Was Tut’s Mask Repurposed?
Happy anniversary to Howard Carter! On this day in 1922, Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings on the West Bank of the Nile near Thebes, modern day Luxor, Egypt.
To celebrate, I’ve delved into experimental archaeology to determine once and for all if Tut’s famous gold mask was originally created for him, or, as at least one Egyptologist has insisted, if it was created for Nefertiti.
Enjoy the documentary!
An Experiment into the Mask of Tutankhmun with Dr. Colleen Darnell and Victoria Lansford
Was the famous gold mask of Tutankhamun really made for him, or was it originally created for someone else? In this collaboration with Egyptologist Dr. Colleen Darnell we look closely at the mask itself, the evidence scholars have pointed to, and what the ancient metalsmiths’ work can tell us.
Researchers have argued that some objects from Tutankhamun’s burial equipment were originally made for a predecessor and later adapted. Nicholas Reeves has theorized that Tutankhamun’s cartouche on the shoulder of the mask was originally that of Ankhkheperure then erased and re-chased with Tutankhanun’s throne name Nebkheperure. We examine that question and the original, partially erased marks through the eyes of an Egyptologist and a working metalsmith, demonstrating how that chasing, erasing, and re-chasing could have been done.
After weighing evidence, both experts reveal for whom Tutankhamun’s mask was created. The results may surprise you!
Featuring
Dr. Colleen Darnell https://www.colleendarnell.com
YouTube @VintageEgyptologist
Instagram @vintage_egyptologist
and
Victoria Lansford
YouTube @victorialansford
Instagram @victorialansfordartwork
📚 References:
Eckmann, Christian, et al. “Zur Frage einer möglichen Umarbeitung der Mumienmaske Tutanchamuns.” Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt, vol. 59, no. 1, 2023, pp. 57–85, https://doi.org/10.5913/jarce.59.2023.a003.
Marc Gabolde’s detailed studies identifying Meritaten as Ankhetkheperure Neferneferuaten include:
Gabolde, Marc. D’Akhénaton à Toutânkhamon. Université Lumière-Lyon 2, Institut d’archéologie et d’histoire de l’Antiquité, 1998.
Ogden, Jack. Jewelry Technology in the Ancient and Medieval World. Brynmorgan Press, 2024.
Reeves, Nicholas. “The Gold Mask of Ankhkheperure Neferneferuaten.” Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections, vol. 7, no. 4, 2015, pp. 77–79, https://journals.librarypublishing.arizona.edu/jaei/article/id/1193/.
