Images Show Tutankhamun's Coffin Outside His Tomb For First Time Ever

Incredible photos of Tutankhamun's sarcophagus have been revealed as it undergoes restoration for the first time.

The 3,000-year-old artifact was removed from its Egyptian tomb back in July and is currently being renovated at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza.

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For the first time ever, experts have been able to see the intricately designed casket up close and personal in what must be an amazing project to work on.

The case shows what looks like Egyptian gods carved into the coffin. Made from wood and gilded with gold, the piece of history has been preserved in extraordinary condition.

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Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Enany told reporters that it will take at least eight months for the team to restore the piece. According to the official, the gold coffin is in an extremely fragile state and has 'never been restored' since it was discovered by archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922.

It was located in The Valley of the Kings, which is on the west coast of the Nile and was filled with treasures, which were then targeted by tomb robbers.

The Minister also revealed that the coffin is set to be displayed alongside other golden coffins and artifacts of King Tut in the Grand Egyptian Museum. It is due to open in late 2020.

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The coffin measures 7.3ft long and was taken out of the tomb in a delicate operation. It was fumigated for seven days once removed.

Repair work will be carried out on the cracks that have formed in the golden wood.

Tutankhamun is one of the most famous of the Ancient Egyptian kings.

He took the throne at the age of nine and ruled the empire until he was 18, when he died. According to studies, scientists believe that it's most likely to have been from a broken leg. A popular theory was that he died from a blow to the head, but this was later disproved following a CT scan of his body.

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He was mummified and then put into the tomb, and was laid to rest with three different coffins that were built inside the other.

While the outside one was taken for restoration, the other two both stayed at the museum; the inner coffin is made of solid gold and the middle one is made of wood and multi-coloured glass.

After the gilded coffin is restored and put into the museum, it will be the first time the three have been shown together.

Topics: World News, History

Amelia Ward

Amelia is a journalist at LADbible. After studying journalism at Liverpool John Moores and Salford Uni (don't ask), she went into PR and then the world of music. She spent a few years working on festivals and events before joining LADbible. In her spare time, Amelia likes music and spending good, quality time with her cat, Paul. You can contact Amelia at [email protected].

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