power, wealth, and authority. When you see gold you associate it with something of importance or someone of importance. When you see King Tut’s sarcophagus the bright gold is the first identifier. This means that the first thing you were supposed to recognize about him was his great wealth, power, and
The Coffin of Iret-hor-irou fits in with the Ancient Egyptian culture for many reasons. One reason is that this work of art associates with the Egyptian’s ceremonial, burial practice. During the time of Ancient Egypt, people participated in a unique burial practice known as mummification. In mummification a body would be preserved using a solution known as natron, after the
This approach to the opening of the chamber demonstrates Carter’s caution that he took into the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the transportation of the contents that was inside it. Carter opened the burial chamber and when he did he was confronted by the golden walls and two large statues “So enormous was this structure (17 feet by 11 feet, and 9 feet high, we found out afterwards) that it filled within a little the entire area of the chamber” gives an accurate description of these statues and an accurate account of the amount of artefacts that were found in Tutankhamun’s tomb.
The discovery of the tomb of King Tutankhamun has answered many questions and solved many mysteries about the life of people in Ancient Egypt. However, the life and death of the boy king is still a mystery itself. For example, one continual argument and mystery is how King Tut died. Although there are many opposing theories, King Tutankhamen died because he was already weak from genetic diseases, then broke his leg, which got infected and caused King Tut to die.