Luxor Egyptology

I've posted an article from Reuters about Zahi's latest plan for poor old Tutankhamen's mummy, in the main news section of the site.

I think I would prefer to see him in his gilded coffin though - I don't think there is any need to show his mummy.

I quite agree Stan,i don't think there is any need to show is actual mummy.Seeing him as he his now gives more of an impact and is far more respectful and gives him a bit of dignity!

Nice to see you here JoJo..... and yes, it would be really undignified, as well as fairly repulsive, as his mummy is not in the best of conditions.

Here's some interesting history:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... vilization

Maybe when Mubarak passes on we will have a return to some decorum on this matter.

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Nicole B. Hansen, Ph.D.
http://www.glyphdoctors.com

There's an interesting article in today's Al Ahram Weekly about Tutankhamen's Mummy - I've copied it into the news section of the main forum.

I still think it is rather morbid to display mummies in cases!

Another problem with all this is while Tut may be placed in a "climate-controlled" plexiglas case, his presence there is certainly intended to increase the numbers of tourists buying a ticket to see his tomb. However, the burial chamber walls themselves have no such protection and an increased number of visitors will serve to hasten their destruction. I can only hope this is simply a publicity stunt for the London exhibition and his body will be taken off display in a couple months.

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Nicole B. Hansen, Ph.D.
http://www.glyphdoctors.com

Zahi is here in Luxor today to inaugurate the public viewing of Tutankhamen's mummy. No doubt it will be on TV news later - there was already a report on it on Radio 5 this morning. Here's the BBC News article concerning the event. I thought, as it is going to be a major tourist attraction, I should post this topic here, instead of the history section.

World to gaze on King Tut's face

"The face of one of Egypt's most mysterious ancient rulers, the boy king Tutankhamun, is being put on public view for the first time on Sunday.
His mummy is being displayed in a climate-controlled case inside his tomb in Luxor's Valley of the Kings.

The event comes exactly 85 years after the site was discovered by the British explorer Howard Carter.

Only about 50 people are thought to have seen his face since then though thousands have seen his sarcophagus.

The face remained intact because of the mummification process and will continue to be protected from heat and humidity.

Tut's spell

It is more than 3,000 years since Tutankhamun died, probably still in his teens.

Although he was a fairly minor royal, the treasures that were unearthed have captivated the world and drawn millions to the Valley of the Kings.

Egypt's chief archaeologist, Zahi Hawass, says the remains of Tutankhamun and other relics are now under threat from the heat and the humidity brought into the tomb by the vast crowds.

They are being removed from its original golden sarcophagus and placed in a climate-controlled plexi-glass case in the antechamber of his tomb. "

I dislike the idea of thousands of tourists gawping morbidly at a very damaged 'face' - what do you all think?

Sorry but I have to disagree with Glyphdoctor about it being a publicity stunt for the opening of the forthcoming exhibition in London. As this is the same exhibition that has been touring the States for the last two-years, and it is the first time that a tour like his has happened since 1970s, surely, it would have made more impact when the exhibits first set off. On the other hand, today is the anniversary of the opening of the tomb so it seems more “appropriate” that it happen now.

I do agree with Glyphdoctor’s hope that this is only a short-term exhibit and that Tut regains his dignity quickly.

That's because he announced the CT-scan results before the American leg of the tour kicked off, to publicize that leg. Now, he had to come up with something new to get the London leg a lot of publicity, so he puts the mummy on display. There was more going on behind the scenes around the time of the CT-scan publicity that convinced me that all this was carefully timed and calculated to maximize publicity and revenue for the exhibition, but for various reasons, I can't say anymore than that.

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Nicole B. Hansen, Ph.D.
http://www.glyphdoctors.com

True, but if the publicity from 02 is to be believed they were almost sold out before any of this was made public.

That doesn't seem to be the case at all:

http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/artist/954726

And even if they sell out, they might be persuaded to extend the hours to accommodate more.

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Nicole B. Hansen, Ph.D.
http://www.glyphdoctors.com

Just a small point, Nicole - will you be taking your party to see his mummy when you visit Luxor?

When the new museum is open at Giza, I'm certain Tutankhamun will join the other mummies of royalty on display,

No-When I was planning the itinerary there were no plans to put it on display. The tomb itself is a huge disappointment so I left it off the itinerary. I think that the replica in the Pharaonic Village in Cairo is more interesting to visit than the real thing. But there probably will be time for people to do it on their own if they so choose. We will be visiting Ay together plus people will be able to visit 3 tombs of their own choice-I'm not going to be forcing the choice of tombs on people. Since guides can't talk inside the tombs anyway I see no reason people shouldn't be able to go where they want. They will be briefed on the choices they have beforehand.

_________________
Nicole B. Hansen, Ph.D.
http://www.glyphdoctors.com