The Golden Throne of Tutankhamun
We present a series of articles about the thrones of the great rulers.
The throne is a chair with a rich finishing, used by monarchs and rulers on gala receptions and official ceremonies. The word "throne" has Latin and Greek roots: thronus - "throne" in Latin, thronos - "armchair, high seat chair" in Greek.
Thrones have always been considered as power symbols of kings and rulers. The more luxurious the ceremonial chair is, the grander the monarch appears. Gold was the most often used material to make and decorate the monarch's thrones.
The first story is devoted to the most famous Egyptian pharaoh.
The Golden Throne of Tutankhamun
Materials used: gold leaf, carved wood, precious stones, colored glass and enamel
Year of build : approximately 1325 BC
Can be seen in: Egyptian National Museum, Cairo, Egypt
The Golden Throne was discovered in 1922 by the British archeologist Howard Carter during excavations of the tomb of pharaoh Tutankhamun. The ancient Egyptian king reigned from 1330 to 1323 BC. His tomb was the only tomb in the Egyptian Valley of the Kings that wasn’t robbed.
The royal throne of Tutankhamun is a unique work of art. The luxurious armchair is distinguished by the complexity of its technique and an abundance of details. Its colors have not faded over three thousand years, which serves as a testament to the high skill of the ancient Egyptian craftsmen.
A multi-colored glass and precious stones were used to decorate the details of the ornament. The seat is lined with colorful plates of quartz, reminiscent of the Byzantine mosaic. Against the backdrop of the bright gold with which the throne is lined, the colors of the finishing look particularly chic.
A scene from the daily life of the pharaoh is depicted on the front of the throne: the young Tutankhamun sits in a relaxed pose, while his wife Ankhesenamun rubs her husband's shoulder with fragrance oils. If you look closely, you can spot a gold bracelet on Tutankhamun's left foot. His wife has the same jewelry on her right leg. In ancient Egypt, these bracelets were considered a symbol of betrothal.
There are four cobras with solar discs on their heads on the back of the throne. Royal snakes that symbolize wisdom are made of blue and navy-blue enamel. The side backs of the chair are decorated with images of winged serpents made of turquoise enamel with crowns on their heads. The legs of the chair are decorated in the form of lions' paws and are adorned with golden heads of lions that symbolize power and might.
Nowadays, thousands of tourists come to Egypt to see not only the mysterious pyramids, but also to visit the National Museum of Cairo. The golden throne of Tutankhamun can be found in one of its halls.
In the next article, we will tell you about the golden throne of Chinese emperors.
