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Grandmother of all shows
By Valentine Low, Evening Standard 13.11.07
Golden glory: The first glimpse of the intact tomb of Tutankhamun's great-grandmother Tjuya on display at the O2 exhibition
Detail: A close-up of the gilded face of Tjuya
Nile treasure: A model boat found in the tomb of Amenhotep II, killer of seven princes in a day
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An immense coffin, shining with gold and thousands of years old is one of the magnificent treasures unveiled today at the most eagerly anticipated exhibition of the year, Tutankhamun And The Golden Age Of The Pharaohs.
The coffin, almost seven feet long, gilded with red gold and inlaid with obsidian, alabaster and glass, was the final resting place of Tutankhamun's great-grandmother Tjuya, who died in 1353 BC.
When the tomb in the Valley of the Kings was unearthed by Theodore Davis in 1905, it was regarded as the greatest discovery of ancient Egyptian artefacts ever made - until Howard Carter opened Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922.
The treasures discovered by Carter are the highlight of the exhibition at the O2, the first time such a major collection of Egyptian treasures has been seen in Britain for 35 years.
The ceremonial opening was being attended today by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, who will see the new display of artefacts excavated from Tutankhamun's tomb.
All the items on show are at least 3,000 years old, including 50 excavated from the tomb. Among the treasures the public will see will be the royal crown discovered on the mummified head of Tutankhamun and one of the gold and precious stone inlaid coffinettes that contained his embalmed internal organs. Although the discovery of his tomb was one of the greatest archaeological finds ever made, Tutankhamun appears to have been a minor king, with little impact on the Egyptian empire.
Believed to be aged nine when he became pharaoh, he ruled for just nine years before his untimely demise. Egyptologists believe that he married his half-sister, Ankhesenamun, but the couple had no surviving children. The foetuses of two stillborn babies were discovered in his tomb.
The cause of his death has been much discussed. Some experts believe he was murdered by a rival. In 1968, an X-ray of his body revealed damage to the skull that could have been caused by a blow. But more recent work suggests that a hole in the head appears to have been drilled, most probably by embalmers. Moreover, a CT scan in 2005 revealed a fracture to his leg. It is believed that the break took place days before death and that Tutankhamun died of gangrene from the wound.
The exhibition in 1972 attracted more than 1.7 million visitors, setting a record. The death mask of Tutankhamun that was the star of that show is now too fragile to leave Egypt.
The exhibition is being seen as a crucial attraction for London's tourist industry over the coming year. Charles and Camilla will tour the exhibition and witness the installation of the final artefacts.
Visit London chief executive James Bidwell said: "2006 was a record year for overseas visitors to London and great exhibitions like this add to the spectacular range of visitor experiences the capital has to offer. A blockbuster attraction of this scale is a great opportunity for London, and we are delighted to be the exclusive European city to host this exhibition."
The exhibition runs from Thursday until 30 August 2008.
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Reader views (1)
I was one of the lucky few to see a preview of the show. I cannot remember going to the original show in 1972 so I had nothing to compare it to other than recent visits to Southern Egypt. I was expecting an exhibition totally devoted to Tutenkhamun so was a little disappointed to find that it also included relics of his family and near people of around his time and his predecessors. I was expecting to see his coffin and death mask as that is the iconic symbol of Tutenkhamun and is widely used in the publicity for the show (so naturally you would expect it to be there). For what there is to see I think the entry charge is extortionate even with some of the proceeds going toward rebuilding the Cairo museum. It is interesting especially for people who have not had a chance to go to Egypt but it could be better. The death mask should be removed from publicity as it is misleading and the exhibition renamed to reflect that it also covers other leading Egyptians from and before Tuts time.
- Susan Madanat, Wimbledon, London
