King Tut Exhibit LACMA

Canopic Stopper of King Tut

2005

It is very useful for those , who study history , archeology or other related subject , to support their knowledge and understanding with some visual materials . In such cases , visiting some geographical territories of historical events , or archeological museum , or an exhibition of antique arts would be perfect help for better picturing of realistic details and environment of ancient times

The exhibition of the treasures of Egyptian King Tut , which were revealed during the discovery of his Tomb in the beginning of XX century , is a

perfect example of visual support for those , who are interested in history and culture of Ancient Egypt . A lot of different statuettes , busts , vases , elements of decorations , etc . from those times were presented at the exhibition in Los Angeles County Museum of Arts But I was especially fascinated with a little bust from the canopic chest of King Tut , made of delicately patterned transparent calcite

This elegant bust reproduces King Tut himself wearing the nemes head-dress . The creators of it used subtle black and red paints to underline facial details of good-looking Egyptian king : his big eyes eyebrows and lips , demonstrating feminized nature of this person Traditionally , the face of King Tut is presented with decorations of protective cobra and vulture , appearing from his head-dress . This small statuette is typical exemplar of Egyptian ancient art , which is characterized with features of early frontalism : every picture (in painting ) or figure (in sculpture ) was presented in rigid and formal posture

This bust was found in a shrine of King Tut , on a magnificent canopic chest made of alabaster and gorgeously decorated with golden staples There were , actually , four of such busts , which were located in every corner of the chest and served as stoppers . These stoppers were sealing four compartments of the chest , in which four miniature anthropomorphic coffins , containing mummified inner organs of the king , were stored

King Tut (Tutankhamen ) is one of the most known and recognizable pharaohs of Ancient Egypt . He was the Ruler of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egyptian Kings , who started his reign in the age of 9 and died at the age of 19 . Certainly , he ruled under supervision and control of his adult advisers : in particular , his vizier and future successor Ay . The main social reconstruction , made by King Tut , is conversion of heretical Atenism , launched by his predecessor King Akhenaton , to previous traditional ancient Egyptian religion . Causes of his death still remain unknown , and there are some suggestions on this issue . Some specialists consider him to be murdered the others consider his death to be accidental

After watching this sculpture of young pharaoh for some long period of time , first of all , I started paying more attention on its divine material . This transparent calcite is called Egyptian alabaster , which was , probably , enriched with some phosphoric materials . That is why the bust looks so lucid and shining , as if time did not touch it at all . I noticed that in this magic shining the representation...