Tutankhamum: Return of the King opens at IMAG
The IMAG History and Science Center, in association with The Origins Museum Institute, invites you to its Tutankhamun: Return of the King Exhibition opening Oct. 1.
Thirty-four centuries ago, a young pharaoh, worshiped as a god, was laid to eternal rest in all his splendor, his rule mysteriously cut short by an unknown tragedy. An innocent puppet-ruler, he had been caught in the middle of a dangerous and profound political, spiritual, and artistic revolution against the entire pantheon of ancient Egyptian gods by the first monotheistic religious cult in history. Hidden in darkness beneath the desert sand for over 3 millennia, his spectacular golden treasures were finally brought to light with their discovery by Howard Carter in 1922, to begin fulfilling their ancient magical task of ensuring that the name of Tutankhamun, the long-forgotten boy pharaoh, would live forever.
While the experience of seeing the original artifacts is unsurpassable, there are enormous benefits to viewing the reproductions in this exhibit. The sheer number of replicas in the Tutankhamun exhibit collection far exceeds the number of original objects from the tomb which have been allowed to leave the Egyptian Museum for view abroad. Many of the more impressive artifacts will never be seen in the United States but for these replicas, including such spectacles as the golden Canopic Shrine, the golden State Chariot, the iconic golden Mummy Case, and the Bejeweled Mummy of the pharaoh himself.
Superbly reproduced, this magnificent collection of legendary artifacts faithfully preserves the grandeur and mystery of the most astonishing archaeological treasure ever discovered. Because all pharaohs were buried with the same sacred artifacts, more or less, Tutankhamun’s own treasures were replicas in their day. Crafted from the same ancient, traditional designs, the riches in this awesome collection of 130 artifacts are presented as a portrait of an ancient individual and the remote times in which he lived. Instead of traditionally focusing on the chambers of the tomb, the artifacts in the exhibit are grouped according to aspects of the pharaoh’s life: the Introductory Hall, the Hall of the Discovery, the Private Pharaoh, the Public Pharaoh, and the Sacred Burial. The pharaoh’s much overlooked African heritage is explored, along with the religious magic of the sacred objects, and the infamous curse of Tutankhamun.
The IMAG History and Science Center is located at 2000 Cranford Ave., Fort Myers. For more information, visit www.theIMAG.org or call 239-243-0043.