Gold Mask of Tutankhamun

The Original Mask

The Gold Funerary Mask of Tutankhamun is probably the best known object to survive from Ancient Egypt and is part of the most famous archaeological find the world has seen.

The tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered in November of 1922. Its four small chambers were packed with personal and ritual objects the young king would need in his afterlife, most of which are unique. They now fill several galleries of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

The mask has been much photographed in the years since it was found (although it has to be said that few photographs do it justice) and there are many descriptions of it in books and magazines. The description which follows is based on the notes made at the time of its discovery by Howard Carter, who was the first man to see the mask since it was placed in the tomb around 1345 B.C.

When the lid of the third coffin, made of solid gold, was raised on the morning of 28th October 1925, it revealed the mummified body of the King.

The excavators of the tomb had already been stunned by the workmanship and quality of the gold coffin, but inside it they revealed a magnificent gold and inlaid mask, made in the likeness of the King, which covered the upper part of the mummy. It was clear that the mask was a masterpiece and unlike anything ever found in Egypt before.

Description

The mask is made of solid gold, beaten and burnished, and had been placed over the head and shoulders of Tutankhamun’s wrapped mummy. It is difficult to tell if the mask is a true likeness, but the features do resemble the face of the mummy when it was unwrapped and also other known likenesses of the king. It is probably a faithful, if idealised, portrait of the young king.

The face has eyebrows of lapis lazuli. The eyes are outlined in the same material, and are made from opaque white calcite with obsidian pupils. The corners of the white eyeballs are coloured red.

Round the forehead and temples, a band holds in position a nemes royal headdress with stripes of lapis lazuli-coloured glass radiating from the lower part of the back of the headdress. The headdress terminates at the back in a kind of pigtail which falls between the shoulder blades and which was also inlaid with lapis lazuli-coloured glass in horizontal bands. On the front the two lappets of the headdress are represented, falling from the shoulders over the chest.

Upon the forehead above the band are the royal insignia: on the right side the Nekhbet vulture head of massive gold; on the left the uraeus, the cobra, with a head of dark blue faience and a hood inlaid with carnelian, lapis lazuli and turquoise-coloured glass, and also quartz in the place of carnelian. The body and tail of the snake is of chased massive gold, which curls over the top of the headdress just beyond the centre.

On the chest is a broad collar, made of gold inlaid with segments of lapis lazuli, quartz (backed with red pigment to imitate carnelian) and green feldspar; all are engraved to imitate tubular beadwork. The whole has an outer margin of cloisonné pendants inlaid with lapis lazuli, glass and quartz, coloured as before to imitate carnelian and interspaced with turquoise-coloured glass inlay. The collar has shoulder pieces in the form of hawks’ heads which are inlaid with obsidian and lapis lazuli-coloured glass.

On the back extension of the mask is engraved a long text of religious spells.

The plaited beard of the God of the Dead, Osiris, is fixed to the chin. It is made of gold inlaid with lapis lazuli, which has now decomposed to a grey tint.

When first revealed, around the neck of the mask was an additional collar made of a triple row of gold and coloured discs, with clasps in the form of lotus flowers and uraei. This collar is now displayed with the mask, but is no longer attached to it.

The Replica

The making of this replica of the gold mask has been a labour of love by artist Brent Beaumont. It has taken him over five years of research and craftsmanship.

The gold mask of Tutankhamun has been copied many thousands of times to create cheap tourist souvenirs, but usually the quality is extremely poor and the copies are inaccurate and bear little resemblance to the original. This replica is one of only a few ever made to the exact dimensions of the original and the finished size may come as a surprise to anyone who has only seen photographs until now. It is a substantial and impressive item.

The artist has endeavoured to copy every detail of the original, even down to the flaws and damage to some of the inlay seen on the real mask. To work to such a level of detail was a time-consuming task and involved literally counting the exact number of some of the small pieces of inlay seen on the collar. No other replica has aimed at this level of accuracy and has succeeded so well.

The long hieroglyphic text on the rear of the mask, which is rarely seen in photographs, has been painstakingly and accurately copied on the replica.

As with the original, the beard is detachable, and a unique feature of this replica is the reproduction of an exact copy of the heavy necklace found attached to the mask.

The replica is cast in resin, gilded with 23.5 carat gold leaf, and then hand-painted to re-create the appearance of the original. It is mounted on a special display stand.

This is a limited edition of only one hundred; each replica is made specially to order and comes with a certificate of authenticity, which is signed and individually numbered by the artist, Brent Beaumont. The certificate also includes a full translation of the hieroglyphic text on the rear of the mask.

During the making of the replica, the artist sought expert advice from Egyptologist Robert Partridge, who says:

“This replica mask is a remarkable achievement for the artist, especially as he has not seen the original and has been working exclusively from photographs. The attention to detail has been meticulous and the artist is probably one of few people who can tell you exactly how many pieces of inlay are inset into the mask – something even Howard Carter did not work out. Having seen the original mask many times, I can say it is undoubtedly the best replica of the mask I have ever seen. The original is impressive, but this replica is equally so and it is a stunning object to be able to display in your own home, where one can view it from all angles and study the meticulous detail. It will be an object which will give much pleasure, be a real focal point to any collection and a major conversation piece.”

Mask © Brent Beaumont, 2004