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Thursday, January 05, 2006
King Tut Exhibit Review, Part 3
Exhibit Review
Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs
January 3, 2006
Part 3 of 3
I mentioned earlier my “rock star” theory that I feel partially explains the enormous success of the exhibit and mutually informed the layout and design of the actual displays. It is no secret that the public is fascinated with all things ancient Egyptian. From how the pyramids were constructed to the mystery surrounding the ascension and fall of kingdoms, people simply cannot get enough Egypt. The Egyptian symbol of life, the Ankh, is even a wildly popular tattoo among Westerners. King Tutankahmun is representative of the intrigue and allure of ancient Egypt and thus an exhibit of his personal effects is a guaranteed success.
The exhibit is sponsored by National Geographic Society, Northern Trust, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida and produced by Arts and Exhibitions International, a private company that puts on such exhibits. It is the latter that reminds me of a concert promoter: the organization that makes sure the “show” can be pulled off. Indeed, the Tut exhibit is an elaborate production with all the aspects of a rock show, with Tut on center stage. As I mentioned in Part 1, we were first ushered into a small viewing room where were watched a flashy introduction video on three high-definition screens. The curtain behind the screens parted to reveal the first exhibition hall. At that moment I did feel my heart skip a beat because it was unexpected and it really did create an aura of mystery and excitement. The first two halls (also mentioned in Part 1) are analogous to the opening band. They set the tone for the upcoming main attraction and give the context needed to enjoy the rest of the displays. A little background on Egypt, its people and practices, and the ascendancy of Tutankhamun further adds to the suspense of what lie ahead.
Once in the main Tut hall, it was pure rock stardom for the rest of the afternoon. The boy king’s personal belongings were displayed like they were all, well, solid gold. Many of them are. I marveled at the array of jewelry, ceremonial items, and body ornamentation but I was most fascinated with his personal belongings; such mundane things as a chair, footlocker, dresser, hand mirror, and foot rest. These are the items that give the god-like Tut a human value, one that we can all relate to. While he had riches beyond imagination, he was as human as we were with the same basic needs. To come face to face with a mirror that once reflected the face of the most famous ancient Egyptian more than 3,000 years ago was very eerie to say the least, and quite moving.
The production team was very aware of this. They organized the exhibit in such a way as to simultaneously shed light on the mystery of Tut and further add to the mystery and intrigue. It was a phenomenal event and simply one of the best historical exhibits I’ve seen, apart from the subject matter being displayed. Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs is proof of how cool science and history can be if you have enough funding.
Posted by Will at January 5, 2006 07:53 PM in Anthropology