The Rough Guide to Tutankhamun [antikvár]

Tutankkamun THE KING : THE TREASURE : THE DYNASTY When Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922, he opened a door onto the golden age of the pharaohs, that era of grandeur, opulence and empire known as the New Kingdom, which began with the kings of the 18th Dynasty. Overlooked by graverobbers for more than 3000 years, the long-lost tomb in the Valley of the Kings yielded a treasure of unimag-ined magnificence. 'Wonderful things', Carter exclaimed as his eyes adjusted to the light from his flickering candle, 'strange animals, statues and gold — everywhere the glint of gold'. But the appeal of Tutankhamun is not just about treasures. He was born into one of the most dramatic moments of Egyptian history, a time of religious, political and artistic revolution which reached its peak during the reign of Akhenaten, who with his strikingly beautiful wife Nefertiti purged Egypt of its old gods and introduced the world's first monotheistic religion. After the death of Akhenaten, who was probably Tutankhamun's father, the boy king found himself in the hands of contending forces, among them the powerful priesthood of Amun, the king of the gods, who wanted to return to the old polytheistic religion. The intrigue and mystery surrounding Tutankhamun's throne, and his unexpectedly premature death, contribute to the fascination and drama of this period. This Rough Guide to Tutankhamun is a comprehensive introduction to the king, the treasure and the dynasty, h begins by describing the significance of objects in The Exhibition, most of which have come from 18th Dynasty tombs in the Valley of the