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Tutankhamun: Anatomy of an Excavation
The Howard Carter Archives
Photographs by Harry Burton
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Carter No.: 256a

Handlist description: Gold mask of the King

Card/Transcription No.: 256-1


256 King's Mummy 1

In order of sequence of discovery the royal mummy takes the number 256. When the lid of the third coffin was raised (morning: 28th October 1925) the mummy was found to be in poor condition, this most probably being due to humidity from the "libation" with which it had been covered: the outer wrappings were blackened and carbonized and portions of the accessories disintegrated. A. Upon the head and shoulders there was a golden mask in the likeness of the King with head-dress and collarette, as well as the eyes, beard and the symbols of Upper and Lower Egypt upon the forehead, all inlaid. Attached to the neck of the mask were three necklaces of large disc-shaped beads of coloured gold and faience alternating with claps in the form of solar uraei. Attached to the neck by flexible inlaid gold straps was a large heart scarab of (?)black resin; the threads of the straps were deteriorated and the scarab cracked in many places.

Card no. 256-1 relating to Carter no. 256a
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Tutankhamun: Anatomy of an Excavation
Concept & Direction: Jaromir Malek
Web Page & Database Designs: Jonathan Moffett
Scanning & transcript: Sue Hutchison, Elizabeth Miles, Diana Magee, Kent Rawlinson