MAGAZINE

“As the better light fell upon the objects we endeavoured to take them in. It was impossible.

They were so many.”

—Howard Carter

Tutankhamun was born during Pharaoh Akhenaten’s reign—a time when the traditional worship of a pantheon of gods was replaced with worship of a sun deity. When Tutankhamun took the throne, he brought back Egypt’s many gods. And when he died, their images—as well as objects specially crafted for the burial and heirlooms from his predecessors—went with him to the grave. All were believed to accompany the pharaoh to a comfortable afterlife. More than 5,000 objects, from miniature model agricultural tools to room-size palatial shrines, were packed into the 1,200-square-foot, four-room tomb. Clothing, games, jewels, weapons, furniture, cosmetics, food, and wine were found with his mummy. Most items were inscribed with Tut’s name or included a design with his likeness.

CATEGORIES (illustrated below) are depicted in proportion to the number of objects found.

MODELS A miniature workforce, outfitted with more than 1,800 tools for farming in the hereafter, these figurines were formed from stone, wood, and faience (ceramics). Ancient Egyptians imagined an afterlife in which the dead would take part in daily activities that included—even for pharaohs—agricultural tasks. To avoid a too-laborious afterlife, the dead were buried with hardworking figurines called shabtis.

Iron model tools

Many of the over 400 four-to-24-inch-tall pharaoh-shaped shabti figurines were inscribed with spells or their owner’s names.

FOOD CONTAINERS Boxes of preserved meat were among the first objects found upon opening the tomb.

BEDS

BASKETS

CHARIOTS Six were found overturned and in more than 150 pieces.

BANDAGES These safeguarded against afterlife hazards.

PIECES OF CLOTH

CLOTHING Inside wooden boxes were gloves, more than 130 triangular-shaped loincloths, and 93 shoes and sandals.

CANES Experts are studying the precise function of 130 sticks in the tomb.

ROYAL WEAPONS Tut’s tomb was stocked with hundreds of arrows for use in bows and crossbows, as well as armor and throwing sticks. Hunting is a common decorative theme on many

of his objects.

BOUQUETS

FIGURES AND EMBLEMS

RITUAL OARS

VESSELS More than 30 wine bottles were discovered among hundreds of different vessels.

BOARD GAMES AND TOYS

TOOLS

FURNITURE Over 80 pieces included three adult thrones and one child’s throne.

FANS

COSMETIC OBJECTS

JEWELS AND AMULETS

More than 200 pieces would imbue the wearer with powers and protection.

RAW MATRL.

MUSIC INST.

REGALIA

LABELS

MUMMY ORNAMENTS

WRITING

MATERIALS

LAMPS

MISC.

MODEL BOATS

CLAY AND

MUD SEALS

BOXES AND CABINETS Many had elaborate painted scenes.

BURIAL SHRINES, COFFINS, SARCOPHAGUS

*Includes broken items and those that don’t fit into other categories.

Alberto Lucas López, Patricia Healy, Eve Conant, and Lucas Petrin, NGM Staff. Art by Matthew Twombly

Sources: Howard Carter © Griffith Institute, University of Oxford, Salima Ikram, American University in Cairo; Fredrik Hiebert, NGS

MAGAZINE

“As the better light fell upon the objects we endeavoured to take them in. It was impossible. They were so many.”

—Howard Carter

Tutankhamun was born during Pharaoh Akhenaten’s reign—a time when the traditional worship of a pantheon of gods was replaced with worship of a sun deity. When Tutankhamun took the throne, he brought back Egypt’s many gods. And when he died, their images—as well as objects specially crafted for the burial and heirlooms from his predecessors—went with him to the grave. All were believed to accompany the pharaoh to a comfortable afterlife. More than 5,000 objects, from miniature model agricultural tools to room-size palatial shrines, were packed into the 1,200-square-foot, four-room tomb. Clothing, games, jewels, weapons, furniture, cosmetics, food, and wine were found with his mummy. Most items were inscribed with Tut’s name or included a design with his likeness.

CATEGORIES (illustrated below) are depicted in proportion to the number of objects found.

MODELS A miniature workforce, outfitted with more than 1,800 tools for farming in the hereafter, these figurines were formed from stone, wood, and faience (ceramics). Ancient Egyptians imagined an afterlife in which the dead would take part in daily activities that included—even for pharaohs—agricultural tasks. To avoid a too-laborious afterlife, the dead were buried with hardworking figurines called shabtis.

Iron model tools

Many of the over 400 four-to-24-inch-tall pharaoh-shaped shabti figurines were inscribed with spells or their owner’s names.

FOOD CONTAINERS Boxes of preserved meat were among the first objects found upon opening the tomb.

RITUAL OARS

BEDS Nine, mostly intact.

BANDAGES These safeguarded against afterlife hazards.

BOARD GAMES AND TOYS

CHARIOTS Six were found overturned and in more than 150 pieces.

FURNITURE Over 80 pieces included three adult thrones and one child’s throne.

BASKETS Woven from grasses or palms and lidded, some 130 baskets came in many sizes and held dried foods such as nuts, dates, or seeds.

FANS

COSMETIC OBJECTS

JEWELS AND AMULETS More than 200 pieces—encrusted with semiprecious stones and glass, and symbolic of nature and gods—

would imbue the wearer with powers and protection.

PIECES OF CLOTH

CLOTHING Inside wooden boxes were gloves, more than 130 triangular-shaped loincloths, and 93

shoes and sandals.

Sandals

LABELS

MUMMY ORNAMENTS

LAMPS

MISC.*

Loincloths

CANES Experts are studying the precise function of 130 sticks in the tomb. Imagery on some of Tut’s belongings suggests he might have used them for support.

TOOLS Knives, flyswatters, and measuring sticks were included.

FIGURES AND EMBLEMS

BOUQUETS

RAW MATERIALS

MUSICAL INSTRMT.

REGALIA

ROYAL WEAPONS Tut’s tomb was stocked with hundreds of arrows for use in bows and crossbows, as well as armor and throwing sticks. Hunting is a common decorative theme on many of his objects.

CLAY AND MUD SEALS

VESSELS More than 30 wine bottles—

some still containing residue and many with labels that described their vintage and vineyard—were discovered among hundreds of different vessels.

BOXES AND CABINETS Many had elaborate painted scenes. Others had inlaid stone and wood veneering.

WRITING

MATERIALS

MODEL BOATS

BURIAL SHRINES, COFFINS,

AND A SARCOPHAGUS

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