By: Yassmine ElSayed
CAIRO, Feb. 23 (SEE) – Preparations are underway in London,
where the largest-ever display of King Tut artifacts is going on view in few
months, before returning to its final resting place; Egypt.
Wooden Guardian Statue of the King (Reign of Tutankhamun 1336-1326 B.C.E.) ©Laboratoriorosso, Viterbo, Italy.
According to a report published by “news.artnet.com”, more
than 150 original artifacts from the king’s tomb, 60 of which have never left
Egypt before, will be displayed in the Saatchi Gallery next November.
Gilded Wooden Bed (Reign of Tutankhamun 1336-1326 B.C.E.) ©Laboratoriorosso, Viterbo, Italy
It’s been billed the “mummy” of all King Tut shows for it is
the largest collection of King Tutankhamun’s treasures ever to travel outside
of Egypt.
“TUTANKHAMUN:
Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh,” which is open through May 3, 2020, celebrates
the 1922 discovery of the tomb by British explorer Howard Carter and Lord
Carnarvon—the only Ancient Egyptian royal tomb ever found intact.
Gold Inlaid Canopic Coffinette of Tutankhamun Dedicated to Imseti and Isis (Reign of Tutankhamun 1336-1326 B.C.E.) © Laboratoriorosso, Viterbo, Italy
“The pharaohs that succeeded Tutankhamun nearly managed to
erase him from the history books. Had Howard Carter not persisted in his quest,
the boy king’s legacy and treasures could have been forever lost to the sands
of Egypt,” read a statement from the Saatchi Gallery.
The show is almost sure to be a blockbuster. Previous King
Tut shows in London, in 1972 and 2007, drew record crowds of more than one
million visitors each and those exhibitions contained fewer than 55 objects
from the tomb—about a third the size of the upcoming show.
Colossal Statue.
After its run in London, the show, which debuted in Los
Angeles last year, is set to travel to a full 10 cities around the world.
Afterward, the objects will return to Cairo, where they will be permanently
housed alongside the full King Tut collection at the new Grand Egyptian
Museum.
At the Saatchi, nine galleries will incorporate digital
content, contextual material, and audio soundscapes to take visitors on a
journey through Tutankhamun’s passage into everlasting life. They will also see
how his funerary objects were used on the perilous journey.
On his part, John Norman, managing director of exhibitions
at IMG, said: “As millions get a final opportunity to see these ancient and
exquisite objects in an immersive and personal context, we know Tutankhamun
will continue to live large in the hearts of people around the world for
generations to come”.
Saatchi, which usually offers free admission, will institute
an admission fee for the King Tut show, but says it has not yet determined what
that will be.
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