The Egyptian Museum of Antiquity is the power house of
ancient Egyptian artifacts. It hosts the largest collection of ancient artifacts
from the age of the pharaohs in the world. Along with all its splendors, the
Egyptian museum in Cairo is also the home for most of the treasures found in
the famous tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen including his golden burial sarcophagus,
his chariot, jewels, bracelets and other ornaments. Most of these artifacts are
on display in the museum. Among these artifacts is the famous golden mask of
the Tutankhamen.
Before my visit to the museum, I had read so much about the
famous boy king and I had already made up my mind that I was not going to leave
Egypt without seeing all his treasures which are kept in the museum. Tutankhamen
fascinated me for two reasons. Firstly, he ascended the throne at the age of
nine. Secondly, the cause of his death is still being discussed today. Today,
this mask has become the icon of ancient Egyptian antiquity. For someone who is
deeply fascinated this legendary ruler, the opportunity to meet him face to
face is absolutely thrilling.
The mask is kept in the room which holds all his treasures. It
is made of pure gold, elegantly colored with fabulous design and is said to
weigh around 11 kg. It is supposed to be the exact replica of the original face
of the boy king in real life. The magnificence of this mask also shows how
powerful and respected the Pharaohs where at that time. I first saw the mask;
it was gleaming gleefully in the yellow light of the room giving a mystifying
flavor to its beauty. Standing in front of the mask staring at its eyes, I
wondered how stunned archaeologist Howard Carter was upon seeing it for the
first time after he discovered the tomb. I wondered how satisfying it must be
to find something so elegant after working so hard to find it. It was at that
moment where I thought seriously thought seriously of a career in professional
archaeology and antiquity.
There are many other magnificent artifacts in this museum. It
is full of wonders of the ancient Egyptian civilization. Credit should also go
to the museum for the wonderful preservation of all these striking artifacts. But
for me, this mask was the most brilliant artifact in the museum.
No comments:
Post a Comment