Dual Legacies: Tutankhamun’s Twin Statues Spanning Continents, from Chicago to Cairo

At the Oriental Insтιтute of Chicago, the nearly 75,000 annual visitors have the opportunity to marvel at the sight of the colossal statue of King Tutankhamun.

This fantastic sculptural work from the 18th dynasty shows a colossal statue of Tutankhamun (usurped successively by Ay and Horemheb) in polychrome quartzite. It is 525 cm high.

It all began in 1931, when archaeologists from the University of Chicago’s Oriental Insтιтute found fragments of two identical statues of Tutankhamun in the rubble of a mortuary temple in Luxor.

Egypt kept possession of the best-preserved statue and gave the other to the American Insтιтute. Obviously, this moment in history was very fortunate for the museum that now owns it, and for the archaeologists of the Insтιтute who discovered it, since Egypt shared pieces with the foreign scientists who helped excavate its past.

Since World War II, it has been forbidden for any object connected to its magnificent history to leave its home country.

Uvo Holscher, a German archaeologist working for the Insтιтute, found the two statues of Tutankhamun in his mortuary temple.

The temple was a huge structure located on the edge of arable land, and the construction of which began during the life of the pharaoh, was completed by Ay, and was expanded by his successor, Horemheb. It was then literally erased from the profile of the land following a flood some 150 years later.

After Holscher discovered the temple, Egyptian government agencies selected and kept the best-preserved objects. As was the custom in the 1930s, the Insтιтute was allowed to choose some of the remaining fragments for its museum.

What made it to Chicago were four large fragments of the pharaoh’s head and torso. By taking casts of the statue’s more complete twin left in Egypt, the Insтιтute’s legendary restorer, Donato Bastiani, was able to restore the statue to its full integrity again.

The inscription identifies the sculpture as an image of Tutankhamun. The restoration was carried out using a cast taken from the intact areas of the statue preserved in Cairo.

The colossal statue of Tutankhamun was excavated by the Oriental Insтιтute of Chicago at Medinet Habu in 1930–1; as was the statue in the Cairo Museum.

Related Posts

Exeter Cathedral door hole could be world’s oldest cat flap

BBC Records show payments to carpenters dating around 1598 A hole in a door at a cathedral is thought to be the world’s oldest cat flap. The…

The Brazen Bull and Other Ancient Torture Devices

We independently ᴀssess all our recommendations. Purchases through our links may earn us a commission. As human beings, we’ve been gifted with an amazing capacity for creativity…

A Central African Lyre Made from a Human Skull and Antelope Horns

A unique and intriguing artifact, the Central African lyre, stands out due to its unusual construction materials, including a human skull and antelope horns. This 19th-century instrument…

Women in Ancient Egypt

Women in ancient Egypt were regarded as the equals of men in every aspect save that of occupation. The man was the head of the household and nation, but women…

The Sad Story of Hitler’s Favorite Children

As a general proposition, loyalty is a morally commendable trait. Unless, of course, it is loyalty to an evil person and cause. Few examples highlight that exception…

Mingun Myanmar Guide – A Half Day Boat Trip From Mandalay

Mingun Myanmar Guide – A Half Day Boat Trip From Mandalay The ancient city of Mingun is a little explored gem near to Mandalay in Myanmar. Being…