Beard of Egypt's King Tut hastily glued back on with epoxy
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- gd47
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Beard of Egypt's King Tut hastily glued back on with epoxy
CAIRO (AP) — The blue and gold braided beard on the golden mask of famed pharaoh Tutankhamun was hastily glued back on with epoxy, damaging the relic after it became detached during cleaning, conservators at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo said Wednesday.
The museum, which many archaeologists and restorers say i8s not run to professional standards, is one of the city's main tourist sites. Tutankhamun's mask, over 3,300 years old, and other contents of his tomb are its top exhibits, drawing tourists from around the world.
Three of the museum's conservators reached by telephone gave differing accounts of when the incident occurred late last year, and whether the beard was knocked off by accident or was removed because it was loose.
They agree however that orders came from above to fix it quickly and that an inappropriate adhesive was used. All spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of professional reprisals.
"Unfortunately he used a very irreversible material — epoxy has a very high property for attaching and is used on metal or stone but I think it wasn't suitable for an outstanding object like Tutankhmun's golden mask," one conservator said.
"The mask should have been taken to the conservation lab but they were in a rush to get it displayed quickly again and used this quick drying, irreversible material," the conservator added.
Another museum conservator, who was present at the time of the repair, said that epoxy had dried on the face of the boy king's mask and that a colleague used a spatula to remove it, leaving scratches. The first conservator, who inspects the artifact regularly, confirmed the scratches and said it was clear that they had been made by a tool used to scrape off the epoxy.
Egypt's tourist industry, once a pillar of the economy, has yet to recover from three years of tumult following a 2011 uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.
Museums and the opening of new tombs are part of plans to revive the industry. But authorities have made no significant improvements since its construction in 1902, and plans to move the Tutankhamun exhibit to its new home in the the Grand Egyptian Museum scheduled to open in 2018, have yet to be divulged.
Says it all, really.
About the only positive outcome would be a tremendous advert for the brand of adhesive used!
The museum, which many archaeologists and restorers say i8s not run to professional standards, is one of the city's main tourist sites. Tutankhamun's mask, over 3,300 years old, and other contents of his tomb are its top exhibits, drawing tourists from around the world.
Three of the museum's conservators reached by telephone gave differing accounts of when the incident occurred late last year, and whether the beard was knocked off by accident or was removed because it was loose.
They agree however that orders came from above to fix it quickly and that an inappropriate adhesive was used. All spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of professional reprisals.
"Unfortunately he used a very irreversible material — epoxy has a very high property for attaching and is used on metal or stone but I think it wasn't suitable for an outstanding object like Tutankhmun's golden mask," one conservator said.
"The mask should have been taken to the conservation lab but they were in a rush to get it displayed quickly again and used this quick drying, irreversible material," the conservator added.
Another museum conservator, who was present at the time of the repair, said that epoxy had dried on the face of the boy king's mask and that a colleague used a spatula to remove it, leaving scratches. The first conservator, who inspects the artifact regularly, confirmed the scratches and said it was clear that they had been made by a tool used to scrape off the epoxy.
Egypt's tourist industry, once a pillar of the economy, has yet to recover from three years of tumult following a 2011 uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.
Museums and the opening of new tombs are part of plans to revive the industry. But authorities have made no significant improvements since its construction in 1902, and plans to move the Tutankhamun exhibit to its new home in the the Grand Egyptian Museum scheduled to open in 2018, have yet to be divulged.
Says it all, really.
About the only positive outcome would be a tremendous advert for the brand of adhesive used!
A lifetime sufferer of Zymocenosilicaphobia
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Re: Beard of Egypt's King Tut hastily glued back on with epo
Mmmmm....if it was just one "whistle blower" I'd have dismissed this story out of hand. But three??
Expect a categoric denial from Minister of Antiquities very soon ...like yesterday
Expect a categoric denial from Minister of Antiquities very soon ...like yesterday
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Re: Beard of Egypt's King Tut hastily glued back on with epo
OMG....now it's on BBC World News
Heads will roll........but hopefully can be re-affixed with epoxy resin
At least it takes the heat off the Berlin Museum to return the bust of Nefertiti
Heads will roll........but hopefully can be re-affixed with epoxy resin
At least it takes the heat off the Berlin Museum to return the bust of Nefertiti
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Re: Beard of Egypt's King Tut hastily glued back on with epo
They used epoxy resin because the repairers are so poxy at their job, as they are in everything here they attempt to repair to the professional standards of a heathcliff contraption. As a side post look up a book titled ''Fifty shades of Heathcliff'' by Annie Cruse. Click on the book cover and you can read it. Funny. Its a parody of the Fifty Shades of Grey.
Life is your's to do with as you wish- do not let other's try to control it for you. Count Dusak- 1345.
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Re: Beard of Egypt's King Tut hastily glued back on with epo
Went to see Tut's mask last week and must admit didn't notice any difference to the times I had seen it before except it did look much shinier.
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Re: Beard of Egypt's King Tut hastily glued back on with epo
Heath Robinson, you mean....before BY gets inDusak wrote:They used epoxy resin because the repairers are so poxy at their job, as they are in everything here they attempt to repair to the professional standards of a heathcliff contraption. As a side post look up a book titled ''Fifty shades of Heathcliff'' by Annie Cruse. Click on the book cover and you can read it. Funny. Its a parody of the Fifty Shades of Grey.
The book reference is right though (I checked). I'll have a gander at that later!
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Re: Beard of Egypt's King Tut hastily glued back on with epo
I expect that's because they've been trying to T-Cut out the scratchescarrie wrote:Went to see Tut's mask last week and must admit didn't notice any difference to the times I had seen it before except it did look much shinier.
- Dusak
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Re: Beard of Egypt's King Tut hastily glued back on with epo
:tu: Thanks for the correction newcastle. What is it with old age? You have the correct name in your mind then go and type something else. It must be due to the fact that I viewed the book I mentioned the day before. Do not feel sorry for he who sees like the rat with the SH eyes, he will have many more opportunities in the future.newcastle wrote:Heath Robinson, you mean....before BY gets inDusak wrote:They used epoxy resin because the repairers are so poxy at their job, as they are in everything here they attempt to repair to the professional standards of a heathcliff contraption. As a side post look up a book titled ''Fifty shades of Heathcliff'' by Annie Cruse. Click on the book cover and you can read it. Funny. Its a parody of the Fifty Shades of Grey.
The book reference is right though (I checked). I'll have a gander at that later!
Life is your's to do with as you wish- do not let other's try to control it for you. Count Dusak- 1345.
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Re: Beard of Egypt's King Tut hastily glued back on with epo
I too will be watching....from my Wuthering Heights )
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Re: Beard of Egypt's King Tut hastily glued back on with epo
Look out Bearded Brian when you next come to Egypt, they may be looking for a replacement.
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- Dusak
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Re: Beard of Egypt's King Tut hastily glued back on with epo
At times, social media streaming is a bigger, faster killer than cancer.
Life is your's to do with as you wish- do not let other's try to control it for you. Count Dusak- 1345.
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