An Intimate Life of Tutankhamun

Excellent online lecture from ARTscapades looking at the life of the pharaoh Tutankhamun on the 100th anniversary of the discovery of his tomb.

Garry J Shaw, author of “The Story of Tutankhamun” took us through the boy king’s life via the objects in the tomb highlighting some of the more personal items which he probably used in life. He was seeking to reinstate the boy who has become secondary to his goods so he also looked at the historic evidence of his life.

He painted a picture of a boy who loved chariots as his tomb had two in it including one with repaired wheels. There were also chariot gloves, as shown here, and socks to protect his feet from debris. He focused on the more personal items rather than the well-known precious pieces.

Shaw concluded that Tutankhamun may not have ruled for long but he started to restore Egypt to its old religion, a faith he hadn’t know himself, as his father had turned to the new cult of Aten. He talked about how he had health issues such as malaria and a club foot but he undertook his ritual responsibilities.

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