The golden mask of Tutankhamun is one of the most iconic symbols of ancient Egypt. Discovered by Howard Carter in 1922, it has captivated the world with its exquisite craftsmanship and the mystery surrounding the young pharaoh it was designed to immortalize.
The mask, a funerary mask intended to guide the spirit of the pharaoh back to his body, is made of two layers of high-karat gold, weighing about 10.23 kg. It is 54 cm tall, 39.3 cm wide, and 49 cm deep. The face of the mask, believed to represent Tutankhamun's own face, is made of a smoother alloy of gold, while the rest of the mask is crafted from a more textured gold.
The mask is adorned with a stunning array of semi-precious stones, including lapis lazuli, quartz, and obsidian, used to create the stripes on the headdress, the cobra and vulture on the forehead, and the false beard, a symbol of the pharaoh's divine status. The eyes are made of obsidian and quartz, with the eyebrows and cosmetic lines inlaid with lapis lazuli.
In 2015, the mask underwent a significant restoration after the beard was accidentally knocked off during a cleaning process at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The beard was hastily reattached with epoxy, causing visible damage. A German-Egyptian team of restorers later corrected this by reattaching the beard using beeswax, a material that the ancient Egyptians themselves would have used.
The mask of Tutankhamun is not just a beautiful artifact; it is a window into the beliefs, skills, and materials of the ancient Egyptians. It continues to be a source of fascination and study, helping us to understand more about this remarkable civilization and its young king, Tutankhamun.
