(2 minutes read)

Explore eternity and priceless treasures from the Egyptian civilization with the King Tut exhibition in Los Angeles.

Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s world tour includes 10 cities over 7 years. For a few months, the California Science Museum displays 166 objects from his tomb among which 40% of them never left the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities before.

Here is a look at King Tut – Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh

• Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s afterlife

Priests prepared Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb to both pass through the twelve gates of the Netherworld and live his afterlife. The tomb was filled with protective amulets, food, pieces of jewelry, clothes, games, and more.

As an example, food contained in baskets and boxes included large diversity of meat (cow, duck, sheep, etc.), fruits (dates, grapes….), grains (lentils, peas, chickpeas) and spices (cumin, coriander, etc.).

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• Howard Carter, the discovery of the century

The first floor is dedicated to archeology and scientific discoveries. On November 4^th, 1922, Howard Carter, a British archeologist, unearthed the tomb of the young Pharaoh. Sometimes referred to as Aladdin’s Cave, it was the first time an untouched and preserved tomb with such treasures was discovered.

For ten years, Howard Carter gathered a team of the renowned archeologists to meticulously inventory King Tut’s treasures. In recent years, science helps to solve some mysteries. For example, according to DNA tests, Pharaoh Tutankhamun, weakened by malaria, probably died from an infected leg wound.

• Highlights

The amulets and jewelry

Among the treasures, pieces of amulets and jewelry impress me, particularly by their finesse and beauty. Amulets protected the living and the dead. Their shapes and colors represent different properties. As an example, the cobra suggests eternity and both green & blue symbolize rebirth.

Hussein Abdel-Rassoul, the water boy

An interesting thing I learned is that Hussein was a boy when he was hired by Howard Carter to bring water to workers. Haphazard, he discovered the first steps leading to the golden pharaoh’s tombs by digging holes in the sand for his water jars.

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 Plan your visit

• On view from March 24th to January 6th, 2019.
• Location: California Science Center, 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles.
• Hours: 10am-5pm.
• Admission: $30 + $6 for an audio guide.
• Duration: I spent 1:30 hours to discover it.
• Parking: $12 or metro station
• More information available at https://californiasciencecenter.org/visit/admission/king-tut-admissions