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“According to a recent study by Nicholas Brown, an Egyptologist at Yale University, published in the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, the “mud trays” in Tutankhamun’s tomb are actually too small to have served as bases for the large staffs. The researcher compared the trays to objects from other tombs in the Valley of the Kings—a site in central Egypt that holds the burials of many Egyptian pharaohs, including Tutankhamun, who ruled between roughly 1333 and 1323 B.C.E.”
“Archaeologists had previously unearthed 16 gold tongues at Oxyrhynchus. The ancient Egyptians put gold tongues in mummies with the intention of helping the deceased speak in the afterlife, and because they believed that gold was "the flesh of the gods," Esther Pons Mellado and Maite Mascort, co-directors of the Spanish-Egyptian archaeological mission at Oxyrhynchus, told Live Science earlier this year. The same team made the new finds.”
"Indeed, the smells emitted by the mummies come in large part from the materials used to preserve the corpses. While techniques and materials varied over time, Egyptian mummies were often embalmed with resins from trees such as pine, cedar, juniper, and mastic, as well as gum resins (such as myrrh and frankincense), incense, animal fats, waxes, and various other woods, spices, herbs, and flowers. The preservation process also often involved natron salts — a mix of sodium carbonate, hydrogen carbonate, and small amounts of chloride and sulfate."
"Thutmose III and Hatshepsut are among the best-known figures in Egyptian history. Thutmose has been called the “Napoleon of ancient Egypt,” during whose reign Egypt’s armies penetrated deep into northern Syria and consolidated Egyptian dominion over much of Sudan. Hatshepsut, one of the handful of female pharaohs, also took to the battlefield, but is best known today for a great trading expedition, down the Red Sea coast to the mysterious land of Punt.
At first, Hatshepsut served simply as regent for her young nephew-stepson Thutmose, but subsequently the two shared the throne of Egypt as co-pharaohs for over a decade. Later, as sole king, Thutmose devoted much of the rest of his life to military matters and large-scale building works, continuing the work of Hatshepsut that created much of the core of the great temple of Karnak.
During the very last years of his life, Thutmose launched an attack on the memory of Hatshepsut, with most of her images destroyed. Yet, some four centuries later, Thutmose III and Hatshepsut were still remembered together as great figures of the past, whose conception of pharaonic kingship served as the model for later rulers, into the eighth century BC."
— Thutmose III and Hatshepsut, Pharaohs of Egypt: Their Lives and Afterlives, by Aidan Dodson
The statue of Ankhemtenenet is a fascinating piece of Egyptian art from the Third Intermediate Period (around 743-656 BC). It was crafted from red quartzite, a stone prized for its durability and deep red hue, which likely helped preserve its features over millennia.
Ankhemtenenet was likely a high-ranking official or a priest, though details about his exact role are unclear. The sculpture represents the style and ideals of the later periods of Egyptian history when individual figures started to reflect more of the personal traits and stature of the subjects.
From Memphis (Mit Rahina). Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 07.228.47
The torso is notable for its artistry and historical significance, showcasing the skilled craftsmanship of the Amarna period. Nefertiti, the wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten, is a significant figure in ancient Egyptian history, known for her beauty and for her role during a transformative period in Egyptian religion and art.
Nefertiti is often celebrated for her iconic bust, but this torso adds to our understanding of her representation in ancient art.
From Tell el-Amarna. Now in the Louvre. E 25409
The ancient Egyptians didn't know about the dangers of inbreeding, but King Tut paid the price. He had a number of congenital defects including a cleft palate, a club foot and buck teeth. Despite probably being slightly disabled, artwork and other artefacts found in his tomb suggest King Tut was an avid hunter, charioteer and a skilled archer.
10 things you might not know about Tutankhamun:
Happy King Tut Day!
#KingTutDay celebrates the date of the discovery of Egyptian King Tutankhamen's Tomb. With this being the 100th anniversary of that discovery!
Over 3,000 years ago, King Tutankhamen became the King of Egypt at the age of 9. He died at the age of 19. "King Tut" as he is commonly referred to had his tomb discovered on November 4, 1922.
In retrospect Tutankhamen was not an especially important or memorable king; his tomb, however, was the only royal burial found completely intact by archaeologists. This allowed archaeologists to accurately record what an Egyptian king's tomb looked like and learn more about Egyptian Antiquity.
Dr. Howard Carter later recalled, “At first I could see nothing, the hot air escaping from the chamber causing the candle flame to flicker, but presently, as my eyes grew accustomed to the lights, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues, and gold –everywhere the glint of gold”.
The seal of Tutankhamun's tomb, before it was opened on November 4, 1922.
It consisted of an arm-shaped knot wrapped around one of the handles and a clay stamp (on the right) with the figure of the jackal god Anubis.
This lock remained intact for 3245 years, until English archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter, who led the project to search and find King Tut's tomb in the Valley of the Kings, took this photo and opened it.
The words of the famous Egyptologist Howard Carter, written when the tomb was found sealed, were as follows:
"At last I have made a marvelous discovery in the valley, a magnificent tomb with intact seals," Howard Carter wrote in a telegram to Lord Carnavon on November 6, 1922.
"A sealed door! (... ) With an excitement that turned into feverish ardor I searched for the door stamps, in search of evidence of the identity of the owner of the place," continued the Egyptologist, who at that time found only "the known seal of the royal necropolis, the jackal and nine captives." They were the intact seals of the tomb of a King, King Tutankhamun.
Arguably one of the most famous Ancient Egyptian deities recognized in the modern world, Anubis (jnpw), known to the Egyptians as Anpu, is an icon of the ancient world. From books to movies, his likeness still remains a favourite, and he is recognized worldwide, often springing to mind when Ancient Egypt is mentioned in entertainment or even in passing conversation.
Even those least knowledgeable on Ancient Egyptian history are aware of his image; the famous black jackal headed man or full-bodied jackal laying proudly like a sphinx has been etched in the human psyche, and he remains a symbol of Egypt past and present.
Since the earliest days of Ancient Egypt, Anubis was a protector of the dead, guide of the Underworld, protector of graves and the god of embalming.
It is thought that the jackal became associated with death due to their roaming presence around the Pre Dynastic cemeteries and burial sites. It is thought that the idea of the jackal being a protective deity for the dead came from this. It is easy to believe that a roaming pack of wild dogs warning off grave robbers or perhaps delinquent spiritual entities became rather comforting to those mourning their loved ones. However, this is of course impossible to know and is conjecture at best.
Despite Anubis being depicted more often than not with his jackal form, be it full bodied or head alone, there is a rare glimpse of Anubis in human form that appears within the Temple of Ramesses II at Abydos. In this wonderful photograph taken by Manna4u at flickr, you have a wonderful, high quality glimpse at an absolutely rare depiction of the god Anpu/Anubis.
Anubis firmly stands in pop culture as the jackal headed god, yet recent studies have somewhat shaken this idea, as DNA analysis of the Egyptian Jackal, actually proves their species descends from the wolf, and is of the gray wolf family.
This is what hieroglyphs and figures in ancient Egyptian temples looked like before their colors faded. They were recreated using a polychromatic light display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, following thorough research.
If this is your kind of thing, new zealand has the world's first life sized re-creation of an Egyptian temple for an idea of how it would have looked back then
For those who want to know where in New Zealand it is, this is in Hamilton Gardens in Hamilton!
