Ancient Egypt comes to London: The Tutankhamun Exhibition

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs' is an incredible collection of over 130 Egyptian treasures from across the Valley of the Kings and other Egyptian archaeological sites; the exhibition includes approximately 130 objects from the tomb of King Tutankhamun, alongside other tombs and monuments. There are over ten different exhibition rooms where visitors can learn all about 'The Boy King'; his tomb; daily live in Tutankhamun's world; traditional beliefs of the ancient Egyptians; death, burial and the after-life, and ancient Egypt before Tutankhamun's reign, as well as other fascinating aspects of ancient Egypt.

Tutankhamun himself was a king who reigned during ancient Egypt's 18th Dynasty (1550-1292 BC) at a time when the Egyptian Empire was at its height. His was born in Egypt's capital of the time - Amarna - where he spent his early childhood, and ascended the throne when he was just 9 years old, hence the name 'The Boy King'. He is thought to have reigned for around 9 years, and died before he was 20 years old; though he was married, he had no surviving heirs and his two still-born babies were buried with him in his tomb.

The exact cause of Tutankhamun's death is not known for certain. There have been many theories put forward, including those that say he was murdered, or died from disease. The most recent research, however, suggests that he may have died from complications following a severe leg injury, which was discovered after extensive x-rays of his tomb.

The exhibition itself is in the O2 Arena, formally known as the Millennium Dome and is Europe's newest and most advanced entertainment destination, and which opened its doors in London in July 2007. The O2 Arena has state-of-the-art facilities, and the Tutankhamun exhibition is situated in what is known as "The O2 Bubble" due to its rounded shape.

With the exhibition coming to a close at the end of August 2008, time is running out for visitors to see Tutankhamun in London. The attraction has been immensely popular and is expected to top the 1.6 million visitors that were attracted to a similar exhibition back in 1972, which was held London's British Museum. With this in mind, visitors are advised to book well in advance as over 300,000 tickets were sold before the exhibition even opened!

The exhibition ends with a well stocked gift shop, which offers replica jewelry priced at over £5000; but of course there are plenty of more modestly priced souvenirs, such as sticker books and temporary Egyptian tattoos.

Global fascination with Ancient Egypt shows little signs of waning, and as archeologists continue to piece together the history of the Pharoahs and the Pyramids, we can only watch in awe at what was one of the greatest civilizations the world has ever seen.

About the Author

Matthew Pressman is a freelance writer and frequent flyer. When not travelling, he enjoys golf and fishing.