One of the most beautiful treasures in the world is this life-size funeral mask of the pharaoh Tutankhamen. The discovery of his tomb in 1922 captured the imagination of people around the world. What was extraordinary about the find was that the tomb had not been robbed of its treasures. It contained over 5,000 works of art, which revealed to scholars many aspects of Egyptian life.
The mask is made of beaten gold, inlaid with jewels and colored glass. It shows Tutankhamen as the handsome youth he was when he died, more than 3,200 years ago, at the age of 18. The decorative beard on the mask is a symbol of Osiris, the god of the dead. On the headdress are symbols of the vulture and cobra goddesses. They represent Upper and Lower Egypt.
