shrines were painted and carved but the sarcophagus was the most elaborate. The sarcophagus was opened up to find three coffins inside one another. these coffins fit together like Russian dolls. The lid of each coffin was modeled to look like the dead pharaoh, Osiris. He was wearing a broad collar and wristlets. His arms were crossed across his chest to clutch the symbols of kingship, the crook and the flail. Each coffin was elaborately designed and plaited in gold 38. King Tutankhamen’s face was covered by a stupendous mask covered in gold and elaborate decor on the innermost coffin. This coffin is made of 22 carat gold and weighs 296 pounds. It is estimated to be worth 1.5 million dollars 39. “For an Egyptian pharaoh. death was just an unfortunate crossing point between tow lives.” 40 After his human death, Tutankhamen’s life and his position as pharaoh would carryon in his afterlife. His tomb was filled with the numerous items a pharaoh would need in the afterlife 41. When discovered, King Tutankhamen’s tomb contained over 5,000 treasures. The most famous of these was the cornelian and gold mask worn by his mummy 42. Carnarvon and his men began to prepare for the removal of King Tutankhamen’s coffin and objects in the tomb. They got packing crates and boxes ready 43. When it came time to go into the tomb and excavate the coffin Carnarvon became very ill. Twelve days later he died 44. This was just the beginning of the well-known “Curse of Tutankhamen.” Rumors began to spread rapidly about the curse and that death would overcome anyone who disturbed the eternal rest of the pharaoh. people connected with the tomb began to drop off in rapid succession. Georges Benedite, the head of the Department of Egyptian Anquities at Louvre Museum in Paris, died shortly after Carnarvon. A.C. Mace, a member of the Carnarvon-Carter expedition, died shortly after Benedite 45. The pharaoh’s curse was...
