‘We are showing you a unique historical artefact, not just for Egypt but for the world.’ The Egypt’s minister of antiquities made it clear during a press conference: this sarcophagus is exceptional. After seeing the footage that you can check out in the video above, we can only agree with him.
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Covered in gilding, this sarcophagus belonged to King Tutankhamun, the most famous of the pharaohs. More than 3,000 years old, it has survived the ages and managed to stay in a remarkable state of preservation. But today, it has needed to undergo some renovation work before it can be unveiled for the first time in The Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo in 2020.
Gilding and pharaoh symbols
Over the years, the coffin has ‘developed cracks in its gilded layers of plaster, especially those of the lid and base,’ said the ministry for antiquities. That is why immediate renovations needed to be undertaken.
This work started in the middle of July and will go on for eight months. And for good reason, the operation needs to be very detailed and delicate so as to respect the young King’s image as well as his flail and crook.
Tutankhamun’s pharaoh symbols weren’t preserved for very long during his lifetime since he died inexplicably at the age of 18, only 9 years after he rose to the throne that he had inherited from his father, the no less famous Akhenaton.
