The discovery of Tutankhamun's sarcophagus was one of the great landmarks of modern history . Howard Carter He was his discoverer in 1923 and surely in those moments he was not aware of what his discovery would mean for humanity. To give you an idea of the feeling that has seized the English archaeologist, we have compiled this series of facts and curiosities of the Tutankhamun sarcophagus that will surely surprise you.
The remains of Tutankhamun rested in a large quartzite sarcophagus, which contained three coffins until it reached the young pharaoh's mummy. The first of them, made of gold laminated pine wood; the second, similar; while the last, and smallest of all, is solid gold. This last coffin is the most iconic of all and its beauty is of incalculable value . If you want to know the curiosities of the Tutankhamun sarcophagus and imagine what Howard Carter felt when he opened the tomb, this article is made for you.
The Sarcophagus of Tutankhamun | All your secrets uncovered
1. The dagger of space
Everything related to this young pharaoh has awakened much mystery and expectation since his sarcophagus was discovered. Among the many treasures that were found inside the sarcophagus of Tutankhamun, there is one that stands out among the rest. It is a ceremonial dagger of about 35 centimeters with a knob of rock crystal , although the most impressive is found on his sheet. After studying it in detail, it was discovered that it was made of iron, a metal that the Egyptians still did not work with. The data that no one expected, is the one revealed by the latest studies, the blade of the dagger was made with the remains of a meteorite . Experts believe they know what meteorite they took out of the iron in concrete, according to them comes from one that was found about 200 kilometers from Alexandria. This dagger has served to elucubrar all kinds of theories about the pharaoh and all his family, although there were already indications of other iron artifacts in some previous dynasty.
2. 110 kilos of solid gold
Undoubtedly, the most striking and whose value is incalculable is the third and last of the coffins that the mummy of Pharaoh Tutankhamun keeps. In addition to its weight, 110 kilos, measures 187 centimeters. This coffin was covered at first with a thick layer of bitumen that had hardened with time, after removing it appeared the face of Pharaoh who was in the same position as in the previous coffins, that is to say with the arms crossed on the chest. The delicacy with which gold is worked, make this coffin one of the most important pieces of goldsmithing in ancient history .
3. Stone sarcophagus
The sarcophagus containing the three coffins one inside the other, as if it were a Russian matrioska will be treated, was the first thing that caught the attention of Howard Carter when he entered the mortuary chamber of Tutankhamun. This impressive sarcophagus is made of painted silicate sandstone and has a surface area of 275 centimeters long by 147 centimeters high . The corners of this great sarcophagus are protected by four winged goddesses and the top is topped by a half-round cornice.
4. Funeral mask
Possibly, this mask is one of the most iconic objects of all Egypt . When Howard Carter opened the last of the coffins, it was embedded in the young pharaoh's head as a protection. Made mainly of gold and other precious materials, among which stand out lapis lazuli, turquoise, coral, quartz or obsidian . The expression of this mask is of infinite peace and Howard Carter described it in his diary as "the mask of beaten gold, a beautiful and unique sample of the old portrait, has a sad but calm expression, evoking the youth truncated prematurely by death " His weight is 11 kilos and the vivacity that his eyes transmit is almost supernatural . Symbolically, this mask represents much more than the face of a young man, being made in gold reaches a degree of divinity, since this material represented the sun something very sacred to the Egyptians.
The discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb is a finding that can hardly be equaled throughout the history of mankind. Each study that is made both to the sarcophagus and to the mummy of Pharaoh reveals something new and interesting about the life of Tutankhamun and that of his entire lineage. Infinity of books, films and works have been inspired by the life of the young Egyptian pharaoh. Now we would like to know your opinion about this interesting article. Do you think it possible that Tutankhamun's weapon has extraterrestrial origin? Have you been able to witness his impressive funeral mask live? What catches your attention the most about Tutankhamun's sarcophagus? Tell us your comments, we are looking forward to reading!