A treasure trove of Egyptian artefacts found in Tutankhamun's tomb is being shipped to London where it will be showcased in the UK for the last time.
Jewellery, weapons and statues belonging to the boy king comprise the largest collection of his treasures to ever go on display, in celebration of the 100-year anniversary since the ancient ruler's burial site was discovered.
Some 160 artefacts will form the Treasures Of The Golden Pharaoh exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery from November 2, 2019 to May 3, 2020.
The British capital is the third of 10 cities on the worldwide tour which will conclude at the Grand Egyptian Museum near the pyramids of Giza where the collection will remain forever.
The items have been uninstalled from Paris's Grande Halle de la Villette, where they were on display from March to September and drew more than 1.4million visitors, making it France's most-visited exhibition of all time.
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Weighing a total of 15.6 tonnes, the artefacts have travelled in custom-built inner crates and outer crates to ensure there is no movement while in transit.
The items require 48 hours to acclimatise after being transported before the crates are opened, and there are specific controls for temperature and light inside the exhibition cases to keep them in top condition.
Egyptian restorers have been embedded with the team throughout the tour, and one has remained with the artefacts in all locations and while they are travelling.
Museums consultant and collections manager Jackie Hoff said: 'I've got 25-plus years' experience doing this, and this is the most complex show I've ever dealt with.
'The size of the material, the status and preciousness of everything, the fragility of every single piece, it really takes a lot of time, a lot of effort and a lot of communication and co-ordination to pull it all off.'
Egyptologist Dr Chris Naunton said: 'Visitors to the exhibition, when it arrives in London, are going to see a cleverly-selected series of items relating to Tutankhamun's life.
'[They will also relate to] the moment of his death and what happens to the burial, the body and the tomb, and ultimately what happens to Tutankhamun – in the Egyptian mindset – in the afterlife as well.
The young pharaoh's tomb was discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922, more than 3,000 years after his death, in an expedition financed by Lord Carnarvon.
The landmark discovery of the tomb filled with royal treasures brought to light almost perfectly-preserved artefacts from a vanished civilisation, and it has captivated the world ever since.
Following the tour, produced by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and IMG, the funerary objects will return to the land where the pharaoh was laid to rest.
Previous London-based exhibitions of objects from Tutankhamun's tomb in 1972 and 2007 drew huge crowds and, due to high demand for the forthcoming show, the organisers have announced extended morning and evening session tickets for the opening weeks of the exhibit.
In addition to the extended hours, there will be a programme of 'lates', which will take place on the penultimate Friday of November and December and will include drinks and music.
Tue, Oct. 8, 2019
