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Egyptian Odyssey (part 4)

Author: Osama Rashad
by Osama Rashad
Posted: Dec 20, 2019
after death

Egyptian Odyssey (part 4)

Theories strongly suggest that Tutankhamun is the son of Akhenaten (also known as Amenhotep IV), who is noted for abandoning the traditional practice of worshipping multiple gods in favor of a single god, Ra. However, these religious shifts were not widely accepted, and after his death, traditional practices were gradually restored. Akhenaten was discredited, his monuments dismantled and hidden. He and his immediate successors – including Tutankhamun – were excluded from the official dynastic lists. Tutankhamun was not a particularly noteworthy ruler due to his young age and short reign. Evidence suggests his tomb was robbed soon after his death. When many of the tombs from the Valley of the Kings were dismantled (c. 1100 BC), it is believed his was overlooked due to his family’s fall from grace.

As a result of this oversight, his tomb was nearly intact when it was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922. More than 5,000 items were found in the tomb, which took 10 years to catalog. Many of the treasures are on display in the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities in Cairo, including Tut’s ceremonial gold burial mask. It is perhaps the most impressive piece in the collection, comprised of 25 pounds of solid gold, inlaid lapis lazuli, carnelian, obsidian, colored glass, quartz and turquoise.

The museum, constructed around 1902, contains many important pieces of ancient Egyptian history, including the famed Rosetta stone, a stone tablet measuring approximately 52 inches long and 30 inches wide. On it is carved the same writing in three scripts – Hieroglyphic, Demotic Egyptian and Greek. Because Greek was well known among scholars, the stone became the key to deciphering the Hieroglyphics. During the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, the museum was broken into, and several artifacts – including two mummies – were damaged

Around 50 objects were lost, but since then about half have been recovered. A new state-of-the-art museum is currently under construction in Cairo. At a cost of $790 million, the Grand Egyptian Museum will occupy 5.2 million square feet, and is slated to open in 2020.

DAY 9

On the west bank of the Nile is one of the most visited historical sites in Egypt, the Temple of Karnak. Construction of the temple complex began c. 1500 BC, and continued for several centuries. Approximately 30 pharaohs contributed to the buildings, enabling it to reach a size, complexity and diversity unlike any other in the world. One famous feature of Karnak is the hypostyle hall – 50,000 square feet, with 134 massive columns arranged in 16 rows. There are also a few smaller temples and sanctuaries that connect to the nearby Luxor Temple, a large complex constructed approximately 1360 BC. The earliest structures were erected by Amenhotep III, and he and Rameses II were responsible for most of the temple’s huge colonnades and courts. Luxor Temple suffered some damage in the reign of Amenhotep’s son, Akhenaten, when the name and figure of Amon were erased, but it was reconstructed in the reigns of Tutankhamun and Horemhab (1306 -1292 BC).

While in Luxor, we stayed at the Hilton Luxor Resort and Spa, a luxurious hotel that offers every amenity one might expect. Its pool deck overlooks the Nile, where we enjoyed a comfortable climate averaging about 80 degrees. The adjacent dining area features a broad menu of both Middle Eastern and European/American selections.

To be continued…

About the Author

Osama Rashad Egyptian Tour Guide https://www.journeytoegypt.com/en

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Author: Osama Rashad
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Osama Rashad

Member since: Nov 01, 2016
Published articles: 60

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