Jessica's Blog: August 2012

My husband's two sisters are visiting us for a couple days, so we have been showing them around Seattle. Today we went to the Pacific Science Center and Saw the Tutankhamun exhibit. It was incredible! The whole area is climate controlled. The air was like a winter day, exceptionally dry but fresh. The entire wing of the museum was crawling with security guards and staff. Moreover, alarms kept going off when individuals would get too close to the artifacts. I spoke to one of the museum workers, Diana I believe it was, and asked if she ever touched the statues when no one was looking. She said "heavens no, I would get fired so fast!" I mentioned that at the museum in Cairo, where the artifacts are on loan from, you could rub your hands all over the statues and no one would care! Diana said I know, but it is in an American museum so there are guards everywhere. She mentioned that it is even harder at the Pacific Science Center because there are so many children and most of the exhibits are hands on. But patrons have been really good about not touching the statues and other artifacts.

The King Tutankhamun Exhibit: The Golden King and Great Pharaohs

This Cartouche Desk has my favorite color, desert turquoise

Sarcophagus for Prince Thutmose's Cat

My erudite husband appreciating the exhibit

Sarcophagus for Prince Thutmose's Cat

Akhenaten is my husband's (and my) favorite Pharaoh.

"[Akhenaten] is especially noted for abandoning traditional Egyptian polytheism and introducing worship centered on the Aten, which is sometimes described as monotheistic or henotheistic. An early inscription likens the Aten to the sun as compared to stars, and later official language avoids calling the Aten a god, giving the solar deity a status above mere gods. Akhenaten tried to bring about a departure from traditional religion, yet in the end itwould not be accepted" (Akhenaten).

It is incredible the ancient paint still remains

Plus, Akhenaten looks awesome.

So Much Ancient Bling!

"You chose poorly!"

Golden Diadem, Earring and Necklace

The biggest earring ever

Scarab Beetle Pectoral "All these parts of the pectoral are symbols. The scarab stood for the sun god, Re-Kheperi. The Egyptians saw the scarab beetle rolling balls of dung (its food) across the ground, and this reminded them of the sun traveling across the sky. So the pectoral shows the sun god rolling the sun across the sky. The wings show that it is flying" (Scarab Pectoral).

Could you imagine cracking through the wall and seeing King Tutankhamun tomb. You can see the look of wonder on his face. Literally an anthropologist's best day E V E R.

My Sister-in-Laws, Hayley and Whitney

Cat Face!

A 3,000+ year old Egyptian board game, that looks surprisingly like a wii remote

Egyptian Board Game

Could this be the original blue man?

This Mini Sarcophagus held Tutankhamun's heart.

I believe this sarcophagus is gold, inlaid with blue lapis lazuli, red carnelian, and turquoise (Scarab Pectoral).

This is one of Tutankhamun's earrings, of which he had at least six pairs. It is surprising that most of women's fashions started with men. Examples include, tights, hats, wigs, high-heels, and earrings.

This fan was surrounded by fossilized ostrich feather dust

Another Scarab Pectoral

"Ancient Egyptians believed that gold was the skin of the gods? When Howard Carter discovered King Tut's mummy in 1923, golden covers adorned his fingers and toes. The gold pieces were to protect the king's body from magical danger" (Pacific Science Center).