The Funeral Mask of King Tutankhamen

Perhaps one of the most amazing finds in Egyptian archeology is the tomb of King Tutankhamen. Howard Carter, the archaeologist whose subsequent death provide speculation of the actuality of the mummys curse, discovered it in 1923 (Tutankhamun, par. 2). Most well up known because it was commodiously intact at the time of its opening, the site gives newfangled viewers a rargon insight into the life and death of a pharaoh.Today, the tomb remains shrouded in fascination as people completely over the world visit displays of the artifacts retrieved from the crypt. fit to the National Gallery of Art, archaeologists retrieved cardinal items from the site, and among the items, King Tutankhamens Funeral Mask is possibly the most recognized (par. 1). It is too the most stunning example of Egyptian art recovered from the tomb.The disguise of King Tutankhamen, better known as King Tut, is a crowing headpiece with the face of the young king, worn over the head and shoulders of the deceas ed. The wide- make do mask is made of solid gold with inlaid high crosspatch and stones that make horizontal lines on the right and left sides of the head, down to the shoulders. This blue and gold striped headdress, also known as a nemes, which is a purple head cloth to be worn only by the antediluvian patriarch kings (Death Mask, cap. 1).On the forehead portion of the nemes are 2 small statuettes, one of a vulture and another of a cobra. According to experts, the vulture, Nekhbet, and the cobra, Wadjet, protected the pharaoh (Death Mask, par 1). On the back, the lines of the nemes converge at the bottom, in the center. The piece spares no detail, including the eyeliner worn by the antediluvian patriarch king.As a piece of Egyptian art, the Funeral Mask shows masterful use of the elements of design. The use of tinct is simply exquisite. Blue, gold, red and black, which comprise the piece, are still colors translator of royalty today. The use of line and space on the side s and collar create the illusion that the young king was large and imposing. In addition, the level of equipoise and remainder in the piece is textbook. However, perhaps the most overtly stringy element in the piece is the use of symbols.Iconography and symbols are key to fellow feeling the artists and the subject. The shape of this mask itself is reminiscent of the cobra, ostensibly defendative of his power and fierceness. Also, the lines along the sides of the nemes seem to reflect the image of sunrays. In fact, it appears as if the rays of the sun were radiate from the kings face. The sun deity did play a large role in ancient Egyptian religion, but it is also mathematical that this represents the artists love of their young pharaoh.The most obvious symbols on the mask are of the cobra and vulture. Other than their use for King Tuts protection, they may also represent his adherence to the old religions. According to Britannica Encyclopedia, serpent, vulture, and sphinx are a ll motif symbols tied(p) up with such religious cults as the cult of the pharaohs and the gods and the cult of the deathly (par. 2).Considering the animals religious affiliation, and the fact that Tutankhamen spent his short reign reestablishing the various god religions of the past, one must speculate as to the animals religious significance as well (Tutankhamun, par. 5). Perhaps these two particular animals were representatives of the gods that the pharaoh worshiped.Above all, these artists give the public opinion of adoration for King Tutankhamen in the medium chosen. The entire work is comprised of wanted metals and stones that are historically synonymous with wealth and power. Goldsmiths spent a swell deal of time refining and molding the metal, while small stones were cut and polished by hand to fit together almost seamlessly in the piece.Today, not only would the piece be expensive to recreate, it would also be somewhat laborious. Even with the use of modern tools, the w ork would be airy at best. While it must cook been somewhat difficult to make this level of work, without these elements the image of their king would have been somewhat dimmed. Although the Funeral Mask would have been exquisite even in clay, ancient craftsmen used materials fit for a pharaoh.Furthermore, ancient artisans obviously put a great deal of bang into making their pharaohs mask a true representation of the ruler. It appears that their wish was to represent the king accurately and powerfully in the afterlife. Although their belief was that Tutankhamen would move all the elements of his tomb into the underworld, they fitted him perfectly for presentation to an audience thousands of geezerhood ulterior with all the riches one would expect to accompany such a powerful man as pharaoh of ancient Egypt. Even today, the Funeral Mask awes visitors with its royal visage.While some of the elements, such as facial features, seem in the raw on the surface and lacking realism, they are perfect in their simplicity. Thousands of years later, the artistry of the mask is virtually unmatched. Modern artists and goldsmiths would find the exact pastime of the mask difficult, if not improbable. When combined with the use of color, line, and symbols used by the ancient Egyptians, the mask is perfect.Twenty-first century artisans could not complete such an primal task more appropriately. When given the commission of designing a quasi(prenominal) piece, with the originality of this one, most artists would fail to find such a faultless balance of elements and design, which makes King Tutankhamens Funeral Mask the most superb piece of ancient Egyptian artwork found in the tomb, and perhaps even the world. kit and caboodle CitedDeath Mask of King Tutankhamun. King Tutankhamun by Wysinger. 27 sue 2007. <http//www.homestead.com/wysinger/kingtutankhamun5.html>.Jewelry. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 27 frame 2007. <http//www.bri tannica.com/eb/article-14079>.NGA Treasures of Tutankhamun. National Gallery of Art. 27 March 2007. <http//www.nga.gov/past/data/exh410.shtm>.Tutankhamun. 27 March 2007. Wikipedia.com. 27 March 2007. <http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutankhamun>.