London is the latest stop in a world tour of treasures which commemorate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the almost intact tomb of the Egyptian boy king Tutankhamun.
Howard Carter unearthed the Pharaoh’s mummy – encased in gold – and more than 5,000 artefacts in chambers around him.
Now more than 150 authentic pieces from the tomb – three times the quantity that has travelled in previous exhibitions – will be on show at the Saatchi Gallery in the capital from November 2nd through to May 3rd 2020.
It’s probably the last time these priceless objects will go abroad as they are destined to be permanently displayed in the new Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Not to be left out in marking the event, the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institute in Queen Square is holding a special talk – Tutankhamun – Wonderful Things – on Wednesday, November 20th when Egyptologist Lee Young will explaining the background to the boy king and sharing the fascinating story of the finding and opening of the tomb by British explorer Howard Carter and financier Lord Carnarvon.
Tutankhamun’s tomb is the only Ancient Egyptian tomb to be found intact meaning its contents preserved the context and meaning of ancient royal burial practices and offered a unique insight into culture and life at the time of his death and burial.
Against all the odds, Howard Carter persisted in following a hunch and despite setbacks and hardships he succeeded in revealing not only this exceptional tomb but the backstory of a king who was meant to have been erased from history.
Remarkably, Tutankhamun had fulfilled an ancient Egyptian belief in rebirth by virtue of having his name spoken by many more people than he could ever have hoped to meet or to know during his short life.
Surrounded by his funerary objects that were placed with him to assist his journey to the afterlife he has indeed become immortalized and the restoration of the gods complete.
BRLSI lectures takes approximately 45 minutes and allows 45 minutes for questions.
Tickets Bath Box Office: £7.00 Visitors £4.00 Members and Students (£1.00 booking fee)
Bath Box Office 01225 463362 http://www.bathboxoffice.org.uk
Income from ticket sales is used to cover the cost of making this lecture available to the public.
The Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution (BRLSI) is an educational charity based in the centre of Bath. The Institution runs a programme of more than 150 public lectures each year of topics including science, philosophy, art and literature.
It also maintains collections of minerals, fossils and other items, as well as a library of rare books.
The BRLSI’s Jenyns Room is one of Bath’s leading gallery spaces with a year-round programme of art and museum exhibitions.
PS. I remember queueing for hours to see the first Tutankhamun exhibition at the British Museum back in 1972. More than 1.7 million of us needed a lot of patience but were rewarded with an amazing sight.
The Saatchi Gallery website – providing more information – is https://www.saatchigallery.com/art/tutankhamun.php
