The Story of the Facsimile of the Tomb of Tutankhamun and the Meaning of the Pictures in its Burial Chamber
by Theodor Abt
Living Human Heritage Publications, Zurich 2016.
ISBN 978-39523880-9-9
143 pages, 110 illustrations, mostly in colours.
This book is intended as a guide for visitors to the facsimile of the tomb of Tutankhamun. Part I begins with an overview of what we owe to the Pharaonic culture in general. Part II goes on to the story of the rebuilding of the tomb of Tutankhamun. Then in Part III there follows an overview of the iconographic programme in the burial chamber. This section concludes with an introduction to the religious representations and texts, given on the four gilded shrines placed around the sarcophagus. These images and texts combine to provide unique guidelines to Pharaoh Tutankhamun in his tomb prior to his resurrection as Re-Osiris. The more we learn about the deeper meaning of these guidelines in the Pharaonic tombs, the more we can also see what all this may mean for us today. And the more these images and texts acquaint us with the wisdom of the ancient Egyptians about this world of the Beyond, the more we will be motivated to protect these treasures of the past in a sustainable way for future generations.
>> Purchase onlineAlso available in German
Contents
Foreword by Prof. Dr Mamdouh Eldamaty 7
Introduction 9
Part I: What we owe to Pharaonic Egypt 11
1. Egypt – protected by Mother Nature 13
2. The first Half of human History – mainly written in Egypt 15
3. Equality of the male and the female Principle 17
4. The Pharaonic Concept of Sustainability – 3,000 Years of Success 19
5. Successful Overcoming of a Crisis: Tutankhamun and Ma‘at 21
6. The Sungod’s Journey to its own eternal Renewal 23
7. Following the Sungod’s Journey can bring about eternal
Rejuvenation 25
Part II: The Story of the Creation of Facsimiles of Pharaonic Tombs 27
1. The Problem of Mass Tourism 29
2. From the Problem to a possible Solution 31
3. The Facsimile of the Tomb of Thutmosis III 33
4. The Facsimile of the Tomb of Tutankhamun 35
5. The Phases of Making the Facsimile of the Tomb of Tutankhamun 37
6. The Facsimiles of the Tombs of Seti I and Queen Nefertari 47
7. Creating Work-places for Egyptians 49
Part III: The Tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun:
Images and Texts in its Burial Chamber 55
1. Overview of the Tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun 56
2. Who was Tutankhamun? 59
3. The Discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun 61
4. The Opening of the Burial Chamber 63
5. The Decoration on the Walls, Introduction 65
6. The east Wall 66
7. The north Wall 74
8. The south Wall 84
9. The west Wall 88
10. The south Wall – left Part 95
11. The four Shrines 97
12. The smallest Shrine IV 99
13. Shrine III 107
14. Shrine II 111
15. The Pall 115
16. Shrine I 117
17. The quartzite Sarcophagus 121
18. The three Coffins inside the Sarcophagus 123
19. The golden funerary Mask 125
Part IV: Appendix 127
1. Chronology of the Pharaohs of the New Kingdom 128
2. Selected Bibliography 129
3. List of Illustrations 132
4. Glossary 136
5. Index 139